David Bahn – Reflections

At that time the Emperor Augustus ordered a census of the Roman Empire. ² This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³ All the people went to register in the cities where their ancestors had lived.

⁴ So Joseph went from Nazareth, a city in Galilee, to a Judean city called Bethlehem. Joseph, a descendant of King David, went to Bethlehem because David had been born there. ⁵ Joseph went there to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.

⁶ While they were in Bethlehem, the time came for Mary to have her child. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger because there wasn’t any room for them in the inn.

⁸ Shepherds were in the fields near Bethlehem. They were taking turns watching their flock during the night. ⁹ An angel from the Lord suddenly appeared to them. The glory of the Lord filled the area with light, and they were terrified. ¹⁰ The angel said to them, “Don’t be afraid! I have good news for you, a message that will fill everyone with joy. ¹¹ Today your Savior, Christ the Lord, was born in David’s city. ¹² This is how you will recognize him: You will find an infant wrapped in strips of cloth and lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, a large army of angels appeared with the angel. They were praising God by saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in the highest heaven,
and on earth peace to those who have his good will!”

¹⁵ The angels left them and went back to heaven. The shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem and see what the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ They went quickly and found Mary and Joseph with the baby, who was lying in a manger. ¹⁷ When they saw the child, they repeated what they had been told about him. ¹⁸ Everyone who heard the shepherds’ story was amazed.

¹⁹ Mary treasured all these things in her heart and always thought about them.

²⁰ As the shepherds returned to their flock, they glorified and praised God for everything they had seen and heard. Everything happened the way the angel had told them. – Luke 2:1-20 [God’s Word Translation]

Sergeant Friday is famous for saying, “Just the facts, Ma’am.”  He didn’t want any embellishments, opinions, or conjectures on the part of the witnesses. He would figure out what to do with the facts. He wanted to make his on conclusions. He didn’t want the facts to get clouded amidst the ideas or potential motives of those he was interviewing. 

Friday would have loved Luke. That’s especially true in the account of Jesus’ birth. I see it especially in Luke’s matter-of-fact report, “Joseph went there [Bethlehem] to register with Mary. She had been promised to him in marriage and was pregnant.” No mention of the miracle of the virgin conception. Nothing about Joseph’s righteous behavior toward Mary (cf. Matthew 1). Just the facts. 

Luke is both a historian, and a physician, but he makes little over the birth details. At this point he is conveying the facts of Jesus’ birth just as he said he would in the prologue of this account of Jesus’ life.

Many have attempted to write about what had taken place among us. ² They received their information from those who had been eyewitnesses and servants of God’s word from the beginning, and they passed it on to us. ³ I, too, have followed everything closely from the beginning. So I thought it would be a good idea to write an orderly account for Your Excellency, Theophilus. ⁴ In this way you will know that what you’ve been told is true. – Luke 1:1-4

John will provide deep theological truths and profound insights into the person of Jesus and the implications of his being, life, and ministry. Mark will take us on a rapid fire highlight reel of Jesus’ actions. Matthew will connect Jesus’ ministry to the Old Testament. Luke gives us the facts. 

But these are not just cold historical factoids. These facts spring from profound theological truths. There is nothing lightweight about Luke’s gospel. The factual manner in which he conveys the history of Jesus invites us to do as Mary did at Jesus’ birth. We do well to, “treasure all these things in our hearts and think about them always.”

I wonder if we take the facts about Jesus’ life seriously enough, or too quickly shelve them for mere warm sentimentality of the season. A virgin gave birth to the Savior of the world! That’s a fact we ought to consider  deeply, daily, and joyfully.

At that time the Roman emperor, Augustus, decreed that a census should be taken throughout the Roman Empire. ² (This was the first census taken when Quirinius was governor of Syria.) ³ All returned to their own ancestral towns to register for this census. ⁴ And because Joseph was a descendant of King David, he had to go to Bethlehem in Judea, David’s ancient home. He traveled there from the village of Nazareth in Galilee. ⁵ He took with him Mary, to whom he was engaged, who was now expecting a child.

