Parables, the Sower, why analogies?
Matthew 13:11 Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Matthew 13:11 Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them.
Because it has been given to you to learn the secrets of the realm of the skies. To those people there, however, it has not been given.
This is a good example of how a "because" that begins the verse is preserved when Jesus in responding to a recorded question. These "because" statements are regularly edited out when the question is not recorded. This is the response to the apostles asking why he speaks in analogies, but this answer follows the last verse stating that everyone who has ears can hear. So Jesus is addressing everyone who has the ability to understand what is said on deeper level, not just his students.
This verse is the first use of the term "mysteries" in the Gospels. This word could be classified as "untranslated" because the Greek word is the source for the English word. However, it's use in the Bible is limited. Jesus only uses it three times in the parallels to this verse in Luke and Mark. And its meaning not been changed from the original Greek like the words satanas, prophetes, and synagoge.
We draw the lines between "them" and "us" not the Divine.
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the verb is the past perfect tense.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "heaven" is translated as singular but he Greek word is plural, "skies."
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "them" is not the common word usually translated as "them."
- WT - Wrong Tense - The verb "is" indicates the present tense, but the verb is the past perfect tense.
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "the" doesn't exist in the source.
- WF - Wrong Form - The "knowledge" is not a noun but a verb, "know."
- IW - Inserted Word -- The word "of" doesn't exist in the source.
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "the" before "heaven" is not shown in the English translation.
- WN - Wrong Number- The word "heaven" is translated as singular but he Greek word is plural, "skies."
- MW - Missing Word -- The word "given" is not shown in the English translation.
- CW - Confusing Word -- The "them" is not the common word usually translated as "them."
Because The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause. At the beginning of the sentence, "this is because..." often works best.
it - -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
is -- (WT) This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.However,t the tense is the past perfect, so this should be "has been."
given - "It is given" is from a verb which means "to give," "to grant," "to produce," "to devote oneself," and "to deliver." It is the world almost always translated as "give" in the Gospels. The verb is either passive or acts on itself.
unto -- This word "unto" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
you - The "you" here is plural, indicating many of Christ's listeners.
to -- This "to" is added because the infinitive form of the verb requires a "to" in English.
know - "Know" is from a verb that means "to know," "to recognize," "make known," "to know carnally," and "to learn." It has the sense of recognizing people and recognizing facts. It also means like the earlier words in verse Matthew 13:9 for "ears" and "hear," "to understand."
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
mysteries - "Mystery" is from a word that means "mystery," "secret revealed by God," and "superstition." It is specifically the term used for secret religious rites and knowledge.
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
kingdom - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will. This article covers it extensively.
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
heaven, -- (WN) The word translated as "heaven" means sky, the climate, and the universe. It also meant the home of the Gods in a physical sense: the sun, moon, and planets, which were named for the gods. It is plural, not singular.
but - The Greek word translated as"but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
them - -- (CW) The word translated as "them" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." It is not the common pronoun, "them." It is plural and an indirect object. "those people there."
it - -- This is from the third-person, singular form of the verb.
is -- (WT) This helping verb "is" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English. However, the tense is the past perfect, so this should be "has been."
not- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact.
given - "It is given" is from a verb which means "to give," "to grant," "to produce," "to devote oneself," and "to deliver." It is the world almost always translated as "give" in the Gospels. The verb is either passive or acts on itself.
Because The word translated as "because" introduces a statement of fact or cause. At the beginning of the sentence, "this is because..." often works best.
the - -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "the" in the Greek source.
knowledge - (WF) "Knowledge " is from a verb that means "to know," "to recognize," "make known," "to know carnally," and "to learn." It has the sense of recognizing people and recognizing facts. It also means like the earlier words in verse Matthew 13:9 for "ears" and "hear," "to understand."
of -- (IW) There is nothing that can be translated as "of" in the Greek source.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more. This article and noun are not possessive or genitive as indicated by the "of" before them.
secrets - "Secrets" is from a word that means "mystery," "secret revealed by God," and "superstition." It is specifically the term used for secret religious rites and knowledge.
