Why Jesus Used Parables

10 Then the disciples(A) came up and asked him, “Why are you speaking to them in parables?” (B)

11 He answered, “Because the secrets of the kingdom of heaven have been given for you to know,(C) but it has not been given to them. 12 For whoever has, more will be given to him, and he will have more than enough; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.(D) 13 That is why I speak to them in parables, because looking they do not see,(E) and hearing they do not listen or understand.(F) 14 Isaiah’s prophecy is fulfilled in them, which says:

You will listen and listen,
but never understand;
you will look and look,
but never perceive.(G)
15 For this people’s heart has grown callous;
their ears are hard of hearing,
and they have shut their eyes;
otherwise they might see with their eyes,
and hear with their ears, and
understand with their hearts,
and turn back—
and I would heal them.[a](H)

16 “Blessed are your eyes(I) because they do see, and your ears because they do hear.(J) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see the things you see but didn’t see them, to hear the things you hear but didn’t hear them.(K)

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Footnotes

  1. 13:14–15 Is 6:9–10

10 The disciples came to him and asked, “Why do you speak to the people in parables?”

11 He replied, “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven(A) has been given to you,(B) but not to them. 12 Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them.(C) 13 This is why I speak to them in parables:

“Though seeing, they do not see;
    though hearing, they do not hear or understand.(D)

14 In them is fulfilled(E) 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.’[a](F)

16 But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.(G) 17 For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see(H) but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.

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Footnotes

  1. Matthew 13:15 Isaiah 6:9,10 (see Septuagint)