Luke 8:9-10

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If you would, please turn back to Luke 8

We’re going to be looking at the two verses that...

…we had to skip over last week...

…as we were working our way through...

“The Parable of the Sower”

- But, in order to properly understand those verses...

…we’re going to need to spend a good deal of time...

…in Matthew’s gospel, as well.

So, you may want to to…

…also find Matthew chapter 13.

-The reason we didn’t cover these verses last week, was simply...

…because we didn’t have the time.

And I think, that, once we get to Matthew 13, you’ll understand why...

And…

I think you’ll understand why I said that...

…this parable was (in a sense) laying a foundation...

...for the many parables that would follow it.

-To help us remember the context...

…we’re going to begin reading back in verse 4.

This is the Word of God:

Luke 8:4–10 (ESV)

4 And when a great crowd was gathering and people from town after town came to him, he said in a parable,

5 “A sower went out to sow his seed. And as he sowed, some fell along the path and was trampled underfoot, and the birds of the air devoured it.

6 And some fell on the rock, and as it grew up, it withered away, because it had no moisture.

7 And some fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.

8 And some fell into good soil and grew and yielded a hundredfold.” As he said these things, he called out, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear.”

9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,

10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

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Pray

-Remember, that verse 8 had concluded with Jesus...

finishing the parable...

issuing that solemn charge to those who heard it:

We read it last week in the NET:

Luke 8:8 (NET)

8 ...he called out, “The one who has ears to hear had better listen!”

-Now, Luke doesn’t specify who all was around...

Luke 8:9 (ESV)

9 ...when his disciples asked him what this parable meant,

But, Mark’s account tells us that it was:

Mark 4:10 (ESV)

10 ...when he was alone, those around him with the twelve asked him about the parables.

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So, let’s be clear, here.

Jesus didn’t explain the parable to the multitudes.

He simply:

Told it to them...

Charged them to...

hear it...

heed its warnings!

He only explained its meaning to His disciples.

In fact, Mark tell us that this would...

...become what He typically did moving forward.

Mark 4:33–34 (ESV)

33 With many such parables he spoke the word to them, as they were able to hear it.

34 He did not speak to them without a parable, but privately to his own disciples he explained everything.

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This is something we’re going to see...

...a lot as we move forward in Jesus’ earthly ministry:

Him teaching in parables...

His disciples not understanding...

Them asking Him about it privately...

And Him explaining the true meaning to them...

…but not to the rest!

-So, this begs the question:

“Why did Jesus operate like this?”

Well, typically we respond to that question by saying, something like:

“Parables make deep truths easier to understand.”

i.e., “Jesus is just explaining things in a way that they can understand it.”

But, that’s not exactly what the Scripture says.

When we get to Matthew 13 in a minute...

…we’re going to see this very question (EXPLICITLY)...

Asked...

Answered!

And even though Luke doesn’t record their asking this...

…he does record an abridged form of the answer to it himself, in verse 10.

Notice, that after recording them...

…asking him what the parable meant...

He interjects:

Luke 8:10 (ESV)

10 . . . “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables...

Mark again specifies:

Mark 4:11 (ESV)

11 . . . “To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,

You see, there’s an intentional discrimination happening here.

And, do remember, that these crowds would have been predominantly Jewish!

Folks who assumed themselves to be INSIDE the kingdom already.

-Now, notice the reason that He goes on to give in verse 10:

Luke 8:10 (ESV)

10 . . . “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’

Again, Mark helps us to understand more clearly.

He says (quoting the O.T.):

Mark 4:12 (ESV)

12 so that “ ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’ ”

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Now, that last phrase is kinda troubling, isn’t it?

Isn’t that what these folks are supposed to do?

So, Why does it sound like...

1.) They’re wanting to repent...

2.) But Jesus is preventing them from doing so?

Well, that’s not AT ALL what’s going on...

But, for the moment, we’re not going to focus on that.

(It will show up again soon)

For now, try to focus on the dual purposes Jesus gives...

...for His use of parables:

They are intended to simultaneously:

Reveal

Conceal!

In a word, their purpose is judgment.

We’ll see that more clearly in Matthew’s account.

Please flip over there (Matthew 13) if you’re following along.

-We’re going to pick up in verse 10.

Notice the question being explicitly asked there:

Matthew 13:10 (ESV)

10 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?”

Notice His initial response in the next verse:

Matthew 13:11 (ESV)

11 And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

-Now, if we were to stop right here...

…what would we take away from this verse?

That God has decided who will be...

IN His Kingdom...

AND... who will NOT!

And that Jesus speaks in parables to the have-nots...

…so they won’t be ABLE to understand.

That tends to scandalize our modern sensibilities...

But, is it much different than Jesus saying:

Matthew 11:25 (ESV)

25 . . . “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children;

Or even:

John 6:44 (ESV)

44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him...

There isn’t a lot of difference in these statements and verse 11.

-Now, if these statements offend us...

…we need to brace ourselves for verse 12!

Matthew 13:12 (ESV)

12 For to the one who has, more will be given, and he will have an abundance, but from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.

This is, no doubt, an enigmatic saying.

One that Jesus used on numerous occasions.

What does it mean?

Well, think about it.

What does the one “who has,” have?

What is being given?

Revelation of God

The Word of God

Or, as Jesus words it in verse 11:

Matthew 13:11 (ESV)

11 ...the secrets of the kingdom of heaven...

So, lets plug that in:

Matthew 13:12 (ESV)

12 For to the one who has (Revelation), more will be given, and he will have an abundance (Revelation), but from the one who has not (Revelation), even what he has (Revelation) will be taken away. — (Emphasis Mine)

This Study Bible explains it (broadly) like this:

To those who have a relationship with Jesus, parables deepen understanding and foster that relationship, but to those who do not, parables increase their confusion and ignorance.

