When he was alone, those who were around him along with the twelve asked him about the parables. And he said to them, ‘To you has been given the secret of the kingdom of God, but for those outside, everything comes in parables; in order that“they may indeed look, but not perceive, and may indeed listen, but not understand; so that they may not turn again and be forgiven.” ’ (Mark 4: 10-12)

The reference to Isaiah is meant to cause those listening to put the current teaching in the context of a well-known passage of scripture.

In the chapter from which Jesus quotes, God calls Isaiah to prophecy with a tumult of irony and sarcasm. God bitterly complains that the people are not applying their skills of spiritual discernment.

As a result of being blind and deaf - unable or refusing to perceive God's intentions - the people of Isaiah's day were on the edge of disaster.

Isaiah was sent to help them see and hear before it was too late. The implication is that this is also the role of Jesus and his parables.

The parables are spiritual exercises. They give us the opportunity to discern the profound spiritual potential of the most common aspects of our daily life.

Most Biblical scholars perceive that verses 10-12 did not originate with Jesus but were added by the early Church. Such judgments are beyond my competence. What interests me is how our received understanding of a particular passage may not be the only reasonable understanding of the passage. Many scholars suggest this passage is inconsistent with the radical equality of Jesus' message. In its traditional English translation this is a reasonable critique. But - for better or worse - koine Greek is often open to multiple understandings.

Above is Three Fluid Graces by Salvador Dali.