Luke 9:45 But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, that they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying
Chances are good that you were conversing in English, or whatever your native language was, by the time you were four years old. Communication is easy until you try it. There are a few things involved with communication. There is what you intend to say, what you actually say, and what people hear you say. Communication can break down anywhere between your mouth and someone’s ear. There are a number of barriers between you and understanding what is communicated. For instance, age can be a barrier. My grandson was at my house recently and he asked for “boy.” His mother informed me that “boy” means “water.” Age can be a barrier.
Gender can be a barrier. We are often driving with my wife as navigator and she will say something like, “Turn right here.” I’ll turn right and she will say, “No, you are supposed to turn left.” I’ll say, “You said to turn right,” and she will reply, “No, I said turn left and then I said turn right here.” That may not be gender classically, but gender can definitely be a barrier.
Where you are from can be a barrier. Haven’t you talked to someone from a different region or country and you just don’t get what they are saying?
Another barrier is intelligence. We don’t comprehend because of lack of intelligence. I was listening recently to a podcast and the gentleman kept using the word parsimony. Of course, everyone knows what parsimony means, but I did not.
In Luke 9 we find this very kind of situation. Jesus was giving the most important instruction that could ever be given, the reason He was on earth, to die, be buried, and rise again for our salvation, and every time Jesus tried to tell the disciples, they just did not get it. Luke 9:44-45 says, “Let these sayings sink down into your ears: for the Son of man shall be delivered into the hands of men. But they understood not this saying, and it was hid from them, and they perceived it not: and they feared to ask him of that saying.” They did not understand it.
Why didn’t they understand? It was a heart matter. It is almost impossible to understand what you do not want to understand. There were two reasons in particular that the disciples missed what Jesus was trying to teach.
First, they had an unwillingness to ask. The Bible said, “They feared to ask him of that saying.” Why do you think they feared? The Bible doesn’t tell us, but wouldn’t it be a little embarrassing to be Jesus’ elite followers and not understand? They could have had pride. It may have been a lack of curiosity. We can go through life oblivious to all kinds of things that ought to create curiosity, but we are not curious. Ultimately, they were just not willing to ask. May God protect me from not knowing things I could know because I’m not willing to ask. Jesus had given them instruction numerous times about this, but they always missed it because they would not ask.
The second reason is they were unwilling to act. Verse 46 says, “Then there arose a reasoning among them, which of them should be greatest.” Talk about tone deaf. This is not the first time this scenario happened. Jesus is trying to tell them about His death, burial, and resurrection, and it is almost as if with a wave of the hand they say, “Yes, yes, that is fine. Whatever. The important question is which of us is the most important. That is the real question.” They totally missed what they should have known because they didn’t want to know.
Jesus gave them an answer about who would be the greatest, and the Bible says, “And John answered and said…” John wasn’t beginning a new discussion. He was continuing the discussion with Jesus about who would be the greatest. Jesus answered them clearly and then John answered, “Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name; and we forbad him because he followeth not with us.” Who would have been included in “us”? Jesus would have been, but John wasn’t thinking about Jesus because this nameless follower of Christ was acting in the name of Jesus. That wasn’t good enough for John because that man wasn’t following John and his friends. So, John was still stuck on who was the most important and missed the lesson of Jesus’ purpose for being on earth. The bottom line is we hear what we want to hear.
In Luke 8:8 Jesus says, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” Doesn’t everyone have ears? Doesn’t everyone hear? No. He is making an invitation. If you have ears, use them. He speaks of those who hearing His parables might not understand. In verse 15 Jesus says, “But that [seed that fell] on good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.” Verse 18 says, “Take heed therefore how ye hear.” Verse 21 says, “Hear the word of God, and do it.” That is a heart to do it. The disciples were unwilling to act. Ultimately, hearing is a heart matter. You hear with your heart.
After His crucifixion and resurrection, Jesus was on the Emmaus Road with two of His disciples who did not realize it was Jesus who was with them. They were discouraged that Jesus had died and did not know He had risen. Jesus said to them, “O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?” He did not say they were slow of mind or intelligence, but slow of heart.
Everything you need to know that matters to God you can know and God has put in His Word. So, he that has ears to hear let them hear with a willingness to ask and a willingness to act.