"Why Do YOU Speak To Them In Parables?"

"Then HIS disciples came to HIM and said, 'Why do YOU speak to them in parables?'

JESUS answered, 'To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but not to these people.  For the one who has will be given more; and he will have in abundance.  But the one who does not have will be deprived of even what he has.  That is why I speak to them in parables; because they look and do not see; they hear; but they do not listen or understand,

In them, the words of the prophet Isaiah are fulfilled: However much you hear, you do not understand; however much you see, you do not perceive.

For the heart of this people has grown dull.  Their ears hardly hear and their eyes dare not see.  If they were to see with their eyes, hear with their ears and understand with their heart, they would turn back and I would heal them.

But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear.

For I tell you, many prophets and righteous people have longed to see the things you see, but they did not see them; and to hear the things you hear, but they did not hear them....'" - Matthew 13:10-17 

(To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom.  To you who took CHRIST's call seriously and decided to follow HIM.  Because you came to be the co-workers of CHRIST, the FATHER will reveal to you HIS secrets.

The quotation from Isaiah that follows may shock us due to the fact of our not fully understanding Hebrew expressions.  Does JESUS speak in parables because the audience does not want to understand, or so that they will not understand?  It could be both at the same time.

For the one who has will be given more.  Here has means produce, bear as does the tree that "has" fruit.  It will be given to those who are fruitful.)

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