Matthew 13:¹⁰ Then the disciples came and asked him, “Why do you speak to (the crowds) in parables?” ¹¹ He answered, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given. ¹² For to those who have, more will be given, and they will have an abundance; but from those who have nothing, even what they have will be taken away.

In v.11 Jesus tells us that God the Father decides who receives the “secrets of the kingdom of heaven”. It is not something earned, or chosen via human freewill, but is a gift that is given by grace. Those who manifest faith by following Jesus as disciples receive even more as they listen to his teachings, hear Jesus’ explanations, adopt his way of life, and begin to do the things Jesus did.

Then there are “those who have nothing”. These are persons who reject Jesus’ teaching despite having the bloodlines of Abraham (Jewish) and the word of the prophets from the Old Testament scriptures, yet “even what they have will be taken away”.

The question I have is why everyone is not given this blessing, but only some people. Recall that the persons who respond to Jesus and follow are not more righteous or worthy or faithful than those who do not. To the contrary many of Jesus’ disciples were very far from God before encountering Jesus.

We don’t like to think of God as one who favors one person over another, but it’s hard not to interpret this and other passages of scripture in this way. Some are chosen, some are not. Some are given faith, some are not. We would prefer to think we are all the same in the eyes of God. And perhaps in some ways we are. But perhaps in other ways we are not. Lord help us to understand. Amen.