Jesus Frustrated
TRANSLATION
(11) The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. (12) And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly I say to you no sign will be given to this generation.”
(13) And he left them and got into the boat again and left for the other side. (14) And (the disciples), forgetting to take bread, had only one loaf with them in the boat. (15) And he warned them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” (16) And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. (17) And when Jesus heard this he said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Are your hearts hardened? (18) Having eyes, do you not see, and having ears, do you not hear, and do you not remember?” (19) When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?” They said to him, “Twelve.” (20) “And the seven (loaves) for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you gather?” And they said to him, “Seven.” (21) And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
OBSERVATIONS
Three repeated words and several questions help us understand the frustration Jesus was feeling at this point in his earthly ministry. First, we find the Pharisees pressuring him for another sign from heaven (vss. 12 & 13). After all the miracles and healings he had performed wherever he went, his critics were still not satisfied. It is no wonder that he sighed with exasperation and refused to meet their demands for another sign.
Then we observe Jesus’ frustration with his disciples’ preoccupation with having failed to take enough “bread” (vss. 14, 16, & 17) with them. When he warned them about the “leaven” (unbelief) of the Pharisees and Herod (vs. 15), they immediately concluded he was referring to their failure to bring enough bread. With a series of rapid-fire questions, Jesus pointedly rebuked them for their thick heads, blind eyes, deaf ears, and hard hearts (vss. 17-21). In essence he was asking them, “Do you not yet understand who I am and what I have called you to do?”
OUTLINE
I. Jesus’ expressed frustration with the Pharisees’ stubborn unbelief. (11 & 12)
II. Jesus’ expressed frustration with the disciples’ inability to grasp spiritual truth. (13-21)
IDEA STATEMENT
Unbelief and hardness of heart always frustrate the Savior’s desires for those whom he came to save.
APPLICATION
It is not specific acts of sin which ultimately condemn the lost to an eternity without Christ but rather unbelieving hearts. In the same way, it is not so much specific acts of sin which hinder believers’ spiritual growth but rather hard hearts and dull minds. Yet, the Lord remains patient with us. As David wrote, “The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love” (Ps.103:8). Two verses later he added, “He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities (Ps. 103:10). In Italian, the phrase describing this is “pian, piano” or “little by little.” Slowly and patiently, Jesus brought his disciples to the place where they finally understood who he was and what he had been seeking to teach them.
The significance of Jesus’ two miracles of feeding a large crowd received its clearest articulation in John’s Gospel where Jesus explained the lesson it taught: “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (Jn. 6:35). By feeding the multitude twice, Jesus made clear that he was able and willing to meet the physical and spiritual needs of all who would come to him in faith. By using the meager resources of a few loaves and fish the disciples were able to find as well as involving them in distributing the food to the hungry, he showed them that those who walk with him by faith will be made adequate to meet the physical and spiritual needs of those around them. In a nutshell, we can minister with him and for him as long as we remain dependent on him.