Matthew 13:15

KJV

For this people's heart is waxed gross, and [their] ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes, and hear with [their] ears, and should understand with [their] heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.

KJV (with Strong's)

For {G1063} this {G5127} people's {G2992} heart {G2588} is waxed gross {G3975}, and {G2532} their ears {G3775} are dull {G917} of hearing {G191}, and {G2532} their {G846} eyes {G3788} they have closed {G2576}; lest at any time {G3379} they should see {G1492} with their eyes {G3788}, and {G2532} hear {G191} with their ears {G3775}, and {G2532} should understand {G4920} with their heart {G2588}, and {G2532} should be converted {G1994}, and {G2532} I should heal {G2390} them {G846}.

Complete Jewish Bible

because the heart of this people has become dull -- with their ears they barely hear, and their eyes they have closed, so as not to see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their heart, and do t'shuvah, so that I could heal them.'

Berean Standard Bible

For this people’s heart has grown callous; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’

American Standard Version

For this people’s heart is waxed gross, And their ears are dull of hearing, And their eyes they have closed; Lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, And hear with their ears, And understand with their heart, And should turn again, And I should heal them.

Commentary

### SUMMARY
Matthew 13:15, a direct quotation from Isaiah 6:9-10, encapsulates Jesus' explanation for His use of parables, revealing the spiritual condition of a people whose hearts have become hardened, ears unresponsive, and eyes willfully shut to divine truth. It describes a profound spiritual insensitivity and an active resistance to understanding God's message, which consequently prevents them from experiencing spiritual conversion and healing. This verse underscores the tragic reality of human obstinacy in the face of divine revelation and serves as a prophetic explanation for the widespread rejection of the Kingdom message during Jesus' ministry.

### CONTEXT
* **Literary Context:** This verse is strategically placed within Matthew's "Parable Discourse" (Matthew 13), which begins with the Parable of the Sower. Following this parable, the disciples ask Jesus why He speaks to the crowds in parables (Matthew 13:10). Jesus responds by explaining that understanding the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven is granted to His disciples but not to others (Matthew 13:11). He then articulates the principle of spiritual receptivity: "For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him" (Matthew 13:12). Matthew 13:15, a direct quotation from [Isaiah 6:9-10](/isaiah/6-9-10 "Isaiah's Prophecy of Spiritual Hardening"), immediately follows as the prophetic justification for this spiritual division, explaining *why* the crowds are unable to perceive and understand the spiritual truths veiled in the parables. It highlights that their inability is not merely a lack of intellectual capacity, but a deep-seated spiritual resistance.
* **Historical & Cultural Context:** Jesus' ministry occurred within a Jewish society deeply rooted in the Old Testament prophecies and traditions. The people, particularly the religious leaders, largely expected a Messiah who would deliver them politically from Roman rule, rather than one who would inaugurate a spiritual kingdom. This expectation often led to a resistance to Jesus' teachings, which challenged their preconceived notions and called for repentance and a radical reorientation of life. The prophecy from Isaiah 6, originally delivered to a rebellious Israel in the 8th century BC, spoke of a people who would hear but not understand, see but not perceive, leading to a judicial hardening by God. By quoting this ancient prophecy, Jesus identifies His contemporary audience with that same historical pattern of spiritual blindness and resistance, implying that their failure to recognize Him as the Messiah and embrace His message was a fulfillment of long-standing divine judgment.
* **Key Themes:** Matthew 13:15 powerfully contributes to several key themes within the Gospel of Matthew and broader biblical theology. It directly addresses the theme of **Spiritual Blindness and Deafness**, illustrating how physical senses can be active while spiritual perception remains dormant or willfully suppressed. This verse also introduces the concept of **Divine Judgment and Human Responsibility**, showing that while God may allow a hardening, it is often in response to human obstinacy and rejection of truth. The phrase "their eyes they have closed" emphasizes the **Volitional Nature of Unbelief**, highlighting that this spiritual state is not merely passive inability but an active choice to resist. Furthermore, it subtly introduces the theme of **Revelation and Concealment**, where truth is revealed to some (the disciples) and concealed from others (the crowds) according to their spiritual receptivity, fulfilling the prophetic pattern found in [Isaiah 6](/isaiah/6 "Isaiah's Commission and Prophecy"). This spiritual condition ultimately prevents the people from experiencing **Conversion and Healing**, which are God's desired outcomes for humanity, as seen in Jesus' ministry of both teaching and healing (e.g., [Matthew 4:23](/matthew/4-23 "Jesus' Ministry of Teaching and Healing")).

### EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
#### Key Word Analysis
* **waxed gross (Greek, _pachýnō'_):** This verb literally means "to grow fat" or "to become thick." In a spiritual sense, as used here, it conveys a state of dullness, insensitivity, or becoming unresponsive. The heart, the seat of understanding and will in biblical thought, has become calloused and unreceptive, much like a physical organ that has become sluggish or diseased due to excessive fat. It implies a loss of spiritual agility and discernment.
* **closed (Greek, _kammýō'_):** This is a strong, emphatic verb meaning "to shut down," "to close tightly," or "to close deliberately." It highlights the active and intentional choice of the people to shut their eyes. This is not a passive inability to see, but a willful act of self-blinding, a conscious decision to turn away from the light of truth presented before them by Jesus. It underscores human accountability for their spiritual state.
* **converted (Greek, _epistréphō'_):** Derived from "to turn" or "to revert," this word signifies a profound change of direction, a turning back to God. It implies repentance, a change of mind and heart, leading to a new orientation towards God's will and truth. In this context, it represents the spiritual transformation that the people are actively resisting, a turning from their present state of unbelief and spiritual insensitivity to a state of receptive faith.

#### Verse Breakdown
* **"For this people's heart is waxed gross,"**: This clause identifies the core spiritual problem: the "heart," the center of intellect, emotion, and will, has become dull, insensitive, and unreceptive to divine truth. This is a state of spiritual apathy and resistance.
* **"and [their] ears are dull of hearing,"**: This extends the spiritual insensitivity to the auditory sense. Despite hearing Jesus' words physically, their spiritual ears are "dull" or "heavy," meaning they are unwilling or unable to truly process and comprehend the spiritual meaning of what they hear.
* **"and their eyes they have closed;"**: This is a crucial addition, emphasizing the volitional aspect of their spiritual condition. It's not just a passive dullness, but an active, deliberate choice to shut themselves off from seeing and perceiving the spiritual realities revealed by Jesus.
* **"lest at any time they should see with [their] eyes,"**: This introduces the purpose clause, explaining *why* they have closed themselves off. They do so to avoid the possibility of spiritual perception and conviction.
* **"and hear with [their] ears,"**: Continuing the purpose, they resist so as not to truly apprehend the spiritual message conveyed through their hearing.
* **"and should understand with [their] heart,"**: The ultimate goal of their resistance is to prevent genuine spiritual comprehension and insight, which would occur when the truth penetrates the "heart."
* **"and should be converted,"**: This is the transformative outcome they seek to avoid. To "be converted" implies repentance and a turning towards God, a radical change of life and allegiance.
* **"and I should heal them."**: The final consequence they evade is the spiritual healing and restoration that God, through Jesus, desires to bring. This healing encompasses forgiveness, deliverance, and wholeness that comes from a right relationship with God.

#### Literary Devices
Matthew 13:15 is rich with **Metaphor** and **Symbolism**. The physical senses—eyes, ears, and heart—are used metaphorically to represent spiritual faculties. "Waxed gross" for the heart is a powerful **Metaphor** of spiritual hardening, likening the heart's receptivity to a physical organ becoming sluggish or unresponsive due to excessive fat. The "dullness" of ears and the "closing" of eyes are also **Metaphors** for spiritual unwillingness to perceive or understand. The repetition of "see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart" serves as a form of **Parallelism**, emphasizing the comprehensive nature of their spiritual resistance across all faculties of perception and comprehension. The entire verse functions as an **Explanation** and **Justification** for Jesus' parabolic teaching, acting as a **Prophetic Fulfillment** of Isaiah's ancient words. The final clauses, "lest... they should be converted, and I should heal them," reveal a tragic **Irony**: the very people God desires to save are actively resisting the means of their salvation.

### THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
Matthew 13:15 stands as a stark reminder of the human capacity for resistance to divine truth, even when confronted with the very presence of God in Christ. It highlights the profound theological truth that spiritual understanding is not merely an intellectual exercise but requires an open and receptive heart. The verse underscores the active role of human will in accepting or rejecting God's revelation, demonstrating that while God desires all to be converted and healed, He respects human agency, even to their own detriment. This resistance leads to a judicial hardening, where continued rejection of light results in a diminished capacity to perceive it, fulfilling ancient prophecy.

