Next, perhaps, in order of common usage are such meanings of the woi'd as (n) to hare immediate perceptual experience through the orffan of hearing — the object wing either personal, as Mt 2" ' Havin" heard the king,' or impersonal, as Mt W* 'Tell John the things which ye do hear' ; (6) to find out (by hearsay), to have information about, learn (i.e. hear of mediately) — the object again l)eing either personal, as Mk 7°* ' A woman . . . having heard
of him,' or impersonal, as Mk 6^= ' where they lieard he was.' In connexion with (a) and (6) it is interesting to note the passages in which the ex- l)erience of Jesus is referred to : e.g. (re) Mt S'" (Lk 7') 21"« 2V\ Mk 5*^, Lk S** 18^^; (6) Mt 4>2 'J'- (Mk 2"), Jn 9» IV- «.
3. The suggestive uses of the word, however, are those in which more complex experiences than the previous ones are signified by it. (a) The first usage to be named under this head is where the verb ' to hear ' is used to mean the receiving of inward communications. For example, Jesus pre- dicts the criininir of the hour 'when the dead shall hear the v.ir,. nt \\w Son of God' (Jn 5^^). Again He u-r- tin \\i,\-,[ to describe His ovm ex- pc)-ience in rJntinii n, the revelation of the truth ivhichHc rcijuiiedf/uiii. the Father and made known to men, 'As I hear, I judge' (5*'); 'The things which I have heard from him (that sent me), these speak I unto the world ' (8^) — these as well as S'" and 15'= are instances in point. The Evangelist John, speaking of Jesus, says, similarly, ' What he hath seen and heard, of that he beareth wit- ness ' (3''^). In two places Jesus refers to the occur- rence of this experience in the case of others: 'Ye have neither heard his voice at any time,' He says to His Jewish audience, ' nor seen his form ' (o") ; ' Eveiy one that hath heard from the Father, and hath learned, cometh unto me ' (6"). Finally, the inward communication may be far otherwise than Divine in its source. To the Jews, Jesus is re- ported by the Evangelist John as having said, ' Ye do the things which ye heard from your father ' (8**), and later on in tlie same chapter (v.") their father is declared bv Him to be the devil. It is characteristic that all the above usages are found in the Fom-th Gospel, (b) In a few contexts the word ' hear ' is used with reference to God's attitude to prayer. For example, we read that at the grave of Lazarus ' Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said. Father, I thank thee that thou heardest me. And I knew that thou hearest me always' (II'"-'"). In His teaching with regard to prayer Jesus warns His hearers against using vain repetitions, 'as the Gentiles do : for they think that they shall he heard for their much speaking ' (Mt 6'). To Zacharias the angel Gabriel is reported as liaWng said, ' Fear not, because thy supplication is heard ' (Lk I'''). [ciVoKoi'iai is the verb used in both tlie
preceding contexts]. The man, blind from his birth, whom Jesus cured on the Sabbath, thus addressed the Jews, ' We know that God heareth not sinners ; but if any man be a worshipper of God and do his will, him he heareth ' (Jn 93'). (c) Another context may be noticed here, viz. that one in wliii h .lr-u~. rf-.r,-i//ing the function of the Spirit, sinr i>t' linn, lie shall not speak from himself; im; \\li;ii tliiiiLTs soever he shall hear, these shall he sijcuk i ill' ). (rf) In certain passages emphasis is placed nil tl,r /irn-ilr^tr of 'hearing' or ' becoming acquaint I 'I n-'ith' \\y<- ;_'osnel. 'Blessed are your eyes,' said .Irr-u^ tn the di.sciples, 'for they see ; and your ears, t(ir they hear. For verily I say unto you, that many prophets and righteous men desired to see the things which ye see, and saw them not ; and to hear the things which ye Iiear, and heard them not' (Mt 13'^", Lk 10-^). The duties attached to this privilege may be grouped in the following way— (1) in re- spect to the exercise as such : ' He that hath ears to hear, let him hear' (Mt 11'= 13'- «, cf. Mk 4^- » 7"=, Lk 8» 14^=) ; (2) in respect to that which the attention is given to : ' Take heed what ye hear ' (Mk 4^^) ; (3) in respect to the manner of hearing : 'Take heed therefore how ye hear' (Lk 8'«). (e) In a large number of passages, especially in the parable of the Sower, 'hearing' either implies one or otJier of certain richer experiences, or it is ex-
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I'tiiiM's Ihr cxiiiTi'Mir'c implied, or mentioncMl n- thill in wliidi ■ licaviii- ' fulfils itself (or does not fiiltil itself), is ,nH/r,:-<l,i,ii/iiig or learn- ing. For example, referring to the multitude generally, Jesus said to the disciples, 'Therefore speak I to them in parables : because seeing they see not, and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand' (Mt 13", Mk 4'=, Lk 8'"). (See art. Seeing). ' Hear and understand. Not that which entereth into the mouth defiletli the man ; but that which jiroceedeth out of the mouth, this defileth the man' (Mt 15'", Mk 7"). ' With many such parables spake he tlie word unto them, as they were able to hear it ' (Mk 4''-'), etc. (2) Some- times the experience is belienng. For example, some of the Samaritans are ie];3orted as having said to the woman who conversed with Jesus at the well, ' Now we believe, not because of thy speak- ing : for we have heard for ourselves' (Jn 4^=). ' Verily, verily, I say unto you,' said Jesus to the Jews, when they were seeking to kill Him, ' He that heareth my word, and believeth him that sent me, hatli eternal life ' (5-*). ' This is an hard saying,' said many of the disciijles after Jesus had spoken of Himself as tlie bread which came down from heaven, ' who can hear it V ' (&"). Cf. also the references in Jn 10 to the sheep ' hearing ' the voice of the Good Shepherd. (3) Sometimes the experi- ence is doing, bearing fruit, or keeping. For ex- ample, the verses at the close of the Sermon on the Mount, ' Every one which heareth these sayings of mine and doeth them . . . Every one that heareth these sayings of mine and doetli them not' (Mt r^-'^, Lk e"-*").* 'He that was sown upon the good ground, this is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it ; who verily beareth fruit and bringeth forth,' etc. (Mt IS''', Mk 4=», Lk 8'^). When it was told Jesus that His mother and His brethren stood without desiring to see Him, He said, ' My mother and my brethren are these which hear the word of God and do it ' (Lk 8^^'). When a certain woman out of tlie multitude said to Jesus, ' Blessed is the womb that bare thee, and the breasts which thou didst suck,' He answered, ' Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God and keep it= (Lk 11=», cf. Jn 12").