"The same day went Jesus out of the house, and sat by the sea side. And great multitudes were gathered together unto him, so that he went into a ship, and sat; and the whole multitude stood on the shore. And he spake many things unto them in parables,
saying, Behold, a sower went forth to sow; And when he sowed, some [seeds] fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up:"Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepnessof earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them : But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.
"Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them 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. For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.
"Therefore speak I to them in parables; because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people's heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their hear, and should be converted, and I should heal them." (Matthew 13:1-15)
Not only was Jesus referring to the wise and prudent who thought they knew the truth and didn't but also to those who had already rejected Him and did not have divinely enlightened minds with which to perceive these spiritual truths. No amount of explanation would make them understand. (see 1 Corinthians 1:27; 2:14 [cf.Romans 7:13]). "They could watch and hear Jesus with their physical eyes and ears, but they were not capable of understanding the truth in their heart because they had rejected Him (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4).
Verse twelve simply explains the principle that those who accept the true light they have been given will receive even more light, while those who turn away from the light will continue to be increasingly shrouded in darkness. The word "for" at the beginning of verse fifteen should be understood as having the same meaning as "because."
In other words, the people do not hear and see because their hearts are full of wickedness; consequently, they fail to understand the truth that has been given them. They are so opposed to God's message that they harden themselves against it lest they should happen to understand it and ask forgiveness of God.Once they reject Jesus, they also reject the possibility of understanding the parables that Jesus told. (Isaiah 55:6-8)
People who believe false doctrines also fall into this category which is in itself a rejection of the Word of God, Christ Jesus whose name is The Word of God (Revelation 19:13) This is the very reason why it is extremely difficult to witness to people caught up in cults. Their hearts are hardened because they live in lies. God discerns our hearts and is the only hope. "..the Word of God which is quick and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrew 4:12)
An example that the power is in the Word: "Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever." (1 Peter 1:23) And God offered mercy in Isaiah: "So shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it." (Isaiah 55:11)
Other references to these verses are {And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven
is at hand. (Matthew 3:2)}, {not given to the crowd but disciples only} but to them it is not given Matt 11:25;16:17;19:11; John 6:65; 1cor 2:10,14; Col 1:27; 1John 2:20,27 {At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and
earth, because thou hast hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. (Matthew 11:25)"And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. (Matthew 16:17) But he said unto them, All [men] cannot receive this saying, save [they] to whom it is given. (Matthew 19:11) And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father
"For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from [their] mother's womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men Acts 8:27-39 {Was returning, and sitting in his chariot read Esaias the prophet.Then the Spirit said unto Philip, Go near, and join thyself to this chariot. And Philip ran thither to [him], and heard him read the prophet Esaias, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest?
"And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.
"And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on [their] way, they
came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?"And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:27-39)}: and there be eunuchs {castrated man}, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven's sake.
"He that is able to receive [it], let him receive [it]. Then were there brought unto him little children, that he should put [his] hands on them, and pray: and the disciples rebuked them. But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 19:12-14)
(John 6:65,66) "But God hath revealed [them] unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God. {NIV no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him}. From that [time] many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life. I am that bread of life. [In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (John 1:1-4)]
"Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for
ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us [his] flesh to eat? Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.
"He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever. (John 6:47-58)
(1 Corinthians 2:10) "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know [them], because they are spiritually discerned. 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. (1 Corinthians 2:12)
"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. (Romans 8:15) Where [is] the wise? where [is] the scribe? where [is] the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? (1 Corinthians 1:20)
(1 Corinthians 2:14) "To whom God would make known what [is] the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: (Colossians 1:27) But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things. (1 John 2:20)
"But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.(1 John 2:27) For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, [ye are] God's building. (1 Corinthians 3:9)
"To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified. And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.
"And strangers shall stand and feed your flocks, and the sons of the alien [shall be] your plowmen and your vinedressers. But ye shall be named the Priests of the LORD: [men] shall call you the Ministers of our God: ye shall eat the riches of the Gentiles, and in their glory shall ye boast yourselves. For your shame [ye shall have] double; and [for] confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.
"For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery for burnt offering; and I will direct their work in truth, and I will make an everlasting covenant with them. And their seed shall be known among the Gentiles, and their offspring among the people: all that see them shall acknowledge them, that they [are] the seed [which] the LORD hath blessed.
"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh [himself] with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth [herself] with her jewels. For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations. (Isaiah 61:3-11)
"And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner [stone]; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:20-22) Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ. (1 Peter 2:5)
"Wherefore remember, that ye [being] in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. (Ephesians 2:11-13)