Jesus said to them, “To you it has been given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of God, but for those who are outside, everything will be in parables.
This saying reveals the twofold reality of the kingdom of God: revelation and hiddenness. The disciples are given to know the mystery of the kingdom. This means that true understanding is not, in the end, the result of human cleverness, but of grace that is given. God’s truths are opened to those who come to Christ with humility. But “those who are outside” are those who remain within the limits of outward hearing. They hear the parable, but they do not enter into its essence. This is not accidental. God allows the truth to become clear only for those who truly seek it. This saying should humble all of us, because knowing the mystery of the kingdom is a privilege and a gift of grace. At the same time, it warns that it is possible to be very near to the word of Christ and still remain outside, if the heart is closed toward Him.