The Lord Jesus adopted many strategies to convey the deep message of the kingdom of God. In this instance, He taught His 12 disciples and others the parable of the sower. They had asked for the exposition, interpretation and its application and He obliged them. “But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples,” (Mark 4:34). They always asked questions whenever they did not understand what He had taught. This is a good habit that God expects us to cultivate as learners, disciples and followers of Christ.

Whenever we are taught God’s word, it is important to always ask questions for proper understanding. The Eunuch of Ethiopia exhibited this good trait when he read a scripture passage that he did not understand. The Spirit of God knew about his ignorance and directed Philip to meet him and expound the passage to him.

Understanding is very important when we read the scripture and the Holy Ghost is always available to lead us into all truth. Christ is interested in our understanding of His word (Luke 24:45,27).

Exposition of the word of God did not stop after Jesus went to heaven. Paul the apostle followed Christ’s pattern during his ministry; “…he expounded and testified the kingdom of God, persuading them concerning Jesus, both out of the law of Moses, and out of the prophets, from morning till evening,” (Acts 28:23). The Lord wants present-day believers to make spiritual progress through exposition, interpretation and application of His word.

Many Jewish leaders of Christ’s day were hardened hearers. They were faithless and ignorant people outside the Kingdom. Though hasty to hear the Word, they did not imbibe it and it became a mystery to them because it did not fit into their tradition and the things they had known. “That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.”

Their present-day counterparts hear the Word, but do not understand and apply it to themselves. God does not deny them understanding heart; they lack comprehension because their “hearts are waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes have closed…” Therefore, the Word is not profitable to them; they deprive themselves of the newness of life found only in Christ and His word.

Many Jewish religious people were inattentive, ignorant and disinterested in the words of Christ, the greatest Teacher that ever lived. They rested in being the children of Abraham. They deliberately hardened their hearts, stiffened their necks and stilled their conscience to God’s word to avoid being transformed by it. These religious people who willingly opened their hearts to seducers who made them disbelief and deny the word of God were not converted during Christ’s ministry.

Like them, there are people who rest on the fact that their parents are born again. They attend worship and other services, but do not understand a jot of what they hear. The problem with such people is that they fail to internalise or retain the Word in their hearts. As such, they are “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” They hear the message of salvation, redemption, forgiveness and eternal life directly from the Saviour, the Word personified, yet remain unsaved.

• Further reading (King James Version): Mark 4:10-20,34; 7:17; Matthew 13:36; Mark 7:18; Acts 8:30,31; Luke 24:45,27; Acts 23:28. Mark 4:10-13; Matthew 13:13-15; Acts 28:25-27; Mark 4:15; Luke 8:12; Genesis 19:14-16,24,26; Hosea 8:12; 2 Timothy 3:7; Hebrews 2:1-3.Mark 4:16-19; Acts 8:13,18-23; 2 Chronicles 24:2,15-18; Galatians 6:12; Luke 21:34-36; Ecclesiastes 5:10,15,16; 1 Timothy 6:9,10; Colossians 3:1,2; 1 John 2:15-17. Mark 4:20; Luke 8:15; John 15:2,4,5,8,16; Colossians 1:10.