“For this people’s heart has grown dull. Their ears have become hard of hearing, and they have closed their eyes, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears and understand with their hearts, and turn, and I should heal them.”
Matthew 13:15
In Matthew 13:15, Jesus speaks about a common problem: people who are spiritually unresponsive to God’s message. He quotes from Isaiah 6:9-10, where God tells the prophet Isaiah about the people’s hardened hearts and their unwillingness to truly see or hear His truth.
By using physical senses as metaphors, Jesus describes a kind of spiritual dullness. Their hearts have “grown dull,” their ears are “hard of hearing,” and they’ve “closed their eyes.” This isn’t about physical blindness or deafness—it’s about a deeper, spiritual blindness and deafness.
A Heart That’s “Grown Dull”
When Jesus talks about people’s hearts growing dull, He’s talking about a gradual loss of sensitivity to God. Imagine a callous forming on your hand. At first, it’s tender, but with repeated pressure or friction, it becomes hardened and loses sensitivity. In the same way, when people repeatedly ignore or resist God’s guidance, their hearts become “calloused” to His truth.
Why does this happen? Sometimes, people want to do things their way rather than follow God’s ways. Over time, their hearts become less open to hearing and obeying God’s voice.
Ears that Are “Hard of Hearing” and Closed Eyes
Jesus also mentions that people’s “ears have become hard of hearing,” and they’ve “closed their eyes.” This symbolizes spiritual resistance. It’s as if they don’t want to hear or see what God is showing them because it might challenge their lives or beliefs.
By closing their eyes and ears, they avoid seeing or hearing the truth about who God is and what He desires for them. It’s like putting on noise-cancelling headphones when you don’t want to hear something important. Spiritually, it’s a way of shutting out God’s truth to remain comfortable in one’s own way of thinking.
Healing the Heart: The Greek Word “iaomai”
In the original Greek, the word “heal” used here is iaomai, which means more than just physical healing. It includes the ideas of curing, restoring, and bringing wholeness. Jesus is talking about a different kind of healing—one that transforms the heart and mind.
This healing is spiritual. In this passage, Jesus isn’t focused on curing physical ailments; instead, He’s calling people to turn to Him and let Him restore their souls. It’s an invitation to let Him “heal” the inner brokenness caused by sin, bringing people back into a healthy, restored relationship with God.
The Hope in Isaiah’s Prophecy
Jesus’s use of Isaiah’s words points back to when God warned Israel of their stubbornness. But the end of Isaiah 6 holds hope. It speaks of a “holy seed” growing from a “stump in the land,” symbolizing new life and the possibility of renewal.
Similarly, Jesus offers hope to those who might feel distant from God or spiritually dull. While their hearts may be hard, they can always turn to God, experience healing, and be restored.
🤔What Does This Mean for Us?
So, what does this look like in our lives?
A Soft Heart: We can ask ourselves if our hearts are open to God’s guidance. Are we sensitive to His direction, or have we become numb? A soft heart is willing to be led by God and open to His truth.🔥
Listening Ears: Spiritually, we need ears “tuned in” to God. This means being willing to listen even if what He’s saying challenges us. Are we hearing God’s voice, or have we become selective listeners?
Seeing Eyes: God wants us to have spiritual vision—eyes that can see His truth and work in our lives. This requires us to look beyond our limited perspectives and trust what God reveals to us.🌟
Turning to God for Spiritual Healing
When Jesus says, “and turn, and I should heal them,” He’s inviting us to take a step toward Him. This means repenting—turning away from the things that have made us spiritually dull—and asking for His help to restore us. Spiritual healing is restoring our relationship with God and opening our hearts, ears, and eyes to His truth.
If we turn to God with open hearts, He promises to bring spiritual healing and renewal. This healing is transformative, changing us from the inside out and making us receptive to His love, guidance, and purpose.
Closing Prayer 🙏
Lord, thank You for Your patience with us even when our hearts grow dull, and our ears and eyes are closed. Help us to turn to You with open hearts, ready to receive Your healing and truth. Soften our hearts, open our ears, and help us to see Your ways. We ask for Your transformative healing in every part of our lives. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
🙏 Thank you for reading! If you found this post inspiring, insightful, or helpful, please give it a like and share it with others who may benefit from it. Your like and share helps spread the word of God! ✨
May the boundless love of God our Father, who has called us from darkness into His marvellous light, fill your hearts with peace. May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has redeemed us and sustains us, empower you to walk in His ways. And may the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, who comforts, guides, and unites us, dwell richly among you, keeping you steadfast in faith and abounding in hope. - Evg. Brad ✝️📖✨
Comentários