(1) Repeated words:
Bread/loaves v.14, 19-20, yeasts of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod v.15, how many baskets full of pisces did you pick up v.20.
v.17b Do you still not see or understand? Have your hearts been hardened?
v.21b Do you still not understand?”
These phrases were also mentioned after the disciples saw Jesus walking on water
6:51b They were completely astonished, 6:52 because they did not understand about the loaves, but their hearts were hardened.
(2) Jesus warned the disciples about the yeasts of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod. What were their yeasts? What were in common among these 2 groups of people?
(PNTC)The one point at which the Pharisees and Antipas are united is in their opposition to Jesus...Their opposition is the result of disbelief in Jesus, and disbelief is also fermenting among the disciples in the boat. The “yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod” appears to be the misunderstanding or even disbelief of the disciples that would be in effect as adversarial as that of Antipas and the Pharisees.
What made Jesus warn them about their misbelief?
8:14 Now they had forgotten to take bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat.
Even after Jesus had warned them about the misbelief that might happen when their food is in shortage the disciples still fell into it.
8:15 And Jesus ordered them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!” 8:16 So they began to discuss with one another about having no bread.
(3) Reflection: Are we like the disciples? When we face challenges in life we worry about that and let that thing occupy our mind all day long. Even after we read the Bible and got the warnings we continued to think about it. Watch out, Jesus put these people into the same category as the misbelieving people! Also, watch out about the influence of the people around you. Disbelief is just like yeast. They fermented the flour around them. The Pharisees had come to Jesus and argued with Him v.11, disciplines might be influenced by them. How about you? Who are someone around you who may lead your hearts away from believing in Jesus? They always want you to indulge in the things of the world and losing your focus on God.
(3) Reflection: Are we like the disciples? When we face challenges in life we worry about that and let that thing occupy our mind all day long. Even after we read the Bible and got the warnings we continued to think about it. Watch out, Jesus put these people into the same category as the misbelieving people! Also, watch out about the influence of the people around you. Disbelief is just like yeast. They fermented the flour around them. The Pharisees had come to Jesus and argued with Him v.11, disciplines might be influenced by them. How about you? Who are someone around you who may lead your hearts away from believing in Jesus? They always want you to indulge in the things of the world and losing your focus on God.
Disciples were the group of people who saw/heard/experienced the most miracles. They were the ones who picked up the leftover baskets. Sometimes they saw the miracles back to back (feeding of 5000 and the calming of the sea). Sometimes they saw the same kinds of miracles repeated (feeding of 5000 and feeding of 4000). Jesus expected them to understand, to remember, and have their hearts changed. When we have experienced God's grace over and over all do our hearts change?
Audrey
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