This chapter has what are called the Parables of the kingdom. Jesus gives a surprising explanation as to why He spoke in parables (v10-17). We might have assumed Jesus used parables to make His teaching easier, but that is not what Jesus teaches here.

The parables cause a division among people (v11-13). The parables enable those who truly belong to Christ to see and grasp more, while at the same time fulfilling God’s purpose of keeping others in the darkness (v14-15).

How this works is that with the leading of the Spirit believers will take time to dig deep into the truths behind the parables and gain a deepening knowledge of God and His ways. But for the unsaved, they see the parables just as nice wee stories that they listen to and quickly move on from. When we come to God’s word we’re being tested to see if we’re serious about taking time to delve into Biblical truth, or if we just want a superficial reading of it. Here is a great challenge for us as to how seriously we take really grasping God’s word. There is great reward for going deeper (see v16-17).