The Disciples’ Hardness (Protestant and Evangelical Devotional and Caucus)

ligonier.org ^ | 6/10/2016

[Gamecock]

“[The disciples] began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. 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? Having eyes do you not see, and having ears do you not hear? And do you not remember?’” (vv. 16–18).

- Mark 8:16–21

Dr. R.C. Sproul, commenting on today’s passage in his commentary Mark, writes, “We all need to examine ourselves in the light of God’s Word to be sure the deadly leaven of the Pharisees is not working in us, blinding us to the light and making us deaf to the life-giving Word.” This speaks to the necessity of not taking our relationship to the Lord for granted, of not assuming that we are immune to the destructive effects of sin simply because we are in church regularly or have professed faith for many years. Merely being in the presence of Jesus will not make us resistant to sin if we do not understand and apply what He has revealed.

That principle is illustrated in Mark 8:16–21 as Jesus chides the disciples for getting caught up in their concern regarding their lack of bread. Such worry and prolonged discussion over the matter (see vv. 14, 16) is possible only because the disciples still lack the kind of faith that characterizes those who are fully committed to Jesus. After all, if they were to understand truly His identity, certainly they would just ask Him to meet their need for bread. They have seen Him feed thousands of people with only a meager amount of food on two occasions already, and that is what makes their shortsightedness so frustrating to our Lord (vv. 19–21; see 6:30–43; 8:1–10).

Given that the leaven of which Jesus has warned the disciples is the unbelief of the Pharisees and Herod (8:14–15), we see that unbelief is possible even for those who see Jesus with their own eyes. Knowing the works of Christ and what they say about His person is vital, but in itself, such knowledge is incapable of guaranteeing faith in Him. In fact, while such knowledge is necessary for true faith, this understanding is also dangerous because it gives the heart an opportunity to harden itself against divine truth. The scribes and Pharisees responded with hardness (3:22–30), and although those who truly know Christ in a saving way can never finally harden themselves in such a way that they lose their salvation (Rom. 8:29–30), it is possible for believers to harden themselves against some aspects of God’s revelation, at least temporarily. The only answer is to continue returning to God’s Word, hearing it preached and reading it ourselves. As we do so, we must pray that God would soften our hearts to see where we have hardened them. He gives us new hearts to believe, and we rely on Him to keep our hearts soft and receptive to the conviction of His Word.

Coram Deo

Simply being in the presence of Jesus is not enough to guarantee faith. Instead, God must grant us ears to hear and hearts to believe His Word. We must not only attend to the preaching and reading of Scripture, but we must also pray that the Lord would open our eyes and minds as we do so. We need His work in our hearts so that we will believe and obey His Word.

Passages for Further Study

2 Chronicles 36:15 The Lord, the God of their fathers, sent persistently to them by his messengers, because he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. 16 But they kept mocking the messengers of God, despising his words and scoffing at his prophets, until the wrath of the Lord rose against his people, until there was no remedy.

Romans 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.

[Gamecock]

I hope everyone has had a blessed week. As always, I hope to return on Monday to continue to posting these devotionals from Ligonier Ministries.

And here is this weeks hymn.

“Beneath The Cross Of Jesus”

Beneath the cross of Jesus
I fain would take my stand,
The shadow of a mighty Rock
Within a weary land;
A home within the wilderness,
A rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noontide heat,
And the burden of the day.
2
Oh, safe and happy shelter!
Oh, refuge tried and sweet!
Oh, trysting place where heaven’s love
And heaven’s justice meet.
As to the holy patriarch
That wondrous dream was given,
So is my Savior by the cross
A ladder up to heaven.
3
There lies beneath its shadow,
But on the farther side,
The darkness of an awful grave
That gapes both deep and wide;
And there between us stands the cross,
Two arms outstretched to save,
Like a watchman set to guard the way
From that eternal grave.
4
Upon that cross of Jesus
Mine eye at times can see
The very dying form of One,
Who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears,
Two wonders I confess,
The wonders of His glorious love,
And my own worthlessness.
5
I take, O cross, thy shadow
For my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than
The sunshine of His face;
Content to let the world go by,
To know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only shame,
My glory all the cross.

[MHGinTN]

Is it possible that Jesus was referring to the seeking of signs in order to believe? In seeking after signs, were the Pharisees not turning away from faith and focused upon 'proving God' by following strict behavior requirements. Did Jesus tell Nicodemus to wait for signs in order to be born from above?

Didn't Jesus say to Thomas, 'Blessed are they who have not seen and yet believe'? Is Jesus teaching faith superior to 'signs as proofs'? Is Jesus noting the superiority of believing on faith, over believing because of fancy edifices (Herod's temple was still under construction but a glowing jewel on Temple Mount)?