Tuesday, March 3-Matthew 13:13-17

13This is why I speak to them in parables:
"Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand.
-The reason for parables is explained. The reason comes as a quote from Isaiah.
-Everything has to do with prophecies.
-Its kind of odd that they seem to be dumb. But people often hear and see what they want. It's not that they don't see/hear, its just that they don't.

14In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah:
" 'You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving.
-Prophecy is important to validate Jesus ministry.
-I kind of wonder how often I live like this. Hearing the teaching, but sort of choosing not to understand it for my own convenience.

15For 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.'
-Callousness is a big reason for this. A chronic hard heart. What a sad thing to keep them from God's love. God soften our hearts cause so often we're hopeless.

16But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.
-Blessed is truly the condition of those that can see. So undeserving, so lucky that they can see/hear. So many people die without hearing, but some are so lucky to know.

17For 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.
-People are jealous of the information that we have. We should really learn to appreciate what we truly have. The gift of knowing Christ is no doubt a gift. If we fail to recognize that we miss a huge blessing from God. We are blessed beyond our understanding to know him.