Study Desk

To those who listen to my teaching, more understanding will be given, and they will have an abundance of knowledge. But for those who are not listening, even what little understanding they have will be taken away from them.

That is why I use these parables, For they look, but they don't really see. They hear, but they don't really listen or understand.

For the hearts of these people are hardened, and their ears cannot hear, and they have closed their eyes— so their eyes cannot see, and their ears cannot hear, and their hearts cannot understand, and they cannot turn to me and let me heal them.'

But since they don't have deep roots, they don't last long. They fall away as soon as they have problems or are persecuted for believing God's word.

"Again, the Kingdom of Heaven is like a merchant on the lookout for choice pearls.

For Herod had arrested and imprisoned John as a favor to his wife Herodias (the former wife of Herod's brother Philip).

John had been telling Herod, "It is against God's law for you to marry her."

But at a birthday party for Herod, Herodias's daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased him,

Later, John's disciples came for his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus what had happened.

That evening the disciples came to him and said, "This is a remote place, and it's already getting late. Send the crowds away so they can go to the villages and buy food for themselves."

Meanwhile, the disciples were in trouble far away from land, for a strong wind had risen, and they were fighting heavy waves.

"Why do your disciples disobey our age-old tradition? For they ignore our tradition of ceremonial hand washing before they eat."

For instance, God says, ‘Honor your father and mother,' and ‘Anyone who speaks disrespectfully of father or mother must be put to death.'

But you say it is all right for people to say to their parents, ‘Sorry, I can't help you. For I have vowed to give to God what I would have given to you.'

In this way, you say they don't need to honor their parents. And so you cancel the word of God for the sake of your own tradition.

You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you, for he wrote,

Their worship is a farce, for they teach man-made ideas as commands from God.'"

For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander.

A Gentile woman who lived there came to him, pleading, "Have mercy on me, O Lord, Son of David! For my daughter is possessed by a demon that torments her severely."

Then Jesus called his disciples and told them, "I feel sorry for these people. They have been here with me for three days, and they have nothing left to eat. I don't want to send them away hungry, or they will faint along the way."