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PhilTheThrill
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2004
Total Posts : 95

Posted 5/18/2005 1:58 PM (GMT -6)

What is the common interpretation of this passage?

Jesus said...

. 4:11 He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,

4:12 so that although they look they may look but not see,

and although they hear they may hear but not understand,

so they may not repent and be forgiven.”

I would tend to think this applies only to the people of the time prior to Christ's death but I lack a good hermenuetic here.

Anyone have some insights?

Similitude
Registered Member

Date Joined Apr 2004
Total Posts : 4968

Posted 5/18/2005 2:17 PM (GMT -6)

Phil, the larger quotation in Acts 28:26-27 starts off with "Go to THIS people," which seems to indicate it's about unrepentant Israelites - possibly of Christ's generation because of the signs and wonders they were given.

wjs

Post Edited (jefscott) : 5/18/2005 2:37:09 PM (GMT-5)

Sahid
Megistered Rember

Date Joined Jun 2004
Total Posts : 2013

Posted 5/18/2005 5:16 PM (GMT -6)

This may be a little off the wall. On some level I think following Jesus is a simple choice. There are temptations one way or the other, but I think we make it more complicated than it really is. What if Jesus was to give some "proof" of his divinity? In my understanding a response based on such a proof would not be the response of faith that he was looking for. I see this kind of passage as saying that Jesus is leaving it up to us on the basis of faith.

What if a nonbeliever saw a Isaiah-like vision of God in his glory? I can't see how such a person could do anything but humble himself and repent. God too would probably forgive (I'd guess). But what would be gained? He'd just have another humble slave bound by the fact that he'd been scared spitless. I think God has something better planned for us: namely, a relationship of love (that's a fluid term I know). I think that it is significant that lowly, humbled, obedient Jesus comes before white hair, sword-from-the-mouth Jesus, parable first, mirror dimly then face-to-face. This allows us to make a choice without being paralyzed by fear. Repentance and forgiveness for a person paralyzed in this way is less than God's will for us.

Watch me fly. Freedom like wings and I will use them. Freedom like wings and I will spread them wide. - Stavesacre

JEE
Registered Member

Date Joined Jul 2004
Total Posts : 1466

Posted 5/19/2005 1:37 PM (GMT -6)

As we continue to choose in a certain direction, libertarian free will becomes compatibilistic free will. God only sheds further light on those who are receptive to what He has already given them. Romans 1 spells this out plainly.

As to the Mark passage in question, we must ask ourselves precisely WHO was Jesus referring to? It seems to me that he was referring to those who had already rejected him. He reveals the mysteries of the kingdom to his TRUE followers.

John

May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.

JohnE

http://www.revivaltheology.cjb.net

bryan mccarthy
Registered Member

Date Joined Jan 2005
Total Posts : 179

Posted 5/19/2005 2:21 PM (GMT -6)

i've often toyed with the idea that he spoke in parables, which he explained to the people with open hearts, and then used these parables later to continue talking with them about these things in the presence of people with hard hearts. sort of a code to keep the hard-hearted from ruining it for the soft-hearted, but often easily led astray. of course, there's not way to determine the truth value of this as far as i know, but just a thought.

bryan

"Being religious means asking passionately the question of the meaning of our existence and being willing to receive answers, even if the answers hurt." -- Paul Tillich

Starkman
Registered Member

Date Joined Oct 2001
Total Posts : 1747

Posted 5/19/2005 10:09 PM (GMT -6)

PhilTheThrill said...
What is the common interpretation of this passage?

Jesus said...

. 4:11 He said to them, “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those outside, everything is in parables,

4:12 so that although they look they may look but not see,

and although they hear they may hear but not understand,

so they may not repent and be forgiven.”

I would tend to think this applies only to the people of the time prior to Christ's death but I lack a good hermenuetic here.

Anyone have some insights?

Interestingly, it is right after the Jewish leaders and, apparently, some of the commons, declare that Jesus is both possessed by and casting demons out by the power of Beelzebul that He then speaks only in parables to them (the Scribes Mk 3:22; the Pharisees Mt 12:22; Lk 11:14). That accusation was the straw that broke the camel's back.

Starkman

My teacher used to say that whenever he read Scripture, he would always ask the question, "What does this have to say about the character of God?" Working off his thinking, as I read Scripture, I have come to ask, "What does this have to say about the heart and passion of God's desire for relationship for us?

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