Then he left them, 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." They discussed this with one another and said, "It is because we have no bread." 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? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don't you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" "Twelve," they replied. "And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?" They answered, "Seven." He said to them, "Do you still not understand?"
Mark 8:13-21 NIV
When a pastor gets up to preach a sermon, they’ll usually select a chuck of the bible, and spend hours upon hours dissecting each verse to find its original meaning. Sometimes they research the snot out of the passage, and come up with some great theological truth to share with the audience that week. (At this point I want to say that I understand the importance and fully support the discipline of doing these things in preparation for a time to be the mouthpiece of God. a great sermon takes time to prepare. If you do a poor job of preparation, then you run the risk harming the body of believers instead of enhancing it.) Still there are other times I think we fail to take scripture at face value. Use the above scripture passage as an example.
Try and picture this story playing out in real life. As though you actually witnessed this conversation between the disciples as they paddle across the lake. Then you see Jesus flip out at the disciples for being half wits for debating about not having any bread to snack on when they get the hankering…… now after picturing the scene, do you think Jesus was talking about some deep theological truth, or did Jesus lose it because the disciples just had a brain fart? I personally think it’s the latter. But if you think there is some theological statement people need to pick up on – please share I would love to dialogue with you over this. Maybe I’ll have a brain fart and you’ll stump the nine year bible college student … the nine year bible college student is me by the way ;)
Oh, I think there are many, many, many, messages in the bible which are unambiguous. However, it is my observation that these are the hardest ones for people to digest.
ReplyDeleteprobably due to the yeast you have spoken about. That we, people, cannot simply believe that with God all things are possible, that we have been made new (behold I have made all things new!"), that all that counts is a new creation, that all that counts is faith expressing itself in love, that to the pure all is pure, that we can no longer sin in Jesus Christ, that we are holy and perfect (check out Hebrews) -(gets a little redundant.) People, we , need to think, believe, that somehow, there is SOMETHING we can do to make things right. To make ourselves right. To make ourselves worthy. A little yeast....
AS in, "Well Jesus, you may have done it last time, but I am not sure about this time , or next time.."
You know, it even goes so far as trying to control our thoughts. Trying to MAKE them "Pure" by out own efforts.
What do you think Jesus meant when he said that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the pharisees, it is useless.??????????
rest in me, He says. For I am. and you are. My holy and righteous daughter. Neither will I add to that, neither can I take away.
He has written His law of love on tablets of FLESH. the old has passed, his new testament (will, gift: left as a result of HIS death) has been bequeathed. LIFE. and since the wages of sin were death. He died for us. we can no longer sin because we are alive in HIm. and this psycho babble of future sins being paid for by him is simply bogus crap. brain fart yes indeed. but no air coming out. just big headaches caused by lies.
we are alive. and being alive is as far away from death as east is from west.
that is it. nothing ambiguous. the only ambiguity comes from believing lies. there is a solution for lies too. The truth. He, Jesus Christ, God Himself, is the way, the life, and the truth.
Thanks,
Vivien.