Mark 4:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

However, the Lord did not want to leave the Pharisees and the people entirely without inspiration or direction. He intended to provide them with general moral guidance, which, despite the many teachers among the Jewish population, was often too rare and overshadowed by the complex studies of rabbinical thought. Driven by love, He felt compelled to share His profound insights, expressing them through parables. Indeed, the parables of the Lord serve as a beautiful tapestry woven from His love and wisdom, designed partly to veil truths until the appointed time, to prevent overwhelming the weak, and partly to spark curiosity about the deeper meanings concealed within.

This method of instruction proved beneficial for the Lord’s disciples as they received insights from Him regarding His parables. Profound truths, presented through imagery of the natural world or scenarios from human experience, became clearer, more memorable, more frequently revisited, and more powerfully engaged the imagination and heart after His explanations. This teaching style mirrored the duality inherent in human nature and in human words and actions, as well as the entire structure of the Old Testament, which appeared as a grand parable pointing toward the New. The Jewish people had a particular affinity for parables, akin to other Eastern cultures. Furthermore, the Lord Himself had often employed parables to convey His teachings, such as in the Sermon on the Mount and in addressing the Pharisees.

Thus, as He began to offer secret guidance and instruction to His Apostles, the Lord consistently communicated the mysteries of His kingdom solely through parables. These mysteries refer to the divine plans related to the establishment and mission of the Church of the New Covenant. At times, moral teachings were also conveyed in parabolic form.

These parables make abstract spiritual truths perceivable to human senses; the earthly mindset of mankind, which is often tethered to this physical realm, is gradually ushered toward a higher understanding through the relatable images of the parables, resembling the ascent on a well-known ladder. However, there is a contrasting objective found in Christ’s parables: to conceal the truth from those who are unworthy and unable to grasp it. This dual purpose of His parables is evident in the Lord’s teaching. In response to the disciples' inquiry about His use of parables, Christ stated, "To you it is given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given; to them, all things are done in parables."

The prophecy of Isaiah is enacted in their lives, as it states: "You will hear with the ear and not understand, and you will look with the eyes and not see, for the heart of these people is hardened; they barely hear with their ears, and they have shut their eyes; otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn back, and I would heal them" (Matthew 13:14-15; Isaiah 6:9-10). The moral decay within most of these individuals is profound; they willingly become deaf to the truth and shut their eyes to the miraculous signs, out of fear that recognizing them might compel them to turn to God and receive His salvation. Nevertheless, Christ does not exclude them from His presence; He imparts His teachings regarding the kingdom of heaven in a way that allows them to uncover the meanings of the parables if they so desire. Those who genuinely seek to grasp the significance of the parables and the teachings of Christ will be granted understanding, which will grow within them. Conversely, those without such desire will remain insensitive to Christ's message, regardless of whether it is delivered in parabolic form. Even the innate awareness of God that all people possess, irrespective of their spiritual maturity, will become irrelevant to them; it will naturally fade away as if it were being taken from them (Matthew 13:12). For the apostles, who forsook all earthly ties to follow Christ and thus embraced faith and a genuine longing to adhere to His teachings, the understanding of the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven was granted, enabling them to perceive what others, lacking faith and desire, fail to hear and see or comprehend.

These tangible images should at least linger in the minds of individuals, so that when they are in a more receptive state, they may enable a deeper exploration of the truths they are not yet ready to grasp. It is only to the select disciples that it has been granted ‘to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven,’ and to them, as the proclaimers of these truths, the Saviour could elucidate the external symbols of the parable.

Jesus teaches that "All things are in parables" (Matthew notes that "it is not given unto them" to comprehend the mysteries of the kingdom of God). To these individuals, the teachings are presented in parables, as they are not yet prepared to grasp the deeper, more spiritual essence of the kingdom's truths without the aid of relatable imagery. Consequently, the doctrine must be conveyed to them through parables.

This is why I communicate in parables: those who see do not perceive, and those who hear do not comprehend.” Thus, the prophecy of Isaiah is realized in them, which states, “By hearing you will hear, and will not comprehend; and seeing you will see, and will not perceive.” This prophecy, as referenced by the Evangelist Matthew from the LXX translation, initially pertained to the time of the prophet Isaiah. The contemporaries of the Savior were not any better than those before them; in fact, they were more obstinate, blind and deaf to the proclamations and deeds of their Messiah. However, this did not apply to the disciples of the Lord, who had their spiritual eyes and ears opened to recognize the words of eternal life. They were privileged to receive His commendation compared to the righteous of the Old Testament: “Blessed are your eyes for they see, and your ears for they hear. Truly I say to you, many prophets and righteous individuals longed to witness what you observe, yet did not see it, and to hear what you hear, yet did not hear it.” St. John Chrysostom remarks that this refers to Christ’s manifestation in the flesh, His miracles, and His teachings.