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Explanation for:
Matthew
13
:
15
For the heart of this people is grown gross, and with their ears they have been dull of hearing, and their eyes they have shut: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them.
12
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{"arr":[{"author-name":"Hilarius of Poitiers","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88cb92f12b3278598f946_Hilarius%20of%20Poitiers.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"Faith embraces the hidden truths of the kingdom. It enriches those who possess it, leading to an abundance of blessings; however, those who lack it will see even what they hold taken from them. This underscores the deprivation of the law due to the absence of faith. Without faith, the Jews forfeited the law that they once had. Consequently, evangelical faith is a complete gift, as the faith that is welcomed brings forth new harvests, while the faith that is dismissed also diminishes previous blessings."},{"author-name":"Jerome of Stridon","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88dcd3432c6dd41375498_Jerome%20of%20Stridon.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"He explains why they fail to perceive when they look and do not comprehend when they listen: it is due to the heaviness of this people's hearts, He states, and they struggle to hear with their ears. To clarify that this hardening of the heart and the inability to hear is not merely a natural occurrence but stems from their own free will, He adds the weight of personal responsibility, saying: ‘And they closed their eyes so that they would not see with their eyes, nor hear with their ears, nor understand with their hearts, and turn so that I might heal them.’ Consequently, those who deliberately close their eyes refuse to acknowledge the truth, engaging with teachings that are veiled in parables and enigmas."},{"author-name":"John Chrysostom","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88ea76859f9f8e2ffd3ee_John%20Chrysostom.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":4,"exegesis-text":"They not only failed to listen, but ‘they could hardly hear.’ The Lord states this, emphasizing their refusal to return so that He might restore them, thus revealing their obstinacy in wickedness and their intentional distancing from Him. He expresses this to draw them closer, to inspire them, and to demonstrate that if they would repent, He would bring healing. Just as one might say, ‘He did not acknowledge me, which is fine; yet if he had come to see me, I would have swiftly offered him my compassion, illustrating the path to reconciliation,’ the Lord similarly proclaims, ‘And let them not turn, that I may heal them,’ indicating that they may indeed repent and attain salvation. He does not act solely for His own glory but for their deliverance. If His desire had not been for them to listen and find salvation, it would have been fitting for Him to remain silent and refrain from teaching them through parables. However, by speaking to them in parables, He indeed stirs their hearts. The Lord God asks, ‘Do I take pleasure in the death of the wicked?’ Is it not rather that he should turn from his ways and live? It is stated that God does not delight in the death of the sinner, but ‘that he should turn from his ways and be alive’ (Ezekiel 18:23)."},{"author-name":"Cyrill of Alexandria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88a8ea5c988a4fc073480_Cyrill%20of%20Alexandria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"The phrase ‘let them not turn back, and I will heal them’ illustrates a particular obstinacy. It signifies that if they choose to turn, He will bring them healing. He expresses this with the intention that they may find salvation, as He could have remained silent altogether. However, His actions are not solely for His own honor but rather for the purpose of their redemption."},{"author-name":"Augustine of Hippo","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c88950a5c988a4fc06c7ae_Augustine%20of%20Hippo.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":5,"exegesis-text":"They closed their eyes to avoid seeing, indicating that their own actions led to God blinding them. As noted by another Gospel writer, their eyes were indeed made blind. The question arises whether this blindness was intended to ensure they would never see or just to prevent them from seeing, even momentarily. This blindness filled them with self-dislike and sorrow, compelling them to acknowledge their sins and seek God devoutly. The holy Apostle Mark states, \\"Let them never be converted, and their sins be forgiven them\\" (Mark 4:12), suggesting their sins warranted a lack of understanding. Yet, through this very act, there was divine grace extended to them to recognize their transgressions and, upon turning back to God, earn forgiveness. \\n\\nJohn elaborates, saying, \\"Therefore they could not believe, as Isaiah said: 'I have blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts, that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their hearts, nor be converted, and I should heal them'\\" (John 12:39-40). This seems to contradict the prior assertion that they would not see at all. It is worth noting, though, that the statement regarding their inability to see is definitive: \\"that they should not see with their eyes.\\" It is made clear in saying, \\"Wherefore they could not believe.\\" This indicates that the blinding was not intended to prompt them towards repentance, as belief is necessary for conversion and healing; rather, they were blinded because of their unbelief.