NO BREAD? The quandary the Disciples of Jesus found themselves in became a teaching moment for Jesus. Jesus and the Disciples “got back into the boat and crossed to the other side. The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. ‘Be careful, “Jesus warned them.” ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod,’” (Mark 8:13-15 NIV). The Disciples didn’t always understand what Jesus meant when He spoke to them so they very often had a small group meeting to figure out what He meant. That was the case in the boat on this occasion. “They discussed this with one another and said, ‘It is because we have no bread,’” (v.16). I have to say that the Disciples were too much like us on occasions; dumb as a rock. Too often we may miss the real point Jesus is making in our lives.
The Disciples were with Jesus when He fed the crowd of 5,000 with a few loaves of bread and a few fish and had basketfuls left over. They were with Him when He fed the crowd of 4,000 in the same manner with the same results. Did they really think, forget, or not believe that Jesus could provide for this group if necessary? Jesus was listening to their discussion and at the proper moment asked them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember?” (v.17-18). Jesus then reminded them of the two occasions with the 5,000 and 4,000 people (v.19-20). Jesus then asked, “Do you still not understand?” (v.21).
Yes, how often we are like the Disciples of Jesus! God does great things in our life and in the lives of those around us and very often we miss the point of what God is doing and the reality of what a great God we have. Often we see how God has worked in great events in our life but we miss the reality of how He also ministers to us in the small everyday things of life. Are not the miracles of the small things just as real as the miracles done in response to big things? Is one miracle harder for God than another? Would bread produced for a few be harder or easier for God than if He did it for thousands? The real thing Jesus was teaching the Disciples did not have anything to do with their appetite for eating or their supply of food for their meal.
Just prior to getting into the boat Jesus had a confrontation with the Pharisees. They wanted to question Him and test Him; so they asked Him for a “sign from Heaven.” Jesus refused to give them a sign and soon after that got into the boat with the Disciples and left. The Disciples, it appears, were most concerned about the next meal. Jesus though wanted to make an application and give a lesson on the event that just happened with the Pharisees. The Pharisees and those of the Herod party created laws that were strict, overbearing, ungodly and lacking in their true understanding of God and were corrupt in their presentation of God and His Word. In simple terms yeast in dough permeates the ingredients in bread and causes corruption and the bread rises. The Pharisees with their doctrines were corrupting the spiritual health of the Jewish people and leading them down a pathway to hell. This was an important lesson for the Disciples to learn and they were about to miss the lesson Jesus was teaching because of their preoccupation on food. Oh, how much we are so like the Disciples who were with Jesus. Our miracle working God promises to provide all our needs and our focus needs to be on what Jesus is teaching us day to day and keep our hearts clean before Him and watch out for doctrines that can lead us astray.
CHUCK DAVIS-
