Mark 4:10-12 - The secret of the kingdom has been given to you

4:10,11a

Later Jesus was alone with the “Twelve”, and they asked Him about the parables. Jesus told them that “The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you”. Now the disciples were not quick on the uptake, so this may seem a rather strange statement in some ways. One of the key differences between the likes of the religious leaders and the disciples was that when they didn’t understand (which was most of the time) they went to ask Jesus. The religious leaders, on the other hand, plotted to kill Jesus.

4:11b,12

Jesus then quotes from Isaiah 6:9,10. These were words given to Isaiah after he had his vision of the glory of the Lord, and his sin being taken away. The “so that”  might seem to imply that it was God’s deliberate purpose to make people “never perceiving”. The original statement in Isaiah 6:9 is introduced by “go and tell this people”. So it is actually a description of what the people are like. They hear the words, but never perceive the meaning. In fact the last part “otherwise they might turn and be forgiven” is a very accurate, and sad, commentary on the religious leaders. If instead of reacting against Jesus, to the point of plotting to kill Him, they had repented, then they would have received forgiveness and new life. It is a sad commentary on the state of many people, the religious leaders in particular.