Mark 4:9 Commentary and Bible Study

Not all have ears to hear, for many hear the sound of the words with the ear, but the message does not enter the heart. That is not truly hearing, for the hearing that Christ speaks of is a hearing that gives understanding, spiritual understanding. Many who heard him preach did not grasp the importance of what he was saying. They did not see that their eternal destiny depended on what they did with this message. This half hearing is dangerous, as the following quote from Isaiah 6 says. The outward hearing may block the inward hearing that we need: ‘and hearing they may hear, and not understand’, but they think that they have understood. Because they think they have understood, they are ready to dismiss the message without reflecting on it more carefully, whereas this is the most precious word they have heard in their entire lives. Christ speaks to those who have ears to hear, and he tells them how valuable that hearing is. If they have begun to cling to his every word and long to understand it better and dare not miss anything in it, then they have begun to hear him. If they see that he speaks like no other man spoke and he has the words of eternal life, and they cannot go to anyone else, then they are hearing him indeed.