Because the disciples are with Jesus, they feel they can ask him about the story he has just told. He affirms them at first, that they are privy to know the secrets of the kingdom but then makes more cryptic statements about the purpose of parables.
He states that the parables are designed to keep people from hearing. The statements he makes, don’t make sense and it is troublesome that he doesn’t explain what he just said to them. It is almost as if he doesn’t want people to be reconciled to God, to be forgiven. He then explains the parable to them.
But he doesn’t explain what seems to be his apparent motive of hiding the truth from those who are “outside”. He is quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, where Isaiah has just had a vision about God asking who will speak for him. He then talks about how the lack of understanding will continue until the cities are desolate.
Why Jesus brings it up here is mysterious. It is one of those hard statements that seems to contradict the very message of what Jesus was trying to say. So in explaining the parable, Jesus illustrates metaphor. But he then gives his disciples the added weight of trying to understand what Jesus has just said to them.
Prayer: Help me to realize that I will not be able to explain everything about You. If I could, would you still be God? Help me to remain anchored in the idea that you love me and want me to join you.
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