“And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”” Mark 8:21 ESV
Reflection: how can it be wrong to use one Bible verse as a supporting example to make a point?
If you want to create your own church denomination, even your own religion, it actually isn’t that difficult. Here is what you need to do. Pick a verse, even a well known verse in the Bible, could be from the Old Testament or the New Testament, and then create a small variation of the meaning of it. Then find other verses throughout the Bible, probably unrelated from an original context perspective,but using them to support your variation of the verse you had originally picked. It sounds ridiculous. But when you start studying how the various denominations, even religions, have come about, it is not too far from the truth. People use verses from the Bible out of context all the time to argue their positions on a range of faith related topics. Take any current hot topic, even political topics, and some will find a verse in the Bible to support and argue their position, saying “Well, the Bible says…” It is easy to get confused here.
The disciples were arguing between each other about forgetting to bring enough bread with them in the boat with Jesus. They had obviously not taken enough from seven large baskets of bread leftover from the last bread miracle, where Jesus once more had fed the multitude with only a few breads and some fish. But Jesus was trying to teach them something else, a much bigger lesson using the bread as a metaphor. “And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?”Mark 8:15-17 ESV.
This really, really frustrated Jesus, as He was trying to make a much larger point, a deep spiritual point, using the physical bread as a metaphor only for illustration. He is so upset with them, that He even quoted Jeremiah 5:21, as He did previously with the Pharisees, “Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” Mark 8:18 ESV. I am sure they got the point that He was very upset with them. And, then He goes on explaining, “When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”” Mark 8:19-21 ESV. Now, question is, do we get the point Jesus was making here? Interestingly, Mark stops the lesson right there, while Matthew actually adds an explanation for anyone who still didn’t get Jesus’ teaching.
“Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Matthew 16:12 ESV
But think about it, even today we mostly hear teaching of the miracles of feeding the five thousand, and the four thousand, as Jesus caring for and the ability to take care of, our physical needs. And we do see here that He does, in a miraculous way. But Jesus was teaching a much bigger lesson here, especially to the disciples. We see in His explanation to the disciples that the bread was a metaphor for the abundant bread from heaven that came down, the word that became flesh, in the form of Jesus. He is the bread of life, the bread that only He can offer. And, that the false teachings of the Pharisees was like how just a little leven can impact the purity of the whole bread. As Paul wrote, “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” 1 Corinthians 5:6 ESV.
The bread of Jesus is pure, is truth, is life.
But before we brush this off as obvious, let’s think about whether we are guilty of doing the same as the disciples. Whether we too frustrate the Holy Spirit as He is trying to give us of this pure bread by revealing truth and counseling us. Most Christians typically listen to sermons, or read books of pastors, priests and Biblical scholars, assuming that they have done their study of the Word. That they have gone to school or seminary, to learn, and are the “authority” on the Bible. And we don’t typically challenge what they teach, especially if they are a “great” preacher or teacher. And ESPECIALLY if we agree with their beliefs and teachings. We think they must be right, and use many Bible verses to support. But you have probably heard me say this before, that they can’t all be right since they don’t all teach the same thing. And we see from the story today that even the disciples, who received teaching from Jesus Himself, first hand, got His teaching wrong many times.
So how can we prevent Jesus being frustrated with us, telling us “Do you not yet understand?”
Bottom line, we need to each and all study the Word of God. To get to know the Word for ourselves. To earnestly ask the Holy Spirit to reveal truth to us in the Word. To be open and curious, asking questions of meaning, of purpose, of context. For instance, a question that struck me this morning was why is the miracle of Jesus feeding the five thousand in Mark 6, almost repeated again in the miracle of feeding the four thousand in Mark 8? Why is this particular miracle done twice and both recorded in scripture?
