Asked and Answered

Someone asked, "What does Mark 4:12 mean?"

And He said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘Seeing they may see and not perceive, And hearing they may hear and not understand; Lest they should turn, And [their] sins be forgiven them.’” (Mark 4:11-12 NKJV)

The meaning of the passage is made clear in the context of verse 11. It was given to some to know the mystery of the kingdom and to others it was not given. To conceal it from some, Jesus spoke in parables so they could not understand what He was saying.

While they see fine physically, there spiritual vision was darkened by their own worldliness. They had their ideals of what the kingdom would be, but Christ had another.

The passage quoted from Isaiah is more clearly explained by Jesus in Matthew.

Therefore I speak to them in parables, because seeing they do not see, and hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand. "And in them the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled, which says: ‘Hearing you will hear and shall not understand, And seeing you will see and not perceive; For the hearts of this people have grown dull. Their ears are hard of hearing, And their eyes they have closed, Lest they should see with [their] eyes and hear with [their] ears, Lest they should understand with [their] hearts and turn, So that I should heal them.’ "But blessed [are] your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear; "for assuredly, I say to you that many prophets and righteous [men] desired to see what you see, and did not see [it], and to hear what you hear, and did not hear [it]. "Therefore hear the parable of the sower: "When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand [it], then the wicked [one] comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. "But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; "yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles. "Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful. "But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands [it], who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty." (Matthew 13:13-23 NKJV)

Isaiah prophesied that Israel would become hardened to the Gospel, that they would not understand who the Savior was. Christ says, in the above passage, that Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled in His day. The Jews rejected Christ as the Messiah.

The wording is particularly condemning in that it makes an issue of their sight. The Jews thought they saw clearly. They believed they were righteous and in no need of a Savior to heal them of their sins. They had their religious duties, pharisaical procedures that made them righteous. They kept the Law or so they thought. John exposes their ignorance by recording a conversation between the Jewish leaders and Jesus.

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." They answered Him, "We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How [can] you say, ‘You will be made free’?" Jesus answered them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. "And a slave does not abide in the house forever, [but] a son abides forever. "Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed. "I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. "I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father." They answered and said to Him, "Abraham is our father." Jesus said to them, "If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. "But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. "You do the deeds of your father." Then they said to Him, "We were not born of fornication; we have one Father——God." Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love Me, for I proceeded forth and came from God; nor have I come of Myself, but He sent Me. "Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. "You are of [your] father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and [does not] stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own [resources], for he is a liar and the father of it. "But because I tell the truth, you do not believe Me. "Which of you convicts Me of sin? And if I tell the truth, why do you not believe Me? "He who is of God hears God’s words; therefore you do not hear, because you are not of God." Then the Jews answered and said to Him, "Do we not say rightly that You are a Samaritan and have a demon?" Jesus answered, "I do not have a demon; but I honor My Father, and you dishonor Me. "And I do not seek My [own] glory; there is One who seeks and judges. "Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death." Then the Jews said to Him, "Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ "Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Whom do You make Yourself out to be?" Jesus answered, "If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. "Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. "Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw [it] and was glad." Then the Jews said to Him, "You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?" Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM." Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” (John 8:31-59 NKJV)

Notice the above passage starts out saying Jesus spoke to those Jews who believed in Him. We know this was not saving belief because they wanted to kill Him. In the end, they picked up stones to throw at Him.

The greatest lesson perhaps is to understand the need for Christ’s righteousness to be imputed to us. We have no righteousness. The Jews who had God’s law and worked very diligently to keep it did not have any righteousness, so why should we do any better?

When we recognize God’s word [the sown seed] as truth then we have eyes that can see, and not eyes that see, but don’t see; you see?