Day 276 – Jesus’ Warning to Apostles

• You might have started reading today’s passages thinking that we’re repeating the stories from day 274. We’re not. The feeding of the 4,000, despite the very similar details, is a different event from that of the 5,000 (Jesus clarifies this in Mark 6:19-20).
• This miracles took place in a Gentile area, underlying that Jesus gives “living bread” to Gentiles as well as Jews.
• Throughout these verses, we see the disciples thinking small, and in doing so, are misunderstanding Jesus. Mark 6:4 suggests that they are not considering that Jesus has already provided food for a large number of people before. Mark 6:16-17 also shows them being overly concerned about their own food supply whilst with Jesus.
• In the story of the 5,000 as well as the 4,000, the text says that there was a large amount of extra food at the end. What can this help us understand about Jesus? Is there any longing of our hearts that Jesus can not completely satisfy?
• Whilst talking to his disciples in the boat, Jesus warns them about the “leaven” of the Pharisees. This is best shown in the Matthew passage. The leaven is the ingredient in bread that makes it rise, like yeast. Bad leaven can ruin bread. What is Jesus warning the men in the boat? Think in terms of the “leaven” being the teaching of the Pharisees, and how it can affect many people.
• Not all teaching that calls itself “Christian” is good. Not all churches preach a faithful gospel. Not all books argue for good understanding of the Bible. These notes, for all my good intentions, may well have false or unhelpful comments. What is the most important thing, do you think, to consider when you hear, read, or see something taught about Jesus or living as a Christian?
• The answer is, of course, to test it against God’s word in scripture. Of course, even good translations like the NIV and ESV are only translations made by people who can make mistakes. But the Bible is God’s Word. Books, sermons, songs and reading notes are not. Undoubtedly all of these things will help you understand the Bible better, but they should never replace it, nor should you trust anything that speaks contrary to it.
• The disciples are beginning to see who Jesus is – Peter confesses that Jesus is “the Christ” in today’s passages (Mark 8:27-30). Peter doesn’t understand everything though, does he? Mark 8:31-33 shows Jesus rebuking him when he doesn’t understand Jesus’ coming suffering. How does this link in with Jesus’ parable about the blind man just before, who (after the first touch from Jesus) can partly see, and after the second touch, can fully see? Spend time thinking about this connection.

As Christians we are called to consider who Jesus is with our heads, which leads to welcoming him into our hearts. It starts with what we read, evaluate and hear about Jesus. This comes from many places – the Bible, of course, but also talks, books, sermons, podcasts, family and so on. All these different sources will help to teach you about Jesus and further refine how you know about him, which ultimately will affect how you love him (and, in practise, live for him).

It’s super vital, therefore, to consider what you hear and read and evaluate it against Scripture. There were false teachers in Jesus’ time, and there are false teachers now. Some are purposefully changing the gospel to distort it, of course, but there are others who consider the words they say to be faithful teaching when it’s not. That’s harder to spot.

In fact, one of the hardest things you’ll have to learn as a Christian is to differentiate biblical teaching from non-biblical teaching.

The way the Bible is explained will change from place to place and teacher to teacher, and it’s worth saying, of course, that just because someone says something that you haven’t heard before, or is different to the teaching you’ve had before, doesn’t mean it’s wrong. It might be the first time you’re hearing something preached right! So don’t assume what you think you already know as a starting point. Everything you hear, whether that’s from your comfortable home church, or your trusted parents, or a completely new podcast on the internet, should be treated in the same way. Is it from the Bible? Is it reflecting the words of the Bible accurately? Does the speaker have an agenda other than making Christ known to you? Is the speaker trying to say things that the world wants to hear ahead of what Jesus wants them to say?

Yes – you should always be ready to be taught. Yes – come to books and sermons and talks (and even my notes!) with an open heart and good faith. But always use your head and the brain that God has given you, and consider carefully what is helpful and wise, and what is not. It’ll help you from being tossed and turned by every new wave of teaching and to stand firm in Christ’s never-changing truth.