Thursday: 16^th Week in Ordinary Time-C

Gospel: Matthew 13:10-17: The mysteries of the kingdom of heaven are revealed to you, but they are not revealed to them.

The Messiah’s Reasons for Speaking in Parables:

Who Receives and Who Loses

Why did Jesus speak like this so that his audience could not understand? The reasons are:

i. The unbelieving crowds were deliberately shutting their eyes and ears  to His claim and refusing to be converted and healed spiritually (v.13-15).

ii. It was time to teach the “secrets of the kingdom of heaven” to true disciple. Only the true disciples could understand his teachings and obey them but the deaf and blind heart and mind people would not listen to Jesus.

iii. “The secrets of the kingdom of heaven” cannot be understood without first recognizing Jesus as the Messiah and as the one who brings the kingdom of Heaven to people.

1. Why Jesus spoke in parables (v.10-11)

a. The disciples questioned Jesus

b. The general statement

          1) Secrets are given to believers

          2) Secrets are not given to unbelievers

2. Reason 1: Seekers and achievers receive more (v.12)

a. Some seek and have

b. Some do not seek and lose

3. Reason 2: Unbelievers reject and lose (v.13-15)

a. Their wilful rejection

          1) Do seek and hear, yet refuse to really see and hear

          2) Refuse to understand

b. Their rejection prophesied

c. Their rejection described

1) Harden their hearts

2) Deafen their ears

3) Close their eyes

4) Deny what they see

5) Refuse understanding

6) Fight conversion and healing

4 Reason 3: Believers receive and are blessed (v.16-17)

a. They see and hear

b. They are especially privileged over Old Testament believers

Thought: A little formula says it all.

          Perspective + Initiative = Success

          Perspective – Initiative = Lost opportunity

          Initiative – Perspective = Nothing

The person who seeks more achieves more and more.

www.believeinthegoodnews.blogspot.com