Thanks for reading the message. I thank the Lord for the opportunity to post the message. May the Lord's peace be with you this day.
Today, we are moving into chapter 8 as we continue our study in the Gospel of Mark. Earlier, we saw that Jesus had fed the five thousand. In our passage today, Jesus has a similar situation. He feeds four thousand this time, and the disciples still beforehand didn't understand that Jesus could perform this miracle. This is unbelievable to me.
After Jesus had fed the people, the Pharisees had the temerity to ask Jesus for a sign. He already gave them one. So, Jesus said that He wasn't giving them any more signs and walked off.
At that point, Jesus told the disciples to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod. The disciples thought He was upset about them not bringing bread.
Jesus was exasperated with them at this point. He recounted to them the miracle of the five and four thousand being fed. Don't you understand? Jesus was probably just shaking His head.
What are we to make of this passage? What are some lessons that we can derive from it?
I want to point out first that Jesus makes it clear that He fed four and five thousand on separate occasions. Some more liberal Bible scholars point to this passage as a mix-up or discrepancy in the Bible. It is not. They were two different miracles, and Jesus says so Himself. That is one reason He is so upset with the disciples and their lack of understanding.
Next, what is the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod. This is interesting. Leaven is often used metaphorically in the Bible to represent something added that is impure. That is why unleavened bread was used. I think what Jesus is specifically referring to is the leaven of hypocrisy. That was the great sin of the religious leaders, and Jesus called them out on it time and time again. They did not practice what they preached.
More specifically in this context, they were trying to be deliberately obtuse in asking for a sign. They were just trying to cause trouble. Jesus had had enough of it.
We must be people who practice what we preach. We cannot say one thing and do another. If we claim to be followers of Jesus, people expect us to live according to a certain standard. To say we believe yet not follow the teachings and commandments of Jesus is the height of hypocrisy. It is one of the main reasons so many people are turned off of religion.
Now, to address what Jesus said to the disciples. They saw so much yet they did not understand. Sometimes the things Jesus said are difficult to grasp. However, Jesus does not give up on those who are trying. He kept on with these guys, and eventually, they saw the truth about Him, and they went and preached all over the world.
Sometimes, I think we do understand but say we don't so we have an excuse not to do what we know Jesus wants us to do. That is more of the yeast Jesus was speaking of.
Let us all strive to live out what we believe and practice what we preach. Let us always ask the Spirit to reveal the truth of the Word to us. Amen.
Prayer Request
I purchased a new vehicle this week. I thank the Lord for His help.
Please keep praying for peace in the world. Ukraine, the Middle East and Sudan still need our prayers.
I want to thank the Lord that the Cyclospora has passed. Keep praying for an end to the Ebola outbreak.
For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Tunisia and the UAE. Pray that many will come to know Jesus.
Next week, we will continue in Mark. I will post the verses on Tuesday. May God bless you all.
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