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
the -- The word translated as "the" is the Greek definite article. The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those") than the English "the." See this article for more.
kingdom - The word translated as "kingdom" can be the region, the reign, the castle or the authority of a ruler. Christ does not seem to use it to mean a physical region, so its translation as "reign" seems more appropriate. This is especially true because the "reign" of a king means the execution of his will. This article covers it extensively.
of -- This word "of" comes from the genitive case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is the "of" of possession.
missing "the" -- (MW) The untranslated word is the Greek definite article, which usually precedes a noun and, without a noun, takes the meaning of "the one." The Greek article is much closer to our demonstrative pronouns ("this," "that," "these," "those"). See this article for more.
heaven, -- (WN) The word translated as "heaven" means sky, the climate, and the universe. It also meant the home of the Gods in a physical sense: the sun, moon, and planets, which were named for the gods. It is plural, not singular.
has -- This helping verb is needed to create the past perfect tense in English.
been -- This helping verb "been" indicates that the verb is passive. Helping or auxiliary verbs are needed to translate the Greek verb forms into English.
given - "It is given" is from a verb which means "to give," "to grant," "to produce," "to devote oneself," and "to deliver." It is the world almost always translated as "give" in the Gospels. The verb is either passive or acts on itself.
to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
you - The "you" here is plural, indicating many of Christ's listeners.
but - The Greek word translated as"but" joins phrases in an adversarial way. Since it always falls in the second position, translating it as "however" often captures its feeling better.
not- The Greek word translated as "not" is the Greek negative used to deny objective facts, not opinions. It makes a negative statement of fact.
missing "given" -- (MW) The untranslated word is a verb which means "to give," "to grant," "to produce," "to devote oneself," and "to deliver." It is the world almost always translated as "give" in the Gospels. The verb is either passive or acts on itself.
to -- This word "to" comes from the dative case of the following word that requires the addition of a preposition in English. The most common is a "to" for the English indirect object.
them - -- (CW) The word translated as "them" is an adjective that highlights its noun as being in a specific place or time from a word that means "there." It is not the common pronoun, "them." It is plural and an indirect object. "those people there."
ὅτι (adv) "Because" is hoti, which introduces a statement of fact "with regard to the fact that," "seeing that," and acts as a causal adverb meaning "for what," "because," "since," and "wherefore." --
Ὑμῖν (pron 2nd pl dat) "Unto you" is from hymin (humin), which is the 2nd person plural dative pronoun. Dative is the case which indicates to whom something is given. -- The "you" here is plural, indicating many of Christ's listeners.
δέδοται (3rd sg perf ind mp) "It is given" is from didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe."
γνῶναι (verb aor inf act) "To know," is from ginosko which means "to learn to know," "to know by reflection or observation," and "to perceive."
τὰ (article pl neut acc) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
μυστήρια [3 verses](noun pl neut acc) "Mystery" is mystêrion, which means "mystery," "secret doctrine," "secret rite ""mystic implements and ornaments," "secret revealed by God," "religious or mystical truth," and "superstition."
τῆς (article sg fem gen) "The" is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
βασιλείας (noun sg fem gen) "The kingdom" is from basileia, which means "kingdom," "dominion," "hereditary monarchy," "kingly office," (passive) "being ruled by a king," and "reign."
τῶν (article pl masc gen) Untranslated is the Greek definite article, hos, ("the").
οὐρανῶν, (noun pl masc gen) "Of Heaven" is from the Greek ouranos, which means "heaven as in the vault of the sky," "heaven as the seat of the gods," "the sky," "the universe," and "the climate."
ἐκείνοις (adj pl masc dat) "To them" is from ekeinos, which means "the person there," "that person," "that thing," "in that case," "in that way," "at that place," and "in that manner."
δὲ (conj) "But" is from de which means "but" and "on the other hand." It is the particle that joins sentences in an adversarial way but can also be an explanation of cause ("so").
οὐ (part) "Not" is from ou which is the negative adverb for facts and statements, negating both single words and sentences. The other negative adverb, μή applies to will and thought; οὐ denies, μή rejects; οὐ is absolute, μή relative; οὐ objective, μή subjective.
δέδοται. (3rd sg perf ind mp) "It is...given" is from didomi, which means "to give," "to grant," "to hand over," "appoint," "establish," and "to describe."
Many in the crowd laughed, but many also shared the Distinguished leaders confusion.
Sensing this, Flat Nose asked, “Why do you teach in analogies?”
“Because it has been given to you all,” the Master responded, indicating all of the crowd except for the side on which the Distinguished stood, “to learn the mysteries of the realm of the skies.”
The crowd applauded themselves.
Then the Master indicated the group with the Distinguished leader.
“To those people there, however,” he added, gesturing toward the nearby town, indicating those who had not come out to hear him, “it has not been given.”
Some of the crowd applauded, but others “oohed” and “aahhed” with surprise.