Thursday: Watch Out for Bad Bread
Daily Lesson for Thursday 8th of August 2024
Read Mark 8:11-13. What approach by the Pharisees deeply disappointed Jesus?
Why not demonstrate His divine power and convince these cavilers? The problem goes back to the end of Mark 3:1-35, where Jesus speaks of the sin against the Holy Spirit. If one’s ears are shut and eyes are closed, another miracle, even a sign from heaven, will not convince. It would just be dismissed like everything before. Even miracles are not enough to convince those determined not to believe.
Read Mark 8:14-21. What had the disciples forgotten, and what point did Jesus make from this?
Image © The Classic Bible Art Collection – Formerly Standard Publishing at Goodsalt.com
Jesus takes the opportunity to warn the disciples against the “leaven” of the Pharisees and Herod (Mark 8:15), meaning their teachings (compare with Matthew 16:12).
But the disciples misunderstand and think that Jesus is talking about avoiding buying literal bread. As is typical when the disciples misunderstand, Jesus gives them instruction. The Lord asks a series of questions, the first several rhetorical in nature, expressing His disappointment that they have not understood His mission. His words are reminiscent of what He says in Mark 4:10-12 about outsiders who do not understand. His strong words are meant to wake the disciples from their spiritual lethargy.
In Mark 8:19-20, He asks simple factual questions about how many baskets of fragments they had taken up after He fed the 5,000 (Mark 6:30-44) and also the 4,000 (Mark 8:1-10), which are meant to illustrate that they should have understood by now that mere limitation of resources is no barrier for the Lord’s Messiah. His final question in Mark 8:21 is rhetorical once again: “ ‘Do you not yet understand?’ ” (ESV). After all, look at all that they have seen and experienced already with Jesus.
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How can we learn to keep our hearts and minds open to the reality of God and to His love? Dwell on all the evidence that we have been given for God and for His love. At times, though, why does it seem so easy to doubt? |
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There is a perception that if we could see supernatural events performed in Jesus' name it would strengthen our faith and be a witness to others. The Pharisees played on this perception that they too would believe if he would provide them with a miraculous sign.
The problem with the Pharisees is that they loved a good argument more than they wanted to see miracles. I wonder how many of them had been at the meal Jesus had so recently provided. They had probably dismissed that with a "natural" explanation. Jesus addressed their request for miracles several times, pointing out that even if someone returned from the dead, they would not listen to them.
Jesus had good reason to ignore their request. At the very beginning of the formation of the Hebrew nation as it came out of Egypt, they experienced the voice of God talking to them from the mountaintop. Six weeks later they were worshipping a golden calf. The nation was a skilled ignorer of the miraculous.
Jesus saw through the Pharisees' request for a miraculous sign. He knew that the foundation of their spiritual experiment was arguing the point and that even a miracle would only provoke more argument. Had they not already dismissed miraculous healing events as the work of the Devil?
Jesus warns against that leaven of the Pharisees. Their perceived strength was their ability to argue. Jesus saw that as destructive and warned the disciples not to be deceived by it.
And maybe modern Seventh-day Adventists have taken refuge in the notion that we can convince others by our erudite well-versed arguments when we should be seeking the miracle of Christ lining in us in a way that upholds him for all to see.
By this shall all men know ...
I might be so focused on what I need to do in my routine that I can hardly discern spiritual reality. Jesus is always there to accompany me, but I need to interact with Him. May we all do this today!
I believe that our default mode is doubt and unbelief. This can only be overcome by having a fresh experience with Jesus. Old stale bread 🍞 isn't very appetizing and especially if it becomes moldy. Could it be that when we let our spiritual "bread" get stale and moldy we become apathetic and lukewarm? I believe so. Like Israel in the wilderness, we need to go out early, daily, to receive our "daily bread", our morning Manna. If we wait too long it melts away or becomes filled with maggots.
The "leaven of the Pharisees" will leave us bloated and self satisfied but will lead to spiritual stagnation and starvation. The world will try to provide a substitute experience but it is artificial and won't sustain us, not just for the day, but for the journey. If we spiritually fast all week and try to gorge ourselves on Sabbath we will end up with spiritual indigestion and will benefit no one, not even ourselves.
Yesterday's bread has gotten stale. We need fresh warm bread bread every day. Then we will have enough to share with others. Who doesn't love the aroma of fresh baked bread? We are just beggars telling others where we have found fresh warm bread, Jesus, the "Bread of life".
May we go out to receive our morning Manna. So that we have spiritual sustainment in abundance enough to share.
Lord, give us this day, our daily bread!
Note that after Jesus died and revealed Himself to the disciples, He expounded on the writings of the Bible concerning Himself. It was not the miracles that were to sustain them when Jesus was to ascend to Heaven, but the sure word of God.
Luke 24:44-47
Jesus found these people annoying because their understanding was low. How fast do you understand the Biblical knowledge? Lord help me to be open to Your Word which is Truth
What approach by the Pharisees deeply disappointed Jesus?
Basicly, Jesus had given the Jews signs through out the Old Testiment to no avail. That to me is why He was disappointed with the chosen people. I do believe we are also chosen if we accept. Yes all are chosen, however if we won't chose to be God's saints how can we be God's chosen?
Revelation 14:12.
May we hide the Word of God in our hearts so that we will be filled with His presence.