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“Then how is it that you still don’t get it?” (Mark 8.21, Passion Translation)

Jesus could be harsh(?) or at least frustrated with the disciples. He wants them to learn to think. To put 2 and 2 together. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees” (Mark 8.15). He could have just said “Beware of the religious hypocrisy of the Pharisees,” but he didn’t.

They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” (Mark 8.16, NIV)

When they were worried about not enough bread (what else could he be talking about?!), he challenged them to think.

Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked them: “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not see or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes but fail to see, and ears but fail to hear? And don’t you remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” “Twelve,” they replied. “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of pieces did you pick up?” They answered, “Seven.” (Mark 8.17 – 20, NIV)

Jesus wasn’t direct with his original statement about the leaven of the Pharisees, and he didn’t directly explain why he couldn’t have been talking about their forgetting bread. He wanted them to figure it out.

I’m having the same problem with a bright young man I’m mentoring in mathematics. Outside of rote procedures, he’s not yet able to put 2 and 2 together without my help. I need to give him room to work it out.

Back to disciple-making, I need not be afraid to challenge people to think for themselves. To learn. To grow in understanding through hard work! 

I pray that I won’t be dense either. Figure out what Jesus wants me to know. His provision for me. And his strategy for reaching the world. Don’t get stuck in old paradigms. For example, the disciples respected the Pharisees; they hadn’t yet developed Jesus’ perspective on their hypocrisy so it was harder for them to understand Jesus’ criticism.

Learning to think is hard work!

1  My son, if you accept my words and store up my commands within you,
2  turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding—
3  indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding,
4  and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure,
5  then you will understand the fear of the LORD and find the knowledge of God. (Proverbs 2.1 – 5, NIV, emphasis mine)