Knowing the Truth
And He said to them, “Do you not understand this parable? And how will you understand all the parables?” Mark 4:13
Understand – Without seeing the Greek text, you have no idea what Jesus is saying here. That’s because there are two different Greek verbs used in these two instances of the word “understand.” Translating them with the same word just confuses us, but once you see the difference, then what Jesus says makes sense.
The first verb for “understand” is eido. It means to know intuitively. It is knowledge that results from sharing the same fundamental identity. For example, Jesus says that He knows the Father because they are one, while we do not know (intuitively) the Father because we do not share a unity with Him (John 8:55). In this verse, Jesus says to His disciples, “Don’t you intuitively understand this parable?” He means that as His disciples they should have had an immediate awareness of the meaning of the parable. The fact that they do not indicates that they have not entered into a deep relationship with the Master. They don’t see the world through His eyes.
The second occurrence of “understand” is the verb ginosko. This is understanding that comes from experiential investigation or explanation. What Jesus says is that if the disciples do not have an intuitive understanding of the depth of this parable, then they will not understand any explanation of all the other parables. Unless they share the same perspective as the Master, all explanations are lost to them.
Suddenly the impact of this verse confronts our intellectual pride. Jesus simply says that information gathering about these spiritual things is hopelessly misdirected. I cannot know the truth that He reveals until and unless I first engage myself in His point of view, and I cannot see the world from Jesus’ point of view until I submit myself to His authority. If I want to really know the truth, I will have to become a disciple – someone who shares the same vision as the Master. My life must be reoriented to fit into God’s purposes before I can receive His revelation.
What a lesson this is for the “scholars” in our midst – the ones who offer explanations and interpretations of God’s word. Information alone does not produce understanding. The true scholar of the word of God must be Christ-like, deeply committed to the active participation in the purposes of God, someone who knows what it means to be humble and acquainted with grief. If you want to find a mentor of God’s word, search for a man or woman who thinks and acts like Jesus. Look for self-denial, continuous prayer and kingdom perspective.
None of this should surprise us. Jesus is entirely consistent with the teaching of Proverbs that obedience precedes understanding. Paul follows Jesus when he speaks of things spiritually known. If you want to understand Jesus, you will have to submit to Him first.
But you already knew that, didn’t you?