* [Isaiah 6:9-10](/isaiah/6-9-10 "Isaiah's Prophecy of Spiritual Hardening")
* [John 12:40](/john/12-40 "John's Account of Isaiah's Prophecy Fulfilled")
* [Acts 28:26-27](/acts/28-26-27 "Paul Quotes Isaiah 6 to the Jews in Rome")

### REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Matthew 13:15 serves as a powerful mirror for self-examination, urging us to consider the state of our own hearts, ears, and eyes in relation to God's Word. It warns against the insidious danger of spiritual apathy and willful ignorance, which can lead to a hardening of the heart that prevents us from experiencing the transformative power of God. True spiritual growth and healing depend on a posture of humility and receptivity, a willingness to truly hear, see, and understand the truths of the Kingdom. We must actively guard against pride, cynicism, or a comfortable complacency that might cause us to close ourselves off from conviction or new insights from Scripture. Instead, we are called to cultivate a hungry and thirsty soul, eager to be taught, corrected, and transformed by the Holy Spirit through God's living Word, ensuring that our spiritual faculties remain open and responsive to His voice.

#### Questions for Reflection
* **In what areas of my life might my "heart be waxed gross" or my "ears dull of hearing" to God's voice?**
* **Am I actively "closing my eyes" to any truth or conviction that God is trying to reveal to me? If so, why?**
* **What practical steps can I take to cultivate a more humble, open, and receptive heart towards God's Word and His leading?**

### FAQ
**Does Matthew 13:15 mean that God actively prevents people from understanding or being saved?**

Answer: Matthew 13:15, by quoting Isaiah 6:9-10, describes a complex interplay between human will and divine judgment. It does not suggest that God arbitrarily prevents people from understanding or being saved. Rather, it indicates a judicial hardening that occurs *in response* to persistent human resistance and rejection of divine truth. The phrase "their eyes they have closed" (Matthew 13:15) emphasizes the people's active, volitional choice to resist. God's desire is always for people to "be converted, and I should heal them." However, when individuals or a people consistently reject the light and truth presented to them, they become less capable of perceiving it, leading to a state where God allows their self-imposed blindness to persist. This is a consequence of their unbelief, not its arbitrary cause. The purpose of the parables, in this context, was to reveal truth to those with receptive hearts while simultaneously obscuring it from those who had already hardened themselves, thus fulfilling prophecy and highlighting their accountability.

### CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Matthew 13:15, with its stark portrayal of spiritual blindness and resistance, finds its ultimate Christ-centered fulfillment not only in the immediate context of Jesus' ministry but also in the broader redemptive narrative. The very people who "waxed gross" in heart and "closed" their eyes were the ones Jesus came to save. His parables, while revealing the truth to the receptive, also served to highlight the desperate need for a new spiritual sight and hearing that only He could provide. The "healing" that the people resisted in Matthew 13:15 is precisely what Jesus offers through His atoning work on the cross. He is the light of the world who came to open the eyes of the blind (compare [John 9:5](/john/9-5 "Jesus, the Light of the World") and [John 9:39](/john/9-39 "Jesus Came for Judgment and Sight")), and the Good Shepherd who calls His sheep by name, enabling them to hear His voice (see [John 10:3-4](/john/10-3-4 "The Good Shepherd and His Sheep")). The "conversion" they resisted is made possible through His death and resurrection, offering a new heart and a new spirit (foreshadowed in [Ezekiel 36:26](/ezekiel/36-26 "A New Heart and Spirit")). Ultimately, the spiritual healing and transformation that the people of Israel rejected in their generation became available to all who would believe in Christ, Jew and Gentile alike, through the power of the Holy Spirit (as seen in [Acts 2:38](/acts/2-38 "Repentance and the Holy Spirit")). Thus, Jesus, the rejected Messiah, became the very means by which humanity could overcome the spiritual blindness described in Isaiah and Matthew, offering true sight, hearing, understanding, conversion, and healing to all who turn to Him in faith.

Note: Commentary is generated by AI with a directive for Biblical fidelity. Always rely on the Holy Spirit for discernment. The Scripture text and cross-references are from verified, non-AI sources.

Cross-References

Isaiah 6:10

Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

Mark 4:12

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.

Zechariah 7:11

But they refused to hearken, and pulled away the shoulder, and stopped their ears, that they should not hear.

John 8:43

Why do ye not understand my speech? [even] because ye cannot hear my word.

John 8:44

Ye are of [your] father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

2 Timothy 2:25

In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

2 Timothy 2:26

And [that] they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will.