Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The phrase "in them is fulfilled" suggests not just a simple fulfillment, but a renewed or completed fulfillment. It means that the prophecy, once realized in Isaiah's time, was finding its full and striking echo in the people Jesus was addressing, highlighting a stubborn pattern of spiritual dullness across generations.
Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says: “‘“You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus has just told the parable of the sower, and the disciples are confused why He speaks in parables to the crowds. In response, Jesus explains that He uses parables because many people have hardened their hearts and are unreceptive to His message, fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah. This means the crowds will hear Jesus' words and see His works, but won't truly grasp the meaning or perceive the spiritual truth being offered.
Why did Jesus quote this harsh prophecy from Isaiah? It wasn't just a random Old Testament verse; it was a living message for His audience.
Jesus quotes Isaiah 6:9-10 not just to say it did happen, but that it was still happening with the crowds around Him. The same spiritual dullness and prejudice that marked the people in Isaiah's day were present in Jesus' time.
A Chosen Blindness
The prophecy highlights a chosen blindness and deafness. It's not that people couldn't hear or see, but that they would not understand or perceive. Their hearts were hardened, their minds closed off to the truth, especially when it challenged their comfortable ways or deep-seated prejudices.
The Pattern of Rejection
This wasn't a new problem. The people Jesus spoke to were, in many ways, mirroring the unresponsiveness of their ancestors. The prophecy served as a stark reminder that spiritual rejection isn't a one-time event but a pattern that can repeat itself if not actively resisted.
If people aren't understanding, why speak in parables? Jesus' use of stories wasn't about being deliberately obscure, but about engaging hearts differently.
Jesus uses parables in Matthew 13 not to confuse the masses, but as a response to their hardened hearts. The prophecy of Isaiah explains the of their unresponsiveness: they hear but don't understand.
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Engaging Different Hearts
For those with a genuine desire to seek and understand, parables could spark curiosity and draw them closer to Jesus for an explanation (like His disciples). For those set against Him, the parables would serve as a judgment, highlighting their unwillingness to seek deeper truth.
A Test of the Heart
This method acted as a filter. It protected the truth from being trampled by those who wouldn't value it, while simultaneously inviting those who were truly seeking. It's a divine strategy that discerns the posture of our hearts – are we listening to learn or listening to dismiss?
Understand the original words
prophēteia · Greek Noun
The biblically inspired message or declaration of God's will through His servants. In this context, it refers to the historical validation of Jesus’ ministry through Old Testament revelation.
Jesus uses Isaiah's ancient prophecy not just to describe the people's current spiritual blindness, but also to explain why he teaches in parables – a method meant to engage those with a genuine desire to understand, while simultaneously revealing the hardened hearts of those unwilling to truly see or hear.
c. 740 BC
Isaiah's Vision and Commission
The prophet Isaiah receives a vision from God where he is commissioned to deliver a message to Israel, which includes a prophecy that the people would hear but not understand, and see but not perceive.
c. 605-597 BC
First Deportation to Babylon
Under King Jehoiakim, some of the Judean nobility, including Daniel, are deported to Babylon. This marks the beginning of the Babylonian exile, a period of national crisis for Judah.
586 BC
Fall of Jerusalem and Temple Destruction
Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, destroys Jerusalem and its Temple, exiling most of the remaining population. This event signifies the culmination of God's judgment on Judah's persistent disobedience.
c. 444 BC
Ezra and Nehemiah Reforms
Following the return from exile, Ezra and Nehemiah lead efforts to rebuild the Temple and reform the community, emphasizing adherence to the Law amidst ongoing challenges to national identity and faith.
c. 30-33 AD— this verse
Jesus' Ministry and Teaching
Jesus begins his public ministry, teaching with authority and performing miracles. He encounters widespread resistance from religious leaders and a general populace who often fail to grasp the spiritual significance of his message.
c. 49 AD
Paul's First Missionary Journey
The Apostle Paul travels extensively, proclaiming the Gospel to both Jewish and Gentile audiences. He often faces rejection and opposition, sometimes quoting Isaiah's prophecy to describe the hardened hearts of his listeners.
c. 60-62 AD
Paul's Imprisonment and Writings
While imprisoned in Rome, Paul continues to write letters to churches, addressing theological issues and encouraging believers to live according to God's truth, even amidst spiritual opposition.
This is the original prophecy that Jesus is quoting, describing a people who, despite hearing and seeing, have hardened their hearts and cannot understand or perceive God's truth.
John 12:40This passage also quotes Isaiah 6:9-10, explaining that God blinded their eyes and hardened their hearts 'so that they might not see with their eyes, and understand with their heart and turn, and I would heal them,' highlighting the willful rejection of truth.
Acts 28:26-27Paul reiterates the fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy to the Jews in Rome, emphasizing that their rejection of the message of salvation has led to God turning the message to the Gentiles.
Hebrews 12:15This verse warns believers to be vigilant, 'looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God, lest any root of bitterness spring up and cause trouble, and by it many become defiled,' echoing the theme of spiritual hardness and its consequences.
barnesMatthew 13:14: "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:"
And in them is fulfilled ... - This place is quoted substantially from Isaiah 6:9-10 . It was literally fulfilled in the time of Isaiah. In the time of Christ the people had the same character. Like them, they closed their eyes upon the truth, and rejected the divine teaching. The words of Isaiah were therefore "as we…
pulpitMatthew 13:14: "And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:"
Verse 14. - And in them; and unto them (Revised Version); i.e. with reference to them (cf. Jude 1:14). Is fulfilled. Completely (ἀναπληροῦται; cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:16). The present, because the process is still going on. The prophecy of Esaias, which saith (Isaiah 6:9, 10). Not quoted in this form in the parallel pas…
The phrase "in them is fulfilled" suggests not just a simple fulfillment, but a renewed or completed fulfillment. It means that the prophecy, once realized in Isaiah's time, was finding its full and striking echo in the people Jesus was addressing, highlighting a stubborn pattern of spiritual dullness across generations.
Jesus has just told the parable of the sower, and the disciples are confused why He speaks in parables to the crowds. In response, Jesus explains that He uses parables because many people have hardened their hearts and are unreceptive to His message, fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah. This means the crowds will hear Jesus' words and see His works, but won't truly grasp the meaning or perceive the spiritual truth being offered.
Jesus has just told the parable of the sower, and the disciples are confused why He speaks in parables to the crowds. In response, Jesus explains that He uses parables because many people have hardened their hearts and are unreceptive to His message, fulfilling the ancient prophecy of Isaiah. This means the crowds will hear Jesus' words and see His works, but won't truly grasp the meaning or perceive the spiritual truth being offered.
"Indeed, in their case the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled that says:
“‘“You will indeed hear but never understand,
and you will indeed see but never perceive.”" — The phrase "in them is fulfilled" suggests not just a simple fulfillment, but a *renewed* or *completed* fulfillment. It means that the prophecy, once realized in Isaiah's time, was finding its full…
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Last reviewed October 2026