11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them (Mark 4:11-12).
Verse 12 is a tough verse to deal with and to understand. The fact that Jesus is likely referencing Isaiah 6:9-10 may help us understand this verse. He is really lamenting the idea that people won’t hear the Gospel message. The Gospel message is not heard because the people’s hearts are hard against it before they even hear. And so rather than being given understanding they are given judgment. This is truly difficult for us to fully understand though; why not just un-harden their hearts or speak plainly? Of course we can’t answer this question, but here are some thoughts: Faith is a gift. The gift is given through a sovereign gracious action of God. Judgment is still individual, people are judged on their own actions. And finally, as the Apostle Paul states (Romans 9:20), “Who art though, oh Man?”.
Verse 12 is a tough verse to deal with and to understand. The fact that Jesus is likely referencing Isaiah 6:9-10 may help us understand this verse. He is really lamenting the idea that people won’t hear the Gospel message. The Gospel message is not heard because the people’s hearts are hard against it before they even hear. And so rather than being given understanding they are given judgment. This is truly difficult for us to fully understand though; why not just un-harden their hearts or speak plainly? Of course we can’t answer this question, but here are some thoughts: Faith is a gift. The gift is given through a sovereign gracious action of God. Judgment is still individual, people are judged on their own actions. And finally, as the Apostle Paul states (Romans 9:20), “Who art though, oh Man?”.
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