Matthew 11:15

Matthew 11:15

He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

a. NLT: Anyone with ears to hear should listen and understand! [Scripture quotations marked (NLT) are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.]

b. NIV: Whoever has ears, let them hear. [THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by Permission of Biblica, Inc.® All rights reserved worldwide.]

c. YLT: he who is having ears to hear -- let him hear. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

d. Amplified Bible:  He who has ears to hear, let him be listening and let him consider and perceive and comprehend by hearing. [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

e. Worrell Translation: He that has ears let him hear.  [Copyright 1904 by A.S. Worrell. Copyright assigned to the Assemblies of God, Springfield, MO. This edition was published 1980 by the Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802. Printed in the U.S.A.]

1. “He that hath ears to hear…”

a. [Strong: 3588. [ho] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [ho] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, ‘Hē  hē, hai, tas.]

b. [He that] hath [Strong: 2192 2192. echo ekh'-o, including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; (used in certain tenses only) a primary verb; to hold (used in very various applications, literally or figuratively, direct or remote; such as possession; ability, contiuity, relation, or condition):--be (able, X hold, possessed with), accompany, + begin to amend, can(+ -not), X conceive, count, diseased, do + eat, + enjoy, + fear, following, have, hold, keep, + lack, + go to law, lie, + must needs, + of necessity, + need, next, + recover, + reign, + rest, + return, X sick, take for, + tremble, + uncircumcised, use.]

b. ears [Strong: 3775 ous ooce apparently a primary word; the ear (physically or mentally):--ear.]

c. [to] hear [Strong: 191 akouo ak-oo'-o a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

1). Probably everyone in the crowd had physical ears, but Jesus was not referring to physical ears but spiritual ears. Unless we are handicapped in some way we all have 5 physical senses, sight, hearing, smell, taste and touch. The Bible speaks of 5 spiritual senses also.

a). Hearing: Matthew 11:15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

b). Taste: Psalm 34:8 O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him.

c). Seeing: Ephesians 1:18 The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

d). Touch: Acts 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

e). Smell: Psalm 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:

2). Spiritual senses are developed and maintained by obedience to the LORD.

a). Hebrews 5:11-14 Of whom we have many things to say, and hard to be uttered, seeing ye are dull of hearing.

5:12 For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.

5:13 For every one that useth milk is unskilful in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

2. “…let him hear.”

a. [let him] hear [Strong: 191 akouo ak-oo'-o a primary verb; to hear (in various senses):--give (in the) audience (of), come (to the ears), (shall) hear(-er, -ken), be noised, be reported, understand.

1). Institution Of Creation Research Daily Devotional 1/31/12 The Lord Jesus Christ must have considered this exhortation to be of great importance, for it appears eight times in the four gospels and seven times in Revelation, all as spoken by Christ Himself--as well as one more time apparently uttered by John (Revelation 13:9). It is urgent, therefore, that people not just "hear" God’s Word with their ears ("in one ear and out the other," as the saying goes), but really hear it, with understanding minds and believing hearts and obedient lives. It is most important, first of all, for unsaved men and women to respond to the gospel message in this way. Jesus said: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life" (John 5:24). Hearing this message with believing minds and hearts means all the difference between heaven and hell. But that’s just the beginning. Jesus also said, "My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand" (John 10:27, 28). He not only promised us everlasting life when we first heard His voice, but also assures us that this life is truly everlasting, and can never be taken away from us, as we continue to hear His voice in His Word. Not only everlasting life, but resurrection life! "The hour is coming, in the which all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, And shall come forth." "For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, . . . and the dead in Christ shall rise. . . : and so shall we ever be with the Lord" (John 5:28, 29;1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17). He that hath ears, let him hear! HMM