JOHN 12:40; MATTHEW 13:13; MARK 4:11-12

Q: Why would God or Jesus purposely prevent people from understanding the truth?

This passage is as difficult to understand as the scripture it is quoting: Isaiah 6:9-10. Here are some possibilities to consider:

1. One is to realize that Jesus is quoting the Aramaic version of Isaiah, which can be translated differently: Also, you must keep in mind that the Greek word for “may” can also mean “who,” and “lest” may mean “perhaps.”

2. Another approach is to realize that the Hebrew language tended to express consequences as if they were purposes. So God is not telling Isaiah to purposely confuse the people through his prophecies, but warning him that that will be the probable consequence of his teachings. This possibility is confirmed by Matthew's version.

3. Jesus used parables extensively in his teachings because the spiritually obtuse crowd was not yet ready for the plain gospel message and would have immediately rejected it if taught plainly. Therefore he masked the message purposely through the use of unforgettable stories that they would mull over in their mind and recall after his death.