Reading 19: The Gospel According to Mark When he was alone, the Twelve and the others around him asked him about the parables. He told them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that, “ ‘they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!’ ” Context & Questions: Here a crucial part of God’s plan for the kingdom is revealed. God plans to start with a small, core group of close followers. The kingdom does not come in and simply overwhelm everyone at once. The coming of God’s reign to the world is taking a different shape than what Israel expected. Jesus is planting seeds of the word, not raising armies to fight Rome. Jesus wants to renew Israel itself. Some are not ready for his message. So Jesus speaks privately to his disciples and tells only them of his deeper meaning. The new work of God has come to earth. But for those with no ears to hear (they just won’t listen), the parables will be a word of judgment. Next up: How the kingdom grows
Posted on: Fri, 16 May 2014 20:01:21 +0000
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