PARABLES, ENLIGHTENMENT FOR BELIEVERS
Matthew 13:13-17
PARABLES FOR BELIEVERS
V:13 This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see;
though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
According to Matthew, Jesus began speaking in parables to his followers
after the religious leaders rejected His teaching and miracles and labeled them as being
by the power of Satan. They committed the one unforgivable sin found in chapter 12.
Matthew 12:22-24
22 Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him so that he could both talk and see. 23 All the people were astonished and said, "Could this be the Son of David?"
24 But when the Pharisees heard this, they said, "It is only by Beelzebub, the prince of demons, that this fellow drives out demons."
The unforgivable sin is this:
Matthew 12:32
32 Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but anyone who speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.
The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit are one God in three persons; the divine Trinity.
Anyone who claims the work of the Trinity is the work of the devil is on a
stairway to hell that cannot be reversed.
The word parable is made of two words, para and ballo, together it means to throw along
side. A parable makes a comparison between a truth and an untruth.
Jesus began to preach in parables for three reasons;
1. His preaching had been rejected by the religious leaders as satanic
2. Parables were designed to hide the truth from unbelievers
3. Parables were designed to reveal the truth to believers
4. Parables were designed to fulfill the prophecy of Isaiah
OLD TESTAMENT FULFILLED IN NEW TESTAMENT
THE CURSE OF REJECTING CHRIST
V:14 In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
"'You will be ever hearing but never understanding;
you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
15 For this people's heart has become calloused;
they hardly hear with their ears,
and they have closed their eyes.
Otherwise, they might see with their eyes,
hear with their ears,
understand with their hearts
and turn, and I would heal them.'
Those who reject Christ, have their understanding of the Word
blocked by Him.
In the book of Exodus, Moses took the commands of God to the
Pharaoh. In each of the ten plagues cast on Egypt, the Lord hardened
his heart so he would not obey. Lacking the guidance of the Lord
all the firstborn of Egypt were killed and his entire army was destroyed.
Those who reject Jesus also in the same breath reject the divine teacher
of the scriptures, the Holy Spirit.
Since faith come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God, those who
reject Christ cannot hear the Word of God.
The just live by faith and not by sight. Those who reject Christ walk blindly
in this world. They make plans with no assurance of an increase.
The steps of a Good man are ordered by the Lord. Those who reject Christ
have no idea if they are going in the right direction
THE BLESSING OF A RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST
V:16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 17 For I tell you the truth, many prophets, and righteous men longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.
Those who accept Christ are blessed with all the spiritual capabilities to do the
work of God. We are blessed more than the prophets who waited patiently
for the coming of the Messiah but did not sit in His presence or bathed in
His glory.
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