That same day...I wonder what day? Well, I guess whatever day came between yesterday's reading and today's. This says he told them many things in parables.
I do see there is much in the discussion between Jesus and his disciples. I don't think this 'sower' was very careful if his seed went scattering about to be devoured by birds or lost in rocks. That isn't what we are looking at today though. The disciples want to know why Jesus talks in riddles-but ends by saying listen if you have ears. When the disciples ask, he says that these people do not want to hear; 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.'
Why would they close their eyes and their heart, and stop up their ears? Jesus says when we hear but do not understand, it can be taken from us...I think a lesson here is to ask for what we don't understand to be explained. Notice that is what these disciples do. They ask what do you mean, and why do you speak in parables, and it is then that Jesus says 'here is what I mean.'
I also think it is interesting that the same seed, all of it sown in good soil produces different yields of fruit. It is in this case all good-and yet in each case it is different. I wonder that they don't ask for more to be explained. They may have been pondering still this blessedness they had that they saw these things that others had longed for. What would they do with this gift?
The Parable of the weeds gives more insight into what happens to that good seed. Without care, we all can see our work troubled by weeds and we can find our lives choked by troubles. Sometimes even with care, there are weeds but this says that the Son of Man will come with his angels are gather up the weeds
These things that are 'like' the kingdom of heaven are things we can see and hold and can understand: the value of a pearl, the small amount of yeast that makes the whole batch rise, fishing nets that gather things wanted and unwanted, sorting out good and bad; all of these things, these actions we can understand in a way that trying to understand this kingdom of heaven may be bigger and more different than we can grasp.
When Jesus asked the disciples if they understood, they said yes. Is it clear to us? I said earlier that the disciples needed to ask for explanation when they were confused and this is a very good idea. If some of this is unclear, we too need to ask for more information. This section ends with the people who had known Jesus all his life not understanding what he was saying, how could this person know all these things; rather than asking they didn't believe. There were few mighty works because of there unwillingness to ask for explanation or for help. I think these verses are here to remind us to ask. and the yeast that can be in our lives is the faith or the hope for more of this kingdom. The small amount can grow until it reaches all parts of our lives and helps our spirits to rise like the bread.
How many of us have ears to hear, and how many of us close our heart? I pray we do not close ourselves off from the blessings of this news, and that if we have questions we ask for more information, and that we are willing to bear fruit whether a hundredfold or sixty of thirty.
See you tomorrow.
-maggie
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