⁶ And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. ⁷ She gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him snugly in strips of cloth and laid him in a manger, because there was no lodging available for them.

⁸ That night there were shepherds staying in the fields nearby, guarding their flocks of sheep. ⁹ Suddenly, an angel of the Lord appeared among them, and the radiance of the Lord’s glory surrounded them. They were terrified, ¹⁰ but the angel reassured them. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”

¹³ Suddenly, the angel was joined by a vast host of others—the armies of heaven—praising God and saying,

¹⁴ “Glory to God in highest heaven,
    and peace on earth to those with whom God is pleased.”

¹⁵ When the angels had returned to heaven, the shepherds said to each other, “Let’s go to Bethlehem! Let’s see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.”

¹⁶ They hurried to the village and found Mary and Joseph. And there was the baby, lying in the manger. ¹⁷ After seeing him, the shepherds told everyone what had happened and what the angel had said to them about this child. ¹⁸ All who heard the shepherds’ story were astonished, ¹⁹ but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. ²⁰ The shepherds went back to their flocks, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen. It was just as the angel had told them. – Luke 2:1-20 [NLT]

Things in our house are almost all in their proper places. I’ve managed to get things together for gifts for Diane, and we actually now have some presents under the tree. The decorations are up. We have plenty of cookies and treats. We’ve got plans for grandkids visits. I’ve just finished providing the images I want to use to illustrate my messages on Christmas Eve and Day. Things are coming into place. 

But all these arrangements are on the micro level. These are really small puzzle pieces that fit nicely together for a fairly simple management and administrative effort – especially compared to the arrangements, logistics, and planning necessary to bring the Son of God into the world. Those were mega-arrangements.

There were many puzzle pieces that had to fit into a giant puzzle of space and time. This birth took place as the culmination of prophecies and promises from the beginning of time. There was the matter of where Jesus would be born – in Bethlehem. And it took the edict of Caesar to align those circumstances. And before that Mary, the virgin, would be contacted and agree to be the Lord’s servant. Joseph would play his part in this saga as well. Angels had to be dispatched. Shepherds would be told. A humble birth would unfold.

Shepherds will serve as the first witnesses to the birth. They would also be the first evangelists to tell others of the child. And all the while, the people everyone knew were important and powerful were completely unaware of all this. They had no clue. Nor did they need a clue – in their own minds at least. 

But God doesn’t get their permission to take back the world that was spinning out of control under their supervision. Caesar can preside of the Pax Romana.  This was “a state of comparative tranquillity throughout the Mediterranean world from the reign of Augustus (27 bce–14 ce) to the reign of Marcus Aurelius (161 –180 ce). Augustus laid the foundation for this period of concord, which also extended to North Africa and Persia.” (thanks Wikipedia!). There will still be personal injustice, godlessness, moral decay, treachery, and deceit. God will not be honored and acknowledged as Creator of all and the One to whom we owe ultimate allegiance. In fact, it would be Caesar who would demand to be acknowledged as “Lord.” 

Things were about to change, however. Angels would announce him. Shepherds would worship him. And these normally-unseen servants and discounted workers would be in on the event that would shape the world’s perception of time and culminate in the declaration – at the end of all time – that “Jesus Christ is Lord. Not Caesar. Peace is found in the newborn babe. Not the Pax Romana. Life and power resides in God. Not in Rome. 

On day all this will become painfully or joyfully obvious for all to see. Until that time, we celebrate how God pulled all things together to come to us in the Babe of Bethlehem.

And it came to pass in those days, that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed.

² (And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

³ And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city.

⁴ And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:)

⁵ To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child.

⁶ And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered.

⁷ And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.

⁸ And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

⁹ And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.

¹⁰ And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

¹¹ For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

¹² And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

¹³ And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

¹⁵ And it came to pass, as the angels were gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said one to another, Let us now go even unto Bethlehem, and see this thing which is come to pass, which the Lord hath made known unto us.

¹⁶ And they came with haste, and found Mary, and Joseph, and the babe lying in a manger.

