Matthew 16 - Part 2

 

Read Matthew 16

The confusion of the disciples can be your clarification.  Jesus warned his followers to be on guard against the yeast of the Pharisees.  The disciples thought Jesus was indirectly goading them because they didn’t get any bread before they got in the boat and left the shore.

Jesus noted their confusion and reminded them of two recent events.  Don’t you remember when we fed more than 5000 with so little food?  Don’t you remember doing the same with the 4000?  We had substantial left-overs each time.

For us, that should solidify the fact that feeding the 5000 and the 4000 were two separate events, even though the disciples seemed to have forgotten the feeding of the first multitude when it was time to feed the second.

The message of Jesus to his disciples was to be on guard for the teaching of the Pharisees.  Their thoughts were all too human.  They embalmed the word of God and their own desires superseded what God had intended.

They were not good shepherds! 

We don’t see a lot of Pharisees today, or do we?  So many Christians want to split hairs and end up splitting the accord of believers.

So many proffer their deductions using the tools of the Father of Lies.  A slight twisting of scripture couldn’t hurt much, could it?

So what are our lessons for today?

1.     Be on the lookout for the Pharisees.  Don’t let their subtle teachings pervade the truth.

2.    Don’t be a Pharisee.

Amen.