YEAST

Were Jesus's disciples just not very bright people? 

I used to wonder at times, what with passages in the Gospels like Matthew 16:5-12 -

When they crossed to the other side, the disciples forgot to take bread. “Watch out!” Jesus told them. “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

They discussed this among themselves and concluded, “It is because we did not bring any bread.”

Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread? Do you still not understand? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

Then they understood that He was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

We know they were uneducated, but that doesn't mean they were unintelligent. So what is going on here?

Briefly I wondered if Matthew had decided to insert a bit of comic relief in the center of his account of Jesus's life and ministry. A little humorous misunderstanding out on the boat!

But that doesn't seem likely either. 

It seems a greater possibility that the disciples were only half listening to Jesus because they were preoccupied with the two things that steal a lot of our mental energy:

1) Our own physical comfort. "I'm hungry. Who's got the bread?"

2) Our own mistakes. "We forgot the bread? Such a rookie mistake! I can't believe we did that. The boss is going to be mad."

The mind of Jesus (God in the Flesh!), however, was still pondering his latest interaction with the Pharisees and the Sadducees. They had said they would be willing to believe in Him if He could provide a convincing sign ... in their judgment. In other words, they wanted to be in the driver's seat in their relationship with God. And a whole lot of people were under the influence of these religious experts. 

When Jesus realized that the disciples' minds were elsewhere, he addressed their two concerns:

"Look, if I need to, I can wave my hand, fix your oversight instantly, and provide more than enough food to satisfy all of us. Your mistakes and your physical comfort are not a big deal." 

And then he refocused them: "The much, much bigger deal is that these religious people are not only far from me themselves, they are capable of leading others away from me, too. And as their attitude spreads and expands, I fear that even you - my closest followers - might be susceptible to their teachings!" 

I hate to admit it, but I am susceptible. How about you?