Not Everyone Gets It
Jesus spoke in parables for a reason. This post looks at why some heard His words but never truly understood, and why truth is only received by those who hunger for it.
There is something unsettling about the way Jesus taught.
Crowds followed Him everywhere. They listened. They watched. They nodded along. And yet when He spoke, many of them walked away unchanged. Not angry. Not offended. Just untouched. The truth had passed right by them, hidden in plain sight.
Even the disciples noticed it.
They came to Him privately and asked why He spoke to the people in parables. Jesus did not soften His answer.
“To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.” (Matthew 13:11)
That statement should stop us cold.
Parables were not just teaching tools. They were a dividing line. They revealed who wanted truth and who wanted something else.
Anyone who has read the Gospels long enough knows the feeling. You read a passage you have seen a hundred times, and suddenly it hits differently. Not because the words changed, but because you did. Other times, you read and feel nothing at all. No clarity. No conviction. Just words on a page.
That tells us something important. Truth is not received by proximity. It is received by hunger.
The crowds around Jesus were large, but their motives were mixed. Some came to see miracles. Some came out of curiosity. Some came to trap Him in His words. Very few came ready to be changed.
Parables exposed that difference. Those who wanted more leaned in. They asked questions. They stayed behind. Others heard, shrugged, and moved on.
Jesus said this fulfilled prophecy.
“I will open My mouth in parables; I will utter things hidden since the foundation of the world.” (Matthew 13:35)
The truth was there, but it was not forced on anyone. It waited to be pursued.
When Jesus quoted Isaiah, the reason became even clearer.
“For the heart of this people has become dull, with their ears they scarcely hear, and they have closed their eyes.” (Matthew 13:15)
The problem was not lack of information. It was a closed heart. They heard His voice, but they resisted His words.
What stands out is that even the disciples did not always understand. But they asked. And when they asked, Jesus explained.
God does not hide truth from the sincere seeker.
“You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:13)
That is still true.
Many people read Scripture. Fewer wrestle with it. Some approach God’s Word casually, fitting it in when it is convenient. Others come hungry, knowing they cannot live without it.
The same words are read, but not everyone hears the same message.
Parables still separate the crowds.
So here is the question that lingers. If Jesus handed you a parable today, would you lean in and ask, or would you walk away satisfied that you heard something familiar?
Because not everyone gets it.
And not everyone wants to.
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“What I write is not for everyone, but what I write is meant for someone.” – Dean Butler
This work may be shared for ministry or personal use, but please credit the author when doing so. © Dean Butler