Thus the function of parables is both to enlighten and to conceal. — Reformation Study Bible

The Believer’s Bible Commentary cuts to the chase:

The disciples had faith in the Lord Jesus; therefore, they would be given the capacity for more. They had accepted the light; therefore, they would receive more light.

The Jewish nation, on the other hand, had rejected the Light of the world; therefore they were not only prevented from receiving more light, they would lose what little light they had.

Light rejected is light denied. — Believer’s Bible Commentary

Brethren, this is exactly what we see in the verses that follow.

Matthew 13:13 (ESV)

13 This is why I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

This is why I said before that the purpose of parables...

Was (primarily) Judgment!

-This is really old language in Scripture.

The first I’m aware of is at the Covenant Renewal in Moab in:

Deuteronomy 29:2–4 (ESV)

2 And Moses summoned all Israel and said to them: “You have seen all that the Lord did before your eyes in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land,

3 the great trials that your eyes saw, the signs, and those great wonders.

4 But to this day the Lord has not given you a heart to understand or eyes to see or ears to hear.

You see:

There’s “seeing” . . .

And Then there’s “seeing”

i.e., getting it in your heart.

i.e., having it change you.

They heard the words...

They saw the wonders...

But they were still deaf and blind!

In Ezekiel 12 the Lord explains the metaphor:

Ezekiel 12:2 (ESV)

2 “Son of man, you dwell in the midst of a rebellious house, who have eyes to see, but see not, who have ears to hear, but hear not, for they are a rebellious house.

This is the same indictment that Jesus is making in our text.

Look at Verses 14-15:

Matthew 13:14–15 (ESV)

14 Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “ ‘ “You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”

15 For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.’

Do you recognize that quote?

It’s from Isaiah 6:9-10.

Remember the backdrop.

Isaiah was forlorn and frightened (assumedly) over the death of King Uzziah

But he was given a revelation of God...

…firmly enthroned in the heavenly temple.

Isaiah’s profane mouth (as a prophet) was cauterized...

…by the burning coal from under the heavenly altar.

Then we read this:

Isaiah 6:8–13 (ESV)

8 And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Isaiah is commissioned to speak for God.

9 And he said, “Go, and say to this people: “ ‘Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.’

Remember Israel’s (then) exclusive privilege as stewards of divine revelation.

Notice: They were already rebelling

Notice: That God does this as a judgment upon that rebellion

10 Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and blind their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.”

This is how judicial hardening works

The Lord leaves you to your own devices

-Let me show you how common this...

...language is in the N.T.

John 9:39 (ESV)

39 Jesus said, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”

John 12:37–41 (ESV)

37 Though he had done so many signs before them, they still did not believe in him,

38 so that the word spoken by the prophet Isaiah might be fulfilled: “Lord, who has believed what he heard from us, and to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?”

39 Therefore they could not believe. For again Isaiah said,

40 “He has blinded their eyes and hardened their heart, lest they see with their eyes, and understand with their heart, and turn, and I would heal them.”

41 Isaiah said these things because he saw his glory and spoke of him.

Paul explains:

2 Corinthians 3:11–16 (ESV)

11 For if what was being brought to an end came with glory, much more will what is permanent have glory.

12 Since we have such a hope, we are very bold,

13 not like Moses, who would put a veil over his face so that the Israelites might not gaze at the outcome of what was being brought to an end.

14 But their minds were hardened. For to this day, when they read the old covenant, that same veil remains unlifted, because only through Christ is it taken away.

15 Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read a veil lies over their hearts.

16 But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.

In Romans 11, Paul wrote:

Romans 11:5–10 (ESV)

5 So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace.

6 But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.

i.e., through the New Covenant not the Old

7 What then? Israel failed to obtain what it was seeking. The elect obtained it, but the rest were hardened,

8 as it is written, “God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that would not see and ears that would not hear, down to this very day.”

-Now, I believe that this...

Romans 11:5 (ESV)

5 ...remnant, chosen by grace.

…is what Jesus is referring to back in Verse 16:

Matthew 13:16 (ESV)

16 But blessed are your eyes, for they see, and your ears, for they hear.

Why do they see?

Well, what did Jesus tell Peter?

Matthew 16:17 (ESV)

17 . . . “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

The remnant is chosen by grace!

-Here is why, we, who now see, see:

Because the...

2 Corinthians 4:6 (ESV)

6 . . . God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.

This brings us to verse 17.

It speaks of this knowledge of the glory of God:

Matthew 13:17 (ESV)

17 For truly, I say to you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Peter explains this about the Gospel that we have received:

1 Peter 1:10–12 (ESV)

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully,

11 inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories.

12 It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

Sproul explains it for us:

Jesus’ disciples and NT believers are doubly blessed.

God’s grace has made their hearts, ears, and eyes receptive to the revelation of His kingdom;

and they live in the era of the fulfillment of God’s promises, for which OT believers earnestly hoped. — RSB

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What’s the application in all of this for us?

Well, I hope the first is obvious.

1. If you’re in Christ, meaning:

You believe on Him

Your hope is in Him

He is your only confidence before God

His righteousness is your only plea...

…then you have already received “grace upon grace!” . . .

…and you need to live in appropriate response to that:

With Humility

With Gratitude

With Servitude

With Grace toward others.

2. Secondly, Heed the warning of this text.

What’s that?

It’s the warning, that:

Luke 12:48 (ESV)

48 ...Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.

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The light of God’s self-revelation is a priceless gift.

The more you have...

The more you know...

…the more that is expected of you.

This was the problem with Israel.

They had received the glory...

…but they didn’t out-ray it.

We have more light than any of them could have ever dreamed of!

What will we do with it?

How will we steward it?

Let’s pray.