Matt. 13 – It is imperative that a disciple not only be a student of his/her Master, but also a student of the Kingdom. Understanding the nature of the Kingdom is critical to understanding how our King rules. The nature of Jesus’ Kingdom is revealed in Jesus’ parables.
The disciples were perplexed by Jesus’ very common use of parables to describe the kingdom. But Jesus explained His purpose in using them. A true understanding of the kingdom only comes when it is “given/granted to you.”
The disciples were blessed because they had “eyes to see” and “ears to hear.” The religious rulers’ hearts were closed. So they did not “see” or “hear.” This follows the very principle that Jesus stated in the Sermon on the Mount . . . “Ask, and it shall be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matt. 7:7) Think about it – when did the religious rulers ask, and seek, and knock? Never. But the disciples sought to know the meaning of the parables, therefore they were granted understanding. We must be the same.