"The knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. This is why I speak to them in parables: Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. 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.' But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. 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."-------|-------
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world."-------|-------
"Have you understood all these things?" Jesus asked. "Yes," they replied. He said to them, "Therefore every teacher of the law who has been instructed about the kingdom of heaven is like the owner of a house who brings out of his storeroom new treasures as well as old."
Tuesday, January 10, 2006
Some Clues from Matthew
Why did Jesus use all the metaphors and parables? Maybe more importantly, why did some get it and others didn't? Read these words of Jesus:
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Yeah... makes me think of this verse.
ReplyDeleteGod certainly works in mysterious ways doesn't He.
I have an *extremely long* entry about a different angle on this subject on my blog. Its an email conversation I've been having with my pastor... we touch on this subject (and others). Check it out if you feel like it: Comforting Words.
Me thinks that you dismiss too easily Romans 9 & 10.
ReplyDeleteJesus came not as peacefully as you make him out to be. He came as a sword. He is not so lovey-dovey as you suggest.
No, he doesn't lovingly plead for repentence... he demands it with authority.
Of course there are verses that speak of His love, mercy, and attributes that are similar to that of an earthly father... but you cannot simply bypass the truth of His sovereignty and purpose. He does only elect some... few, actually.
Do you not know that God actually hardens those he wishes to harden? And that it is not dependent whatsoever on man's desire or effort?
This God is a mysterious one for sure.
As you describe Him, God isn't very mysterious at all, unless "puzzling" is the same as mysterious. Or maybe "beyond rationale." He's pretty simple, in your view. He picks some for this purpose, and picks others for a that purpose.
ReplyDeleteIf you read Paul's words like a science text book (here is the way things work), then you have no choice but drop yourself in a beaker and hope to be one of the chosen.
Here's the mystery: read Paul as if he's offering one word picture (a potter making pots for different purposes). But that it's simply one of the many word pictures that we can dream up as we consider God and try to grasp His ways.
Ok, in a sense, He's like a potter, turning out both beautiful vases and thunder-jugs from the same pottery wheel.
In another sense, He's a gentle breeze, barely creating a ripple in our sails.
In another, He's water, water that happens to be alive, and permanently quenches my thirst.
Again, He's a narrow path that leads me straight on.
He's a shepherd that leaves the 99 sheep to go after the one that's lost.
He's like a man who leaves different sums of money to a few different people, expecting them to make the most of what they've been entrusted with.
Paul chose to use quite a bit of explanation to go along with his word pictures. That's the way he was. I imagine that's why the children of the age of reason love him so much. I beg you, just put that particular book down for a few months.
Put the pajamas on and sit yourself down with the Old Testament, and pretend you're getting to know this God only through the stuff He did. Read the stories as stories, not as lesson books.
Why did God tell Israel over and over, "Tell what I have done to your children and grandchildren."
Why did David call the history of Israel 'a parable' (Psalm 78)?
What does it look like when Jehovah intervenes? What does it look like when a man or woman shows up?
What does it mean when "GOD" chooses to introduce Himself to an entire nation as "JEHOVAH"?
Wonder again, my friend. Wonder. Don't worry about knowing or believing just yet.