Hard Hearts


The disciples had forgotten to bring bread, except for one loaf they had with them in the boat. “Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” They discussed this with one another and said, “It is because we have no bread.” 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.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?”

A few days ago (see February 13: Slow Learners) we reflected upon how the apostles were slow to understand what Jesus was trying to teach them. Not surprising, really, because everything he said contradicted everything they had been taught. Consequently he had to repeat lessons. One of them was multiplying a few fish and loaves to feed thousands. This was to demonstrate his ability to work miracles. The purpose was two-fold: one, to let them know who he was and what he was capable of doing; and, two, to let them know what they were capable of doing through him. 

After everybody was fed, there were seven basketfuls leftover. They got into a boat and set sail to the region of Dalmanutha. There, Jesus was questioned by the Pharisees, who asked him for a sign. He told them there were going to be no signs for them. Then, he got back into the boat with his apostles and set sail again. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees,” he told them. He was cautioning them about how the Pharisees’ teachings could corrupt their listeners. However, the apostles didn’t get the point. “It is because we have no bread,” they said among themselves. One can picture Jesus shaking his head in bewilderment. 

“Why are you talking about having no bread?” he asked. "Do you still not see or understand?” Obviously, they didn’t, and the lessons begin here in earnest. “Are your hearts hardened?” he asked. This was the problem with the apostles. A hard heart prevents us from understanding spiritual truths. A sermon in church is heard by hundreds of people, but although the message that everybody hears is the same, not everybody will understand the truths contained in it the same way. “Though seeing, they do not see,” Jesus would later say. “Though hearing, they do not hear or understand" (Matthew 13:13).

So, what causes the hardening of a heart? The “heart”, incidentally, is considered to be the hub of human personality, producing things we would normally ascribe to the “mind”. So what hardens the heart? Well, sin for one.  Pride for another. Setbacks and disappointments for a third. What’s the antidote? We need to confess our sins to God, asking for the grace to lead a changed life. We need to humble ourselves, especially before God. And we need to let setbacks and disappointments serve to build character, not destroy it. See Romans 5:3-5 how this can happen.

And, of course, seeking God with all our heart. There’s no better antidote than this!



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Let’s Get Healed - A Reflection on Matthew 18:21-19:1

Image
  Then Peter came and said to him, “Lord, if another member of the church sins against me, how often should I forgive? As many as seven times?” Jesus said to him, “Not seven times, but, I tell you, seventy-seven times. “For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves. When he began the reckoning, one who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him; and, as he could not pay, his lord ordered him to be sold, together with his wife and children and all his possessions, and payment to be made. So the slave fell on his knees before him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will pay you everything.’ And out of pity for him, the lord of that slave released him and forgave him the debt. But that same slave, as he went out, came upon one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii; and seizing him by the throat, he said, ‘Pay what you owe.’ Then his fellow slave fell down and pleaded with him, ‘Have patience with me...
Read more

Patience - A Reflection on Luke 2:33-35.

Image
  And the child’s father and mother were amazed at what was being said about him. Then Simeon blessed them and said to his mother Mary, “This child is destined for the falling and the rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be opposed so that the inner thoughts of many will be revealed—and a sword will pierce your own soul too.”   This is probably the shortest passage that we have reflected upon this year. In it, we find a man named Simeon making a prophecy about three things. One, about Jesus. Two, about the people of Israel. And three, about the pain that Jesus’ mother Mary would go through. We have seen all his prophecies came true. But who is Simeon? And what can we learn from him? Ok. On the 40th day of his birth, Jesus is taken by Mary and Joseph to the temple to be officially inducted into the Jewish faith. When they were there, a man named Simeon came in to see them.   He is described as “righteous and devout, looking forward to the consolation of Isr...
Read more

Dying and Killing

  The Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus replied, “I have shown you many good works from the Father. For which of these are you going to stone me?” The Jews answered, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you, but for blasphemy, because you, though only a human being, are making yourself God.” Jesus answered, “Is it not written in your law, ‘I said, you are gods’? If those to whom the word of God came were called ‘gods’—and the scripture cannot be annulled— can you say that the one whom the Father has sanctified and sent into the world is blaspheming because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? If I am not doing the works of my Father, then do not believe me. But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in me and I am in the Father.” Then they tried to arrest him again, but he escaped from their hands. He went away again across the Jordan to the place where John had been baptizing earl...
Read more