Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” [Matthew 16.5-6]
Problem: No bread.
Warning: "Watch out!"
Question: Why? What was it about the disciples realizing that they had forgotten to bring bread that caused Jesus then to say, “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees”?
Answer: Faith was on the line.
At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread. Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “You have so little faith! Why are you arguing with each other about having no bread? [Matthew 16.7-8]
By this point in history, Jesus had already given the very instructive Sermon on the Mount including the following command:
Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need. [Matthew 6.33]
As soon as it was realized there was not enough bread, Jesus gave His "watch out" warning because He knew the disciples were collectively about to either make the decision to believe (have faith) or to doubt (throw in the "yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees").
The disciples failed to "watch out" however and began to argue because of the oversight of having forgotten to bring food. The "yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees" was applied making it necessary to judge that it was someone's fault that there was no bread!
As He then was forced to remind them in this story, Jesus had only recently fed thousands with next to nothing on two different occasions. Those instances were not about finding fault that so many people were there without food!
It would seem the problem, as Jesus saw it ("the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees") was a total faith-less disregard for God's instruction that He would provide. The Pharisees and Sadducees were only concerned with finding fault.
God loved the world so much that He forgave! Jesus was very clear that He did not come to judge the world (point out fault) but to forgive (and every miracle Jesus ever performed was an act of that forgiveness). The only condition upon mankind was (and is) to receive God's forgiveness (and every healing, blessing and provision afforded by it) by faith.
In "forgiveness" there is simply no reason to make accusations about "who forgot the food" because God is Provider.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him. “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” [John 3.16-21]
There is an association here that is critical for us to make but we, like the disciples, must "watch out" for the "yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees." At the point we realize there is a deficiency, we must choose either to believe God or to start blaming someone.
Got anything to eat?
Father, thank You for the relevance of Your Word to our lives today. Forgive me for being so very quick to judge instead of trusting Your forgiveness in every situation!
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