Friday after the Sixth Sunday after Trinity Sunday
Posted on July 12, 2024 by under
Scripture: St. Mark 8:13-21 (NKJV)
8:13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat. 15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still 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 fragments did you take up?”
They said to Him, “Twelve.”
20 “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
And they said, “Seven.”
21 So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”
Devotion
These obstinate Jewish leaders have been disputing with Jesus, who was exposing their false teachings (8:11). The Pharisees have chosen the commandments of God in order to try and make themselves holy. They trust in their own false and imperfect holiness. The ruling Sadducees (aligned with Herod) deny even basic Biblical truths (the resurrection, angels, etc.). They keep the external trappings of religion, but are only concerned with power, prestige, and money. Similarly, St. Paul says of them, “…traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!” (2 Tim. 3:4-5).
Though Jesus patiently tried to enlighten them, these leaders do not wish to learn from Him. They don’t ask for a “sign from heaven” in order to come to faith in the Christ. They are only testing Him. Jesus warns His disciples of their leaven/false teaching because it is time to “reject a divisive man after the first and second admonition” (Tit. 3:10).
Recalling the two dinner-providing miracles, Jesus reminds the disciples why they should believe and trust in His Messiahship. He provided for them natural bread, so they need not worry about forgetting to bring bread to the isolated eastern side of the lake. Rather than worry about bread, we ought to concern ourselves with holding to the true teaching of salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ.
Collect: Lord of all power and might, Who art the Author and Giver of all good things: Graft in our hearts the love of Thy Name, increase in us true religion, nourish us with all goodness, and of Thy great mercy keep us in the same; through Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
