Matthew 16:5-12 (Men and Food)

 ⁵ When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. ⁶ “Be careful,” Jesus said to them. “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
 ⁷ They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
 ⁸ Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? ⁹ Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹⁰ Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? ¹¹ How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” ¹² Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

I hope you can get a little chuckle from the Word today, because I sure did!  I had the biggest laugh out of Scripture that I have ever had!  But, I also was reminded of a powerful truth.

So, if you read the four verses from yesterday, you'll remember that Jesus has just had a brief discussion with the Pharisees and Sadducees.  It's right after this, RIGHT after this, and Jesus and his disciples have left where they were and started boating across the lake.  The disciples begin to get hungry and they realize that they've forgotten to pack bread to eat.  Knowing men, this is probably a major issue (my husband asked me around 8am this morning what we wanted to have for LUNCH today!  Needless to say, food is a big deal).  So, the disciples are talking about their hunger and wishing they'd packed some bread, and Jesus says in reflection of what just happened, “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (italics mine)


Well, the poor men, all they can think about is their hunger, and so the Bible says, "They discussed this amongst themselves and said, 'It is because we didn't bring any bread.'"  I am seriously laughing out loud right now.  Can't you see them?!  They are talking about being hungry and how they wished they'd brought bread, and then Jesus makes a comment about "yeast" and they all stopped in mid-sentence, turned and looked at Jesus with eyebrows up and eyes wide, then slowly turned and looked at each other as if they're thinking "He caught us.  How did He know that we forgot to pack lunch?" 


Then, "Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked," (and I can picture Him chuckling as He says), “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread?"  He is GOD, for cryin' out loud!  Don't they understand that He even used the word 'yeast' on purpose?!  He is aware of what they are saying the verse says!  I'm sure Jesus had to be saying this with a smile on His face.  Because here they are concerned about maybe having to skip lunch, and Jesus Christ is with them!  He says, "Do you still not understand? Don’t you 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 quickly we forget, don't we?  I often think, well, if I had been a disciple, it would have been so much easier to believe and follow Jesus because they were physically with Jesus.  But even the disciples have quickly forgotten what Jesus did!  How can they do that?  Did they think it was coincidence that thousands of people were fed those two different days?  If Jesus fed thousands, surely He will make sure the twelve of them don't starve!  

But that's not even the point.  Then Jesus says, "How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees."  They were so focused on what their bodies were saying to them and what they didn't have have that they missed what Jesus was really trying to say to them!  Does that ever happen to you?  You might not even know if it has!  But I wonder if we are ever so caught up in the momentary troubles that we miss out on what Jesus is really trying to do in our lives and what He wants us to learn in the moment.  If this was easy for the disciples to miss Jesus' point, how much more easy and often do we miss it?

Then, finally their eyes were opened, and "Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Remember that in verse 1 it says the Pharisees and Sadducees were trying to test Jesus.  They (the Pharisees and Sadducees) are the little bit of yeast in a great batch of dough (the community), and their little words of doubt and unbelief could and will have an enormous impact on the people around them.  Jesus warns the disciples to be careful of this.

Don't you think the disciples probably felt just a little foolish after they realized that Jesus wasn't talking about their bread?  But feeling foolish isn't a bad thing -- it's what teaches us the importance of changing our behavior for next time!  Hopefully next time, they remember with Whom they are, and maybe, just maybe, they will focus on the greater picture rather than their momentary concerns when Jesus is trying to teach them something.  AND...I hope they also remember that Jesus can and will meet all their physical needs.  Even lunch.

Thank you for humoring me, Lord.  You know that I desire to follow You, but sometimes I just can't seem to get my mind off of "lunch."  I pray that I would be consistently mindful of You and choose to take just one step in Your direction today.