Jesus had similar difficulties with getting people to listen. That’s why he said more than once, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.” (Matthew 11:15) In this particular instance Jesus is talking about John the Baptist and how it had been prophesied that he would come. In verse 14 he makes the statement, “And if you will receive (believe) it, this is Elias, which was to come.” Then he makes the statement about listening. This is about a year and a half before Jesus is crucified. Six months later John was beheaded--pretty close to a year before the crucifixion.
Six months following John’s beheading is when Jesus takes Peter, James, and John (the disciples) to a high mountain. While there, they witness the transfiguration and Moses and Elias appear talking with Jesus. It’s in Matthew 17. Drop down to verse 10 and his disciples ask him why the scribes said that Elias had to come before the Messiah. They instantly know this is Elias but don’t make the connection between Elias and John the Baptist. Jesus confirms it is true that Elias would come and that he had already. It’s in verse 13 that they get it. A window had opened in their minds and now they understood what had been said nearly a year before this.
A second instance is in Matthew 13. In verse 9 Jesus says, “Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.” He is telling the multitudes the parable of the sower with seed and the different kinds of ground that it falls on. The disciples want to know why he is speaking in parables. Asking was proof they were listening. He continues to explain in verse 13 that the multitude doesn’t see, hear, or understand. Jesus tells them that it is given to them to know the mysteries (secrets) of the kingdom of heaven because they see and hear and haven’t dulled their hearing or closed their eyes (hearts). Then he explains the parable of the sower and tells them other parables of the kingdom of heaven. This was a teachable moment for the disciples. It was about a year and a half before the crucifixion.
A third instance is in Mark 7:16, “If any man have ears to hear, let him hear.” Prior to this the miracle of feeding the 5,000 occurred. After this miracle the disciples board a ship to row to Bethsaida while Jesus stays behind to pray. The seas were against the disciples. This is the time that Jesus walks on the water to them and calms the sea. They arrive in Gennesaret which was on the northwestern shore of the Sea of Galilee. Jesus performed many healings here.
Of all the things to complain about, the Pharisees and some scribes arrived to find the disciples eating with unclean hands. They confront Jesus about the disciples not following the tradition of the elders. Jesus points out the absurdness of the argument and upbraids them publicly about their own shortcomings about their tradition. He then calls the people to him and says that it isn’t what goes into a man that defiles him but what is in him that does.
The disciples ask for clarification and are told that what a man eats goes into his belly and comes out so that man is not defiled. But, the heart which resides in the body is where evil abides. It is the evil within that defiles and causes evil deeds to happen. (Mark 7:21-22) This is about 10 months away from the crucifixion.
A fourth instance is in Mark 8:18 and says, “Having eyes, see ye not? and having ears, hear ye not? and do ye not remember?” Jesus and the disciples are sailing to the other side when the disciples discover they don’t have bread.
While they are in a stew over the bread, Jesus warns them against the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod because they are getting more and more stirred up over Jesus and his disciples. For a moment their distraction about food causes them to
stumble and Jesus brings them up short. Why worry about bread? They’ve seen the miracles. Do they still not understand?
Once they come to Bethsaida Jesus heals a blind man and they continue on to Caesarea Philippi. This is when Jesus asks the disciples who people say he is and Peter identifies him as the Christ. This takes place about eight months
before the crucifixion.
In this fifth instance, which is found in Luke14, Jesus is concluding an admonition to his followers. He makes the point that following him will include sacrifice. They must be like salt which is good and fit for seasoning as long as it doesn’t lose its’ punch. If that happens, it’s not fit for even the land and must be cast out. He finishes Luke 14:35 with, “He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.”
After this he continues with the parable of the lost sheep and the prodigal son. Then he tells his disciples the story of the unscrupulous steward who was going to be fired by his lord, a rich man. This scoundrel has to think fast on his feet to avoid being tossed out with nothing to fall back on. So, he calls up a few of the rich man’s debtors, has them change their bills for less than what they purchased. In doing this, the steward has made the debtors indebted to him and he will be assured of some kind of security in his situation.
Although it’s a story about an unscrupulous steward, the point is that he has been resourceful and shrewd in his time of crises. Christians need to possess the same kind of resourcefulness and shrewdness in order to ‘best’ the unscrupulous ‘sons of this world.’ This is only a few months before the crucifixion.
Examining the instances in their order, it’s clear that Jesus is preparing his disciples and readying them for when he will not be there. His time with them is growing short and he feels the need to keep them alert and on their toes. Hence, the repeating of the ‘let him who has ears, hear’.