\\n\\nIf this interpretation holds, who would argue on behalf of the Jews, suggesting their guilt is lessened because of their inability to believe? For their eyes were blinded due to their inability to believe. However, we must recognize God's innocence in this matter. It must also be acknowledged that their blinding was a consequence of their sins, yet it was this very blinding that hindered their faith. John's assertion stands: \\"Therefore they could not believe because he had blinded their eyes\\" (John 12:39-40). \\n\\nThus, our attempts to comprehend their blinding as a catalyst for conversion are in vain; they could not convert because they did not believe, and they could not believe due to their blindness. Some among the Jews might have been open to healing. However, their pride rendered initial disbelief necessary, leading to a blindness that kept them from understanding the Lord's teachings through parables. As a result, they failed to recognize Him and ultimately participated in His crucifixion. After His Resurrection, humiliated by their actions and the judgement that followed, they would come to love the One who offered them forgiveness. Their pride was so immense that only through significant humiliation could they be transformed.\\n\\nOne may question the clarity of this understanding unless they read further in the Acts of the Apostles, where there is harmony with John's assertion of their inability to believe due to the blinding of their eyes. Hence, we see the reasoning behind their blindness: it served to obscure their understanding of the Lord's words communicated through parables. Following Christ's Resurrection, they would be prompted toward a deeper repentance and through this receive mercy for their obedience, ultimately fostering a fervent love.\\n\\nConcerning those who were not aided by this blinding in their conversion, the prophet speaks of them elsewhere, as mentioned by the apostle in reference to the obscurity of tongues: \\"I will speak to this people in other tongues and with other lips, and so they will not hear me, saith the Lord\\" (1 Cor. 14:21; Isaiah 28:11). It is clear that this pronouncement serves a purpose; it encourages the humble acknowledgment of sin and an earnest pursuit of God. This mirrors the practice in physical medicine, where treatments often cause initial discomfort in order to promote healing. Eye ointments, for example, can only take effect if they first obscure vision.\\n\\nMoreover, the prophet asserted, \\"Unless ye believe, ye shall not understand\\" (Isaiah 7:9). This might appear to conflict with John's statement that they could not believe because their eyes were blinded (cf. John 12:40). However, the connection lies in the nature of belief and understanding; one must believe to grasp the divine truths He offers. If comprehension is lacking, belief becomes impossible. What has been declared must be comprehended to facilitate belief, while faith serves to illuminate what remains obscure."},{"author-name":"Euthymios Zigabenos","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":11,"exegesis-text":"The hearts of these individuals were hardened, influenced by jealousy and various sins; as a result, they became mentally detached. Their ears were unresponsive, and their eyes were dulled... The reference to ears and eyes pertains to the soul; being ‘unresponsive’ indicates they were spiritually deaf. “Not when they shall see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts and turn, and I will heal them.” The phrase ‘let not when’ can be understood in the sense that it is possible, as the Apostle mentions, “with gentleness I will correct my adversaries, so that God might grant them repentance leading to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 2:25). The Lord referenced this prophetic statement, believing it futile to preach to such a people. Overwhelmed by intense jealousy and other sins, they became incapable of understanding: they ignored profound messages and shut their eyes to extraordinary acts, fearing that upon hearing, seeing, and recognizing the truth, they might turn to Me and I would heal them of their iniquities. These words are expressed in the name of Jesus Christ, who denounces their profound folly."},{"author-name":"Theophylact of Bulgaria","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8989296bafed9104677d7_Theophylact%20of%20Bulgaria.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":11,"exegesis-text":"Observe the words of the prophecy! It is not due to a lack of understanding that I have hardened your heart, but rather because it has become hardened after being soft to begin with, as all that is hardened was once soft. When the heart became hardened, they chose to close their eyes. I did not claim that God closed their eyes; rather, they closed them of their own accord. They did this intentionally to avoid repentance, so that I might not restore them. By their wicked desire, they sought to remain both unhealed and unrepentant."},{"author-name":"Abbot Panteleimon about the Trinity","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c96d263b8c22d9c467bdab_no-pic-theosis.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"The hearts of this people have become dull through envy and other wickedness, and their ears are barely attentive, listening with resentment, while their eyes remain shut. Consequently, they do not perceive with their eyes or hear with their ears; they cannot understand with their hearts, all in an effort to avoid turning back so that I might heal them. However, if they chose to turn and repent, I am prepared to restore them from this grave spiritual affliction. This is why I communicate in parables—to capture their interest, stimulate their contemplation of My teachings, and awaken their slumbering conscience."