In college, I had a lecturer who was known for alerting his students to what was going to be on the test.  At any given point he would interrupt the flow of his lecture and speak with a different tone of voice, effectively catching our attention and drawing us into what he was about to say, and then state, “This will be on the test.”  Then he would pick up his lecture voice and continue on as if nothing unusual had occurred.  It didn’t take long for students to realise the truth of his pronouncements.  It also didn’t take long for some students to allow themselves to drift into a state of semi-consciousness during his class, only to become instantly alert when they heard the shift in his tone.

It’s funny how we can listen without really hearing.  I often find myself wondering what is was like for people to listen to Jesus’ teaching.  I can only imagine sitting on his every word with an expectation, awe and even, quite possibly, a holy fear.  But I’m amazed at how often Jesus said things like, “Listen,…”, “I tell you the truth…”, or “Whoever has an ear let them hear.”  Why did Jesus need to catch people’s attention in this way?  Had the people been so lulled into a state of absent-minded listening that they had forgotten how to listen?  Or, was Jesus, like the college professor, simply trying to ensure that people really did pay particular attention to his next statement?

Jesus was a master story-teller.  We can surmise by the crowds that gathered around him, people enjoyed being with him.  Not only would it have been quite refreshing for the common people to hear a Rabbi speak against the hypocrisy of the religious leaders, but they would also have been able to relate to Jesus’ stories that clearly reflected their culture and society.

Imagine, a scene in a busy village market.  Jesus is in conversation with a few people; a few others stop to listen-in, and before long, a crowd gathers.  As Jesus speaks, voices from the crowd laugh or comment in agreement.  Someone is unable to hear what was said so another person repeats it.  Those nearest Jesus are fully engaged in his every word, others further out from him are more curious as to the reason for the crowd. The sounds from the market cause background noise and passers-by create a distraction.  So, in this environment, it is not surprising that Jesus, when wanting to get across the real point of his story, would pause and give notice, “Listen… it is important you hear what I’m about to say”.

Jesus understood the importance of his words.  He knew that his words were Life and Spirit.  But he also realised that people could hear his words without receiving them.  He knew people could have been hearing without listening and listening without hearing.  So, being a master teacher, he changed his tone of voice and alerted them that something important was about to be announced.  He knew that he needed to do everything possible to increase the potential for people to truly hear his message so he would say, “Listen…”; “Incline your ear…” or “Truly I say to you…”.  And then, when he finished speaking he would often state, “Anyone who has an ear, let them hear.”