¹⁷ And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child.

¹⁸ And all they that heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

¹⁹ But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart.

²⁰ And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things that they had heard and seen, as it was told unto them. – Luke 2:1-20 KJV

As she read the Christmas story from Luke 2 in the King James Version of the Bible I heard the halt in her voice. I didn’t know whether she would make it through the reading. And for more than a moment she had to stop. So overcome by the sheer profundity of it all, she had to pause and catch her composure. It was at the words, “And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.”

I’ve heard contrived tears. I’ve seen cracking voices that almost hide the false intent. This was neither contrived nor falsely motivated. The sheer depth of this incredible event had taken hold of her heart. She was deeply touched. Moved. Stopped. For a moment undone. 

We’ve lost the wonder of this event, haven’t we? It’s now cute children (and they are cute to be sure). It’s sappy Christmas carols (and I do love Silent Night!). It’s Santa, and sleigh bells, Rudolf, and presents. None of that is necessarily bad. But none of that can stop a person in the way we all need to be stopped. None of that will bring a deep awareness of our desperate need for a Savior and God’s abundantly gracious means of giving us a Savior. 

I love the newer translations of the Bible mostly because they convey the truth of God for people today who don’t have that foundational experience of reading the Christmas account from the King James Bible. They eschew formalistic and religious language for the sake of connecting with a world that is anything but formalistic or religious. 

But once in a while these traditional translations, and religious trappings can stop us where we need to be stopped. It’s not really at the manger, but at the thought that God came to save us. He took on a baby’s flesh. He dwelt among us. He died for us. He rose again to vindicate all he had done and taught.

We need to be stopped there long enough to ponder in our hearts the love of God, his amazing grace, and the depth of the riches of the grace and glory of God. And so we read the Christmas account. Slowly. We pause. We ponder. We rejoice. We glorify God. For, “it came to pass in those days… a Savior is born who is Christ the Lord.” 

These Psalm verses are offered for your edification and preparation for worship this Lord’s Day. See how Psalm 80 points to Jesus: when God’s actual face shone on us when Jesus was born.

Psalm 20:1-5

December 20/27
Luke 2:1-20/John 1:1-18

Since it’s so close to Christmas, we’ll take a detour from our study of Mark’s gospel to look at two great Gospel accounts of the birth of the Savior. We’ll look at Luke 2:1-20 on December 20. This is the most well-known account of Jesus’ birth. On December 27 we’ll look at John 1:1-18, the most sublime account of the incarnation, “The Word became flesh.” 

We’ll use the Discovery Bible Study process to unpack these accounts and seek to understand how we may embrace this event most fully. I look forward to engaging in this study with you! – DLB

Begin

• What are you thankful for?
• What is causing you stress?
• Who needs our help? How can this group help them?
• Pray

Look Back (session 2+)

• Retell story from the previous meeting.
• What did you do differently because of this story?
• Who did you tell and what was the reaction?

Read & Re-tell

• One person reads the Bible passage out loud, and the rest follow along.
• Someone else retells the passage by memory, if possible. Others can fill in what is missing.

Look

• Read the passage again.
• Discuss what this passage says about God, Jesus or his plan.

Look again

• Read the passage once more
• Discuss what this passage says about humans.

Inside me

• According to this study, what am I doing well?
• What do I need to change?

 Who else?

• Who needs to hear this story?
• How can I tell them?
• Who can I invite to study the Bible?

Pray

The Pharisees went to Jesus and began to argue with him. They tested him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven.

¹² With a deep sigh he asked, “Why do these people demand a sign? I can guarantee this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different than what they want!”

¹³ Then he left them there.

He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. ¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

¹⁵ Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”

¹⁶ They had been discussing with one another that they didn’t have any bread.

¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you catch on? Are your minds closed? ¹⁸ Are you blind and deaf? Don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”

They told him, “Twelve.”

²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”

They answered him, “Seven.”