},{"author-name":"Theophan the Recluse","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8983a6e0f4c3aecaae3fc_Theophan%20the%20Recluse.png","category":"Holy Fathers and Teachers","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Why is it that numerous individuals struggle to comprehend discussions regarding spiritual matters? The answer lies in the heaviness of their hearts. When the heart is saturated with desires for worldly pursuits, it becomes hardened, as it is expressed: ‘shrink, thicken, enlarge’. In this state, it acts like a cumbersome weight that drags down the entire soul and binds its intellect to earthly attachments. Consequently, it perceives everything within a narrow scope of lowly concerns, becoming small-minded and incapable of ascending to lofty heights, much like a bird weighed down by its own food. As it remains fixated on base interests, it becomes blind to the truths that soar above, and its entire treasure trove of thoughts becomes distasteful to it. The higher realm remains completely foreign to such a person. In the totality of their understanding and experiences, they have no framework to engage with the truths of the spiritual world, making it impossible for them to reflect on those realities, akin to seeking a mirror for divination. This lack of understanding leads not only to their own disinterest in contemplating these matters but also to a general apathy from others concerned with them, resulting in a reluctance to seek out literature that addresses such issues. This raises the question of why many individuals often possess a multitude of secular publications yet fail to own even a single spiritual magazine or book, let alone the Gospel itself."},{"author-name":"Michail (Lusin)","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c89550c567e172d15b3055_Michail%20(Lusin).png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"\\"Let them not perceive with their eyes, etc.: this explains why they rejected the gospel: the depravity and corruption within their hearts; 'they did it, saith the Lord, 'that they would not turn, that I might heal them,' illustrating their obstinacy in wickedness and their willful departure from Him. He conveys this message to draw them near, to awaken their hearts, and to demonstrate that if they repent, He will heal them, offering them the chance for salvation through their turning away from sin, emphasizing that His actions are motivated not by a desire for personal glory but for their redemption. In Scripture, sin is frequently likened to illness, while the forgiveness of sin is symbolized as healing.\\""},{"author-name":"Lopuchin A.P.","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c891400ee1341634d2276d_Lopuchin%20A.P..png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"Despite its remarkable simplicity and clarity, even the disciples struggled to grasp its significance. Upon the Saviour's return to the apostle Peter's home in Capernaum, they eagerly sought clarification. This inquiry demonstrated that the parable left a profound impact on them and sparked a need for comprehension. The Saviour, recognizing the apostles as future stewards of His mission, readily provided them with an in-depth explanation of the parable. When questioned about His use of parables to address the crowds, the Saviour indicated that this method was the most effective means of conveying His teachings to those 'who seeing see not, and hearing hear not, nor understand'. He referenced the prophet Isaiah, stating, 'the heart of these people is hardened, and they hear with their ears, and shut their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their hearts.' He aimed for these external representations to be etched in human memory, so that when individuals found themselves in a more receptive state, they might begin to uncover the deeper truths hidden within, which they were not yet ready to comprehend. It is reserved for the chosen disciples 'to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,' and to them, as proclaimers of these mysteries, the Saviour additionally imparted the interpretations of the parable's outward imagery."},{"author-name":"Paul Matwejewski","author-image":"https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/6864003fdf3714da6ff0b33a/68c8969f5be0d592d5a10576_Paul%20Matwejewski.png","category":"Christian Authors","century":19,"exegesis-text":"After the Lord had sent the crowds away and entered the house, He was alone with His disciples. Those gathered around Him, including the twelve apostles, approached Him and inquired, \\"Why do You address them in parables?\\" He responded, \\"This is why: to you has been granted the understanding of the secrets of the kingdom of God, but to them it has not been granted. For those on the outside, all things are presented in parables; therefore, I speak in parables to them, since they see but do not perceive, and they hear but do not comprehend.\\" The prophecy of Isaiah finds its fulfillment in them, as it is written, \\"By hearing you shall hear, and not understand; and seeing you shall see, and not perceive.\\" This declaration, from Isaiah 6:9-10, as cited by the Evangelist Matthew in the Septuagint's translation, originally applied to those in Isaiah's time. The contemporaries of the Savior mirrored their forebears' obstinacy, being even more resistant, remaining spiritually deaf and blind to the proclamations and works of the Messiah. This does not apply to the Lord’s disciples, who, possessing the eyes and ears of the spirit, were privileged to hear the words of eternal life (John 6:68). They received His commendation in contrast to the righteous of the Old Testament: \\"Blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. Truly, I tell you that many prophets and righteous individuals longed to see what you see and did not see, and to hear what you hear and did not hear.\\" St. John Chrysostom further explains that this refers to the manifestation of Christ in the flesh, His miracles, and His voice and teachings."}]}
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