Then (Jesus') disciples asked him what this parable meant. He said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God; but to others I speak in parables, so that ‘looking they may not perceive, and listening they may not understand.’ ~ Luke 8:9-10
It isn't too surprising, is it, that the disciples needed Jesus to explain one of his parables to them.
I mean, I wish I could ask him to explain lots of his parables to me.
What makes it even tougher to take is that Jesus says that the Kingdom of God has secrets...
And not everyone gets to be in on it.
Or maybe it is that not everyone wants to be in on it?
The thing about Jesus parables, and about the Kingdom of God itself is that there are no easy answers. There's a reason Jesus compares it to many things.
No one thing can possibly cover it.
We often want easy answers, don't we? We like a God, a Jesus, who is easy to pin down. We like a God who we can understand and relate to: a friend, a father, a brother.
But God can't be put in one of our boxes, and neither can the Kingdom of God. It is beyond our full comprehension.
Why did Jesus not want some to perceive or understand the Kingdom of God?
Was he being mean? Was he judging?
Or did he know that some things can only be revealed bit by bit - slowly. Maybe God can only be digested slowly over time.
And in the meantime, trust, faith, can keep us hoping and praying to continue to draw closer to God and to the Kingdom.
Open the eyes of my heart, Lord. Help me to see and learn and begin to understand. Amen
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