What does the phrase he who has ears, let him hear mean?

With the phrase he who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 13:9) Jesus calls upon people to listen to the deeper, the heavenly meaning of this narrative.¹

Jesus adds a word here to admonish the crowds that they must hear more in his parable than just the description of an event (which, moreover, was familiar to everyone). They should reflect on it and actively implement it. The ears referred to here are good spiritual ears. Whoever hears with them will hear something more than just meets the senses (see also Matthew 11:15). This word, on the one hand, contains something of divine predestination, while on the other hand also emphasizing responsibility: a person must hear and is guilty if he does not hear.²

The appeal with which Jesus concludes the parable of the sower lies at its very heart: He who has ears, let him hear (Matthew 13:9). By ending with this appeal, Jesus does not draw attention to the parable as such, but rather underscores its central message. Not all hearing is genuine listening. The seed does not take root and bear fruit everywhere it falls. Evidently, the crowd on the seashore—interested in Jesus but unwilling to accept him as the Messiah of God—are urged to take these images to heart. Each of the hearers shares abundantly in Jesus’ words and deeds, but the decisive question remains: what will they do with them?³