The Question:
In Mark 4:12, Jesus says:
“…so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (ESV)
This verse seems puzzling. Didn’t Jesus come so that people would repent and be forgiven? Why would He speak in a way that might prevent that?
The Context:
To understand this, we need to look at the context. Earlier in Mark 4, Jesus had just told the Parable of the Sower to a large crowd. However, He didn’t immediately explain its meaning to them. He simply told the story and left it at that. Later, when He was alone, His disciples and a few others came to Him and asked for the meaning of the parable (Mark 4:10).
Jesus then responded:
“To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside everything is in parables,
so that ‘they may indeed see but not perceive, and may indeed hear but not understand, lest they should turn and be forgiven.’” (Mark 4:11–12, ESV)
Jesus was quoting Isaiah 6:9–10, where God tells Isaiah that the people’s hearts are hardened, and though they hear, they won’t understand.
Why Did Jesus Speak in Parables?
At first glance, it seems like Jesus was trying to hide the truth. But His intention wasn’t to deliberately withhold salvation. Rather, He used parables as a filter — to separate those truly seeking God from those who were just curious or entertained by miracles.
The crowds followed Jesus for different reasons. Many were fascinated by His miracles (John 6:2), but few were genuinely seeking the truth. Parables required listeners to reflect, to hunger for deeper understanding, and to approach Jesus privately for clarification — just as the disciples did.
God Reveals Truth to the Hungry
God never forces truth on anyone. He reveals more of Himself to those who genuinely desire Him:
“You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13, ESV)
“For to the one who has, more will be given, and from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away.” (Luke 19:26, ESV)
The people who didn’t pursue Jesus after hearing the parables essentially demonstrated that they weren’t interested in the truth. As a result, their spiritual blindness remained — not because Jesus wanted them blind, but because they had already chosen to shut their eyes.
Self-Hardened Hearts
The deeper issue lies in the condition of the heart. Consider what Paul says when quoting the same passage from Isaiah:
“…‘You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.’
For this people’s heart has grown dull, and with their ears they can barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them.”
(Acts 28:26–27, ESV)
Notice the phrase: “they have closed” their eyes. Their spiritual blindness is not imposed upon them by God arbitrarily — it is self-inflicted. When people consistently reject truth, God may eventually give them over to their own delusions:
“…because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false…”
(2 Thessalonians 2:10–11, ESV)
A Warning to Us Today
This is a sobering warning to all of us: Grace is not to be taken lightly. The opportunity to repent and believe is a gift, not a guarantee. The right time to respond to the gospel is now:
“Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” (2 Corinthians 6:2, ESV)
To delay, to reject, or to treat God’s Word with casualness is spiritually dangerous. There may come a time when the heart becomes too hard to respond.
Conclusion
Jesus didn’t use parables to keep people from salvation — rather, He used them to reveal who truly had ears to hear. Those who humbled themselves and sought Him were given understanding. Those who closed their hearts received no more light, just as they had chosen.
Let us therefore respond to the voice of God with humility, seeking His truth while it may still be found.
“Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts…” (Hebrews 3:15, ESV)
Would you like this in a printable format (like PDF or Word), or would you like it adapted for teaching/preaching notes?
![Mithali 3:27 ?
[27]Usiwanyime watu mema yaliyo haki yao, Ikiwa katika uwezo wa mkono wako kuyatenda.](https://wingulamashahidi.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/poor-man-child-silhouette-260nw-128357456-e1747647995468.webp)
About the author