²¹ He asked them, “Don’t you catch on yet?”   – Mark 8:11-23

Some lessons are hard to learn. Some take multiple trips down Experience Lane finally to make it into both short-term and long-term memory spots. It seems Jesus’ assessment of the disciples’ need in this manner indicated that this would not be the last trip down this lane for them. They would need to learn this lesson again and again. Jesus cares. Jesus sees our needs. Jesus will provide a way. Jesus can be trusted. Jesus knows our limits. Jesus knows the inclinations of our hearts (John 2:24).

It’s a difficult lesson to learn because there are so many things conspiring against us in our trust of God. The first commandment, “You shall have no other gods,” is well summed up: We should fear, love, and trust in God above all things (Thank you, Martin Luther). But fears abound all around us. COVID, financial fears, political unrest, and cultural warfare all vie for front and center of our fear detectors.

And there are so many things to love. Fast cars, slick electronic gear, snazzy clothes, glitzy jewelry, exciting liaisons, and dream homes beg for our hearts. We cannot fill the hole in our our hearts with any of those things, but we too often seek to cram them into that aching empty space. 

When it comes to trust, what’s left? Your best friend trusted her husband who just left her for a trophy wife (who is yet to become his wife). The government?!? Nobody trusts them any more. We don’t even trust “our guy” when he’s in power. The idea of trust but verify has been turned on its ear. Now it’s verify, but never fully trust. 

It’s no wonder we must learn again and again that nobody loves us like Jesus does. The Holy Spirit must lead us again and again to trust in the Lord with all our hearts (cf. Proverbs 3:5). Sometimes it’s only the fear of God that keeps us from going down a very dark path to a dangerous place of our doom and the harm of many others. Lord help us!

This is the Good News of Jesus. God has helped us in our weakness. Not only did he give his Son for our forgiveness, life, and salvation, he also gives us the Holy Spirit. He leads us again and again to the source of hope, peace, joy, and love. 

That means we need to “get it” again and again. Maybe one day we’ll learn. Perhaps one day we’ll not worry about bread. Surely One Day Jesus will be totally enough!

The Pharisees went to Jesus and began to argue with him. They tested him by demanding that he perform a miraculous sign from heaven.

¹² With a deep sigh he asked, “Why do these people demand a sign? I can guarantee this truth: If these people are given a sign, it will be far different than what they want!”

¹³ Then he left them there.

He got into a boat again and crossed to the other side of the Sea of Galilee. ¹⁴ The disciples had forgotten to take any bread along and had only one loaf with them in the boat.

¹⁵ Jesus warned them, “Be careful! Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod!”

¹⁶ They had been discussing with one another that they didn’t have any bread.

¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were saying and asked them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you don’t have any bread? Don’t you understand yet? Don’t you catch on? Are your minds closed? ¹⁸ Are you blind and deaf? Don’t you remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”

They told him, “Twelve.”

²⁰ “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many large baskets did you fill with leftover pieces?”

They answered him, “Seven.”

²¹ He asked them, “Don’t you catch on yet?”   – Mark 8:11-23

I am with the disciples. In the ordinary things of life, I don’t count on miraculous intervention from God. Seems they didn’t either. They had just seen the miraculous feeding of more than 4000 people with a few fish and loaves of bread. They had gathered up the remnants after the meal: 7 large baskets of leftovers. But that was then. This is now. And they’ve forgotten to bring bread for this journey back across the Sea of Galilee. 

But when they discover that they had only a half a loaf of bread between them all, they began to argue. 

• I thought you were going to bring the bread!
• No! You told John you had it handled.
• Yes, but I meant that you had promised to bring the bread.
• I didn’t promise. I just said I’d bring it.
• So your word isn’t enough. Don’t count on you doing anything you say you’ll do unless you say, “I promise?”!
• No. It’s just that…

Jesus comes to their rescue…at least as far as the argument is concerned. But he lifts up a larger issue. Didn’t they get it? Didn’t they understand? 

Did they not understand that when the time came, Jesus would notice their situation and provide for their needs? Had they forgotten it was he who saw the people were hungry and called the disciples’ attention to that fact? Was it lost on them that when the time came he would use whatever little they had and provide for all their needs? 

