I have a love-hate relationship with mysteries. I can’t STAND being curious. I read the end of the book first, and look up the ending of the movie on the internet. NO, I don’t enjoy the mystery or suspense of a book or movie. That is called torture. I can’t describe the peace and joy I receive every time my curiosity is satisfied.
For me, curiosity is like an itch on the soul. A mosquito bite someplace you can't reach.
As I’m sure you can imagine, as a child I was a pleasure to have on long car rides asking 100 questions back in the days before Alexa, Siri, or even Google. (Yep, I’m old and my childhood was tough.) I think it was a miracle my siblings didn’t strangle me in the car.
The Great Mystery
In the last couple of days, I have been stuck on a parable found in Matthew 13, Mark 4, Luke 8. (Parable-earthly story with a heavenly meaning.) I read it through looking at the different lessons I could learn from the sower and the ground, but then slowed down because something caught my attention. Right there in the Bible was one of my worst nightmares.
Matthew 13:11
And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speak thou unto them [multitudes] in parables? He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.”
What?!? A mystery with no ending or solution?
But Why?
Further in the chapter you see Jesus did it to them ALL the time! Another parable spake he unto them; All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them. v34
I read and reread Matthew chapter 13 and then read Mark’s account. I could not get over the fact that multiple times Jesus told a parable and then did not explain it until the multitudes left or were turned away. Mark 4:34 specifically says, “when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.”
How could anyone leave not knowing the ending?
My heart hurts every time I read Jesus’ judgment proclaimed to his disciples about those He watched leave without the explanation.
“For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed…but blessed are your eyes for they see; and your ears, for they hear.” Matt 13:15
All accounts of the story say the disciples came to Jesus. By the way, it wasn’t just the 12 apostles, but other disciples or followers of Jesus who came and asked for an explanation. All of the ones that did not turn back were able to hear and see the meaning of the message. They went looking for the Answer. They ASKED.
Honesty Moment Here
I sat crushed thinking, how many times have I heard and seen but not understood
because I didn’t wait for the Holy Spirit’s explanation at the end?
Christian don't be satisfied guessing the Bible stories' application to your life. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal it to you today. It is free if we only ask!
“But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit; For the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him? even so the things of God knows no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.” I Corinthians 2:9–12