The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, "Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation." And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side. Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, "Watch out beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod." They said to one another, "It is because we have no bread." And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, "Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" They said to him, "Twelve." "And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?" And they said to him, "Seven." Then he said to them, "Do you not yet understand?" They came to Bethsaida. Some people brought a blind man to him and begged him to touch him. He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village; and when he had put saliva on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, "Can you see anything?" And the man looked up and said, "I can see people, but they look like trees, walking." Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he looked intently and his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. Then he sent him away to his home, saying, "Do not even go into the village.”
The phrase that jumps out today is when Jesus says, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” A few days ago, I made a remark about the Pharisees and Scribes wanting Jesus to perform a “dog and pony” show to prove that he is who he says he is. People seem to want to be entertained by the wondrous power and works of God.
Today, the Pharisees confront Jesus to test him and ask for a sign. He doesn’t give them one and goes from that place and gets into a boat with the twelve. They didn’t bring with them any bread with them in the boat and that spawns a conversation about bread. Jesus cautions them about the influence of Herod and the Pharisees and calls it “yeast.”
Yeast causes bread to “rise.” The Pharisees and Herod were rising up against Jesus and trying to influence others not to believe in him and what he taught. The disciples still don’t understand. Jesus then explains that the answer is in plain sight by their experience of the feeding of the 5000 and 4000. They gathered leftovers, proving that the true word which comes from him is the true bread which gives life to the world. When they arrive in Bethsaida, Jesus heals a blind man and makes him see clearly. I still don’t think the disciples are seeing very clearly.
The call that I hear today is to pay attention what is plain sight. To let Jesus bring us into focus, so we can see the whole forest, and not just concentrate on the trees. We wonder around sometimes with tunnel vision, unable to see what God is trying to do around us. If we focus on the big picture, we can get a better vision of where Jesus might be leading us.
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