This is my personal battle. My life-long struggle. I fear I won’t be taken care of. I’m afraid I won’t get enough. I won’t get my fair share. I won’t have what I need. I’m ashamed to have to admit it. But that is my visceral fear. I’ve become pretty good at hiding it from the casual observer. But if you look close enough you might see  fear of not getting enough (FONGE) leaking from the cracks and crags of my soul.  

Am I alone in this? What about those who never have enough attention and will dance and prance, talk and gesture to get you to notice them? What of those who worry about having enough money to retire on? Some people can’t get enough gin. Others fret about an insufficiency of excitement. Then there’s sex, affection, or power. I don’t think I’m alone – me and my disciple friends.

Jesus would have us look to him, believe he will notice our plight, and provide for all our needs. That’s a lesson sometimes very difficult to learn, but an important one nonetheless. FONGE will cloud our view of others’ needs and we’ll miss the opportunity to see how God may do great things through us rather than just for us. Instead of FONGE, let’s embrace another: FTTJTP Faith that trusts Jesus to provide.

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

¹² When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” ¹³ So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.

¹⁴ But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.¹⁵ As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

¹⁶ At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread.¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in?¹⁸ ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’^[a] Don’t you remember anything at all? ¹⁹ When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”

“Twelve,” they said.

²⁰ “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they said.

²¹ “Don’t you understand yet?”he asked them. – Mark 8:11-21

We were in the “Soup” after chapel. The “Soup” was the affectionate name we gave to the cafeteria at the seminary I attended. One fellow always managed to get my goat. He’d make a comment that I found troubling, and I would take the bait. Arguments ensued. I think he enjoyed it. I did not. 

We were at a meeting at which we were discussing church politics and our varied reasons for suggesting particular people for office in the church. I saw the conversation going in a direction that was not pleasing to me so I got pretty vociferous in expressing my views. It wasn’t my best moment.

Are you seeing a pattern here? As much as I abhor argumentativeness, I fear I’ve manifested more than my share of it over the years. Lord, forgive me! 

I’m no different from the disciples in this way. It’s all too easy to argue about things that may not be all that important. We can so quickly get hooked into disagreements because one person or another may say it. On this occasion it was a discussion about food. But I suspect it quickly became an argument about who was to blame, and who should have brought the food, who should have double-checked their provisions, and who needed to figure out what to do next. I strongly suspect there was more than a little jockeying for place, power, and priority. 

In the case of the disciples and the food for dinner, they would need to go to Jesus and seek his help. He will provide. It need not be an issue of blame or self-justification. 

In the case of the seminary “Soup” discussion, we might need to overlook an offense and entrust the brother to God’s Holy Spirit. In the case of our church politics conversation, a kinder approach would likely have sufficed. A question about a teaching can be more easily settled by a respectful conversation than an accusatory pronouncement. Placing blame never really settles anything.

Grace is needed in every case on the part of all. That delights God, honors Jesus, and serves our neighbor. Isn’t that what we’re called to do as Jesus’ followers? 

When the Pharisees heard that Jesus had arrived, they came and started to argue with him. Testing him, they demanded that he show them a miraculous sign from heaven to prove his authority.

¹² When he heard this, he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why do these people keep demanding a miraculous sign? I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.” ¹³ So he got back into the boat and left them, and he crossed to the other side of the lake.

¹⁴ But the disciples had forgotten to bring any food. They had only one loaf of bread with them in the boat.¹⁵ As they were crossing the lake, Jesus warned them, “Watch out! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

¹⁶ At this they began to argue with each other because they hadn’t brought any bread.¹⁷ Jesus knew what they were saying, so he said, “Why are you arguing about having no bread? Don’t you know or understand even yet? Are your hearts too hard to take it in?¹⁸ ‘You have eyes—can’t you see? You have ears—can’t you hear?’^[a] Don’t you remember anything at all? ¹⁹ When I fed the 5,000 with five loaves of bread, how many baskets of leftovers did you pick up afterward?”

