In Matthew, Mark, and Luke, we are presented with the “parable of the sower.” It is a familiar parable, so does not need to be detailed. All three tellings conclude with Jesus saying “The one who has ears had better listen!” (Matthew 13:9, Mark 4:9, Luke 8:8) In Matthew and Mark, Jesus goes on to tell more parables, with the kingdom of heaven the point of reference in each one. This serves as a reinforcement of the notion that Jesus believed that the kingdom of heaven was then a going concern in His day, primarily due to His presence and what appears to be the rather obvious self-understanding of Himself as the Messiah (though this potential self-understanding is the subject of much debate). So obviously, the ones with “hearing ears” need to continue to be alert so that they might learn the nature of this kingdom and thereby know how it is that Jesus expected His hearers to engage the world as potential citizens of that kingdom.
In all three instances Jesus’ disciples ask Him to explain the parable. That is worth noting, because it indicates that they too understood that there was a truth to be grasped, and that this truth was most likely related to something that was taking place and which they should understand. In all three tellings, Jesus answers the query of the disciples that they “have been given the opportunity to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 13:11a, Mark 4:11a, Luke 8:10), which alerts us to the fact that Jesus is, once again, speaking about the need to have “ears to hear” in relation to His communications about the kingdom of heaven. In this, the kingdom talk and the ears to hear talk become self-reinforcing and begin pointing to the idea that there are kingdom principles and ethics in play and at stake whenever Jesus uses such language. Additionallly, in each instance the author records Jesus making a reference to the sixth chapter of Isaiah and saying that He tells parables that “although they see they may not see, and although they hear they may not understand” (Luke 8:10b, Isaiah 6:9).
Who are the “they” to whom Jesus makes reference? It seems like this would be a relatively important question and consideration. We could say that Jesus was referring to His “enemies,” but the record at this point is unclear that such would be the case. Without any clear reference, it is possible that an identification of the “they” is not important at this point, though the “they” will present themselves to us shortly. It is possible that what is more important at this point is what needs to be added to a statement already made.
Yes, we should be well nigh convinced that when Jesus speaks of ears to hear, that He is speaking of events that are in play or unfolding or that need to be addressed, but cannot necessarily be addressed openly, directly, or overtly due to circumstance. What needs to be added to this is that in association with the parable of the sower and its explanation is the context for the statement lifted from Isaiah. Jesus would not have expected His hearers to have limited themselves to thinking about those words alone, as if He was proof-texting the prophets to find support for His insistence of the need for ears to hear and His explanation that some would hear and not understand. To that we can add that the Gospel authors would also not expect the readers or the hearers of their messages (especially those thoroughly steeped in an atmosphere and environment that lived and breathed the Hebrew Scriptures by the constant telling of Israel’s history and the efforts made to assist Israel in understanding their present situation through the words of the prophets) to have limited themselves to those words. Both Jesus and the author would have expected those that are encountering these words to think about the entire passage in Isaiah from which these words were taken.
In turning to Isaiah then, we find these words within the story of Isaiah and his vision of a throne, a temple, seraphs, and a coal that touches his lips. This vision follows from the fifth chapter’s prophecy that destruction is coming to Israel for their disobedience. With the touching of the hot coal to his lips, Isaiah is told, “Look, this coal has touched your lips. Your evil is removed; your sin is forgiven” (6:7). A listener in first century Judaea, who would have this entire section from Isaiah in mind, would understand the removal of evil and the forgiveness of sin with a return from exile. In that day, this would mean the removal of the Roman yoke, which would imply the establishment of the long-awaited kingdom of heaven. One would think that this might be a cause for jubilation. However, because of what comes next, we find that this cannot be the case.
Isaiah, who stands as the representative for an entire people “whose lips are contaminated by sin” (6:5b), asks when this removal of evil and forgiveness of sin will be complete. He is told that, because of the lack of seeing, hearing, and understanding, that it will not take place “Until cities are in ruins and unpopulated, and houses are uninhabited, and the land is ruined and devastated, and the Lord has sent the people off to a distant place, and the very heart of the land is completely abandoned” (6:11b-12). This could be a reference to both Assyria and Babylon, and the destruction that those empires would bring. Those without “ears to hear” what Jesus is saying would only hear Him talking about the kingdom of heaven, and “they” would miss His explanation of how this kingdom would come into being and function. Because of that, “they” would end up pursuing the standard course of violent rebellion and revolution. History informs us that, as a result, what Isaiah describes in relation to Assyrian and Babylon would descend upon Judaea at the hands of Rome. As Jesus is very much dealing with real-world events with practical application, and making clear reference to this entire selection from Isaiah (rather than just quoting a verse), we are able to discern that those with ears to hear would be able to avoid this horrific path.
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