1

Have Eyes of Faith

2

(Mark 8:17)

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?

3

There was a time when Jesus showed amazing miracles with bread and fish.
At the first miracle, Jesus fed over five thousand people with two fish and 5 loaves of bread. Then, as many as 12 baskets of leftover bread was collected.

4

At the second miracle, Jesus fed over four thousand with two fish and seven loaves of bread.
Then, as many as 7 baskets of leftovers were collected.

5

After this miracle, Jesus got into a boat and headed to the other side of the Lake Galilee. However, the disciples forgot to bring the leftover bread.
There was barely a piece of bread in the boat.

6

While the disciples were worried over the matter, Jesus told the disciples.
"Be careful of the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod."
Yeast is put into bread to rise the bread.

7

The yeast Jesus was talking about were the bad deeds of the Pharisees and Herod. They were doing many wrong things. Outwardly, they seemed to serve God well but their hearts were filled with lies and greed.

8

Jesus was telling the disciples to not follow those bad deeds.
Bad deeds easily spread to other people and it is easy to follow those deeds.
That is why Jesus called those deeds as yeast.

9

But the disciples only heard the word yeast and thought that Jesus was telling them about not having the bread.
"What should we do? We did not bring the bread to eat so what should we tell Jesus?" The disciples started to worry since there was no bread.

10

Jesus saw them worrying and told the disciples.
"Why are you talking about having no bread? Why haven't your hearts changed yet and why can't you have faith even after seeing the miracles that I have done?"

11

Jesus asked the disciples.
"How many baskets of leftovers were picked up when I fed over five thousand with five loaves of bread and two fish?"

12

The disciples answered,
"12 baskets were picked up."

13

Jesus asked again,
"Then, how many baskets of leftovers were picked up when I fed over four thousand with seven loaves of bread and two fish?"

14

The disciples answered again,
"Seven baskets were picked up."

15

Then Jesus scolded them.
 "Then why are you faithlessly worrying about having no bread today?"
Jesus wanted the disciples to know how powerful Jesus is and he sincerely wanted them to act with faith of believing that Jesus is more capable than just filling the needed bread.

16

For them not to learn the bad deeds of the Pharisees and Herod, for them not to pretend like serving God well only outwardly and for them to have right faith, Jesus wanted them to learn the true meaning of yeast.

17

We should also try to do two things. First, we should realize how powerful Jesus, whom we believe, truly is. Whatever happens, we should not get shocked but always pray to God for help. That is the attitude of people with real faith.

18

Second, we should work hard to live righteous Christian lives. We should watch out in order not to follow the bad deeds of wrong people. Especially, the people that only say that they believe in Jesus but they do bad things which Jesus hates. We should not learn their deeds but we should work hard to become faithful people who follow the good deeds of Jesus.