“Twelve,” they said.

²⁰ “And when I fed the 4,000 with seven loaves, how many large baskets of leftovers did you pick up?”

“Seven,” they said.

²¹ “Don’t you understand yet?”he asked them. – Mark 8:11-21

I suspect Jesus knew the answer to the question he asked his disciples, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” 

Perhaps it goes something like this:

“Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? A: Because we’re getting hungry and don’t know how we’re going to fee ourselves – not to mention this crowd. They’re probably hungry as well. And we don’t want to presume upon you to do another miracle.

Do you not yet perceive or understand? A: What do you mean understand? We understand pretty well. We’ve just explained why we were discussing our current situation. We perceive and understand pretty well, as far as we’re concerned. It seems pretty simple to us. 

Are your hearts hardened? A: Not sure why you would accuse us of having hardened hearts. We’re on your side, remember. We’re not challenging you at every turn. We’re not scheming to get you killed. We’re not trying to discredit you in front of the people. We’re following you. We’re your guys. 

Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? A: We have hears. And we have heard. And we know you’re referring to the prophet Isaiah. But he was speaking of those proud people who want no part of you and your ways. They, not us, are unable to see what’s right in front of them or hear the truth you speak. 

And do you not remember?” A: Remember what?

Precisely. Remember what? What was to remember? We might remember what God has done in the past, but that’s no guarantee of his future actions. What’s more, it’s very dangerous to suggest to the One who sees the hearts and knows the minds of men that we are more knowledgable than we really might be. 

The better discussion would have been, “How is Jesus going to deal with this situation?” Or how about, “Wonder whether Jesus is trying to teach us something about the importance of bread. There is something in Deuteronomy about man not living by bread alone. Is this a lesson about that? Wonder how Jesus is going to deal with this situation.”

Perhaps we are to ask these questions of ourselves even as we read this account. We know how it ends. But therein may lie the problem. Because we know how the story unfolds and how Jesus feeds the multitude, we can easily dismiss these questions as only a record of what Jesus said, and miss their point in being reported to us. 

Let’s sit with the disciples. Let’s listen to Jesus’ questions. Let’s see if he has something to say to us. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be stronger in faith, and more dedicated to his ways by doing so. 

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. ¹² And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

¹⁴ Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.¹⁵ And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”^[b]16 And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷ And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? ¹⁸ Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember? ¹⁹ When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” ²¹ And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”

“Don’t ask a question the answer to which you do not know in advance.” This is #4 of IRVING YOUNGER’S TEN COMMANDMENTS OF CROSS-EXAMINATION. I guess attorneys don’t want to be surprised as they seek to challenge the witness of the opposing counsel. He likely learned it from God. 

In Genesis we read of God walking in the garden and asking, “Adam, where are you?” Of course He who knows all things knew the answer to that question. Likewise when he asked, “Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?” God already knew. 

I think Jesus knew, as well, the answer to the question he asked, “Why does this generation seek a sign?”. He asked it with a deep sigh. Certainly he was distressed that the religious leaders were so opposed to him, and to God. Surely he had tired of their continuous antagonism. His answer to them, however, reveals a bit more. They will receive no sign. God is not skipping to their jump rope rhyme.

But be clear: he is not kowtowing because his purpose is greater by far than running their errands and satisfying their curiosities. He came not to be served, but to serve and give his life as a ransom for many. They will have their way with him – in their own estimation. But it will be on his terms, not theirs. 

It’s difficult to imagine God being so totally in control of all things, yet subject to such whimsical impulses as he appeared to be. Suffering the incessant questions and challenges of the Jewish leaders, yet all the while keeping control of every situation. “No one takes my life from me,” Jesus says (John 10:18). He will give it – the ultimate sacrifice and service. Certainly part of the reason for his sigh was his deep sadness that so many would reject him. And though he would triumph of sin and the grave, they would not embrace the gift. 

I suspect he also knew the answer to the question he asked his disciples, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?” 

We will consider that tomorrow, with the anticipation of a different sort of motive.