Matthew 13:14

After this, lest any one should suppose His words to be a mere accusation, and lest men should say, Being our enemy He is bringing these charges and calumnies against us; He introduces the prophet also, pronouncing the same judgment as Himself.

"For in them is fulfilled," saith He, "the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand, and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive."

Seest thou the prophet likewise, accusing them with this same accuracy? for neither did He say, Ye see not, but "Ye shall see and not perceive;" nor again, Ye shall not hear, but "Ye shall hear and not understand." So that they first inflicted the loss on themselves, by stopping their ears, by closing their eyes, by making their heart fat.

(Verse 13, 14.) Therefore, I speak to them in parables, because seeing, they do not see, and hearing, they do not hear, nor do they understand; so that the prophecy of Isaiah may be fulfilled in them, which says: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive. This applies to those who stand on the shore and are separated from Jesus, and despite the loud noise of the waves, they do not hear what is being said clearly; and the prophecy of Isaiah is fulfilled in them: You will indeed hear but never understand, and you will indeed see but never perceive (Isaiah 6:9). These things are prophesied about the crowds, which stand on the shore, and do not deserve to hear the word of God. Let us therefore approach with the disciples to Jesus, and let us ask him for the explanation of the parable, lest we seem to have ears and eyes in vain with the crowds.

This He says of those who were standing on the shore, and separated from Jesus, and who because of the dashing of the waves heard not distinctly what was said.

In all the clauses the word 'not' must be understood; thus; That they should not see with their eyes, and should not hear with their ears, and should not understand with their heart, and should not be converted, and I should heal them.

Do you see what the prophecy (Is. 6:9-10) is saying? You do not understand, not because I created your heart fat and dull, but because it has grown fat, although it is obvious that before it was fine and subtle. For something which grows fat was first thin. And when their heart had grown fat, then they closed their eyes. He did not say that God closed their eyes, but they did, of their own choice. They did this, He says, so that they would not turn back and be healed by Me. For they chose evil and went to great lengths to remain unhealed and unrepentant.

Consequently, the authority of the prophet Isaiah is introduced. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah, who says: by hearing you shall hear and shall not understand etc., which is written in Isaiah 6:9; but there it is stated imperatively, here predictively. There: hear, you who hear, and do not understand; and see the vision, and do not know it. And three things are touched on. First, the hardness of the Jews; secondly, the cause; thirdly, the effect of that cause. The second is at for the heart of this people is grown fat; the third at lest at any time they should see etc. And because he had spoken of two things, namely, of hearing and of sight, therefore he says two things: you shall hear with the exterior hearing; you shall hear the doctrine of Christ, and shall not understand the mysteries; Psalm 35:4: he would not understand, that he might do well; Hosea 4:6: because you have rejected knowledge, I will reject you, that you shall not do the office of priesthood to me. And seeing you shall see and shall not see. You shall see the flesh of Christ with exterior sight, and you shall not consider his power. We have groped for the wall like the blind, and we have groped as if we had no eyes, Isaiah 59:10.

(non occ.) That is; With the hearing ye shall hear words, but shall not understand the hidden meaning of those words; seeing ye shall see My flesh indeed, but shall not discern the divinity.