Got Fruit ?

Discernment is the next topic of study and discussion for the young adults group that I’m leading on Wednesday evenings, so I’ve been spending the past day or so preparing an introduction and overview.  During my research and study time I ran across some Bible passages from Mark8 that have me a little stumped (I can hear Jesus asking me "Chris!?.. are you so dull?").

Maybe you’ve experienced this as well?  You’re looking into a specific passage or topic, when something else catches your attention.  Sometimes it’s perhaps a different passage and context altogether that your sidetracked by.  In this case, it’s within the context of discernment and I think I have a grasp of Jesus’ warning.  What’s been busting my noodle though; is what Jesus says at the conclusion of His teaching to the disciples regarding the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.

Mark 8:21
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Feeling about as dense as Pound Cake, your’s truly confesses: "Uh.. yes Lord, I’m feeling as though I’m missing something?"  (there we go with those "feelings" again).

Now Jesus had asked His disciples, "Do you still not understand?"; after the Pharisees had come to the region of Dalmanutha questioning and demanding a miracle to test Jesus following His feeding of four thousand (men) off of seven loaves of bread and a few small fish. Apparently exasperated by the Pharisees’ unbelief and scheming ways, Jesus responds:

Mark 8:11-13
11 The Pharisees came and began to question Jesus. To test him, they asked him for a sign from heaven. 12 He sighed deeply and said, "Why does this generation ask for a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, no sign will be given to it." 13 Then he left them, got back into the boat and crossed to the other side.

So Jesus gives the old religious farts a verbal smack down in a "killin’ ‘em softly" manner and leaves with His disciples.  I imagine the Pharisees were standing there in their fancy threads with a totally dumbfounded look on their face after this Jewish son of a carpenter slighted them.  But Jesus isn’t finished, He uses the moment as an opportunity to pass on a lesson and wisdom to His disciples, by warning them to be careful; and to watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod.  The disciples apparently also of the Pound Cake clan, are confused by Jesus’ warnings of the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod:

Mark 8:14-21
14 The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. 15"Be careful," Jesus warned them. "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." 16 They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread." 17 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 18 Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? 19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
      "Twelve," they replied.
20 "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?"
      They answered, "Seven."
21 He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"

Hmmm…  So after realizing that I was probably too focused on both the number of loaves of bread and fish used to feed the thousands (men), and the amount of bread left over (Jesus uses guided questioning to get the disciples to "see"), some clarity comes (or so I think).

Two distinct groups witnessed the miracle: the disciples, and the 4000 that were fed.  The Pharisees who’s hearts were hardened questioned Jesus not for truth but in attempt to trap or discredit Him.  This is speculation on my part but, the Pharisees could have simply inquired of any of the men fed, since from a cultural perspective their testimony seems to play well in being "credible" witnesses versus the testimony of women. 

In verses 17 and 18 Jesus says a few things to the disciples that compares their lack of understanding to the willfully "religious" ignorance practiced by the Pharisees, and in doing so serves to reiterate His warnings in verse 15:

• Do you still not see or understand? (Different "sign" from what the Pharisees demanded yet the same in purpose, evidence of Jesus being whom He claimed to be)
• Are your hearts hardened? (Like that of the Pharisees)
• Do you have eyes but fail to see and ears but fail to hear? (Where the Pharisees wouldn’t believe the evidence, the disciples may have become spiritually lazy and unappreciative, having witnessed  Christ feed 5000 as well)
• And don’t you remember? (The disciples were there, they distributed the food & collected the abundance!)

Where the Pharisees could not "see" Jesus for who he was because of their hypocrisy, Jesus was warning the disciples to not become like them.  Jesus was pointing out to the disciples that they had in fact received miracles as proof of whom He claimed to be, just not a "sign from heaven" in the same manner that the Pharisees were demanding.  A thought here also is that, as far as Jesus was concerned feeding four or five thousand from a few loaves of bread was as sufficient a miracle as a grand celestial presentation.

Grace and peace be with you.