¹¹ “Truly I tell you, we speak what we know and we testify to what we have seen, but you do not accept our testimony. ¹² If I have told you about earthly things and you don’t believe, how will you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? (John 3:11-12 CSB)

Have you ever had occasion to have to explain something to someone that they had no basis or reference for understanding?

I think about trying to explain technology to our grandparents. They have not grown up in the world we live in and so the things we do intrinsically every day are foreign to them. Or I can have a great conversation with a physicist and marvel at what he is telling me, but I may not fully grasp the complexity of what he is saying.

So when Jesus was speaking of heavenly things, his audience was clearly founded in only earthly things. This made for Him needing to use many parables to make the import of his message relevant to the people of this time and background.

I can only imagine how differently Jesus would interact with us today. However, the old things do not pass away and His parables are just as relevant today. Furthermore, His message is even more so as we do have a clearer point of reference with all of the scripture to expand upon His message.

Thus, we must listen and read for understanding the heavenly things in scripture so that we might grow in our faith and our walk.