Matthew 16:1-20
Dear RTB’ers,
I was so focused on the Canaanite woman yesterday that I failed to mention Jesus feeding the 4000, a second major multiplication of loaves and fish. Although scholars have questioned whether Jesus in fact did two major feeding miracles (or even one!), Jesus clearly speaks to the two miracles in today’s reading: Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? (vv. 9b-10) So Matthew leaves us no doubt as to the two food multiplications – and he was one of the twelve, likely one of those disciples distributing the bread! Interesting.
Peter’s confession – a powerful story, one that gives us confidence for the church of which we are members: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. (v. 18) This church has lasted these two millennia, and will continue another two – or as many as needed until Jesus returns. It is fractured in many ways, but not broken. Our own ACNA denomination is facing some difficult leadership times, but Jesus’ church will continue!
The timeliness of the disciples’ response is intriguing to me: And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” (v. 14) What strikes me here is the mention of Jeremiah. His book is where we are headed after three more days in Matthew’s gospel. If you have a Study Bible, you might want to begin reading ahead. My own Study Bible has some two-and-a-half pages of introduction to this book! Jeremiah is my favorite of all the prophetic books.
Blessings!
I’m wondering, what kind of a sign did the Pharisees and the Sadducees want? I’m assuming they were at the feeding of the 4,000, wasn’t that enough?
Yep. I have wondered the same thing. I think their persistent asking for “something more” reveals that nothing would ever be good enough for them, because they are not actually interested in the truth. It is not a question of sufficient evidence; it is a question of the will. As in Jesus’ story about the rich man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31), Abraham tells the rich man that it would be futile to send Lazarus to the rich man’s brothers, because they already have the Scriptures, and if they don’t believe Moses, neither will they believe even if someone were to rise from the dead. And, indeed, when Jesus raises (another) Lazarus from the dead (John 11), do the Pharisees fall on their knees and worship the Lord? No, they instead seek to kill Lazarus all over again. (John 12:9-10)
We can look around and readily see that nothing has changed for the unbeliever. Faith in Jesus is still every bit a matter of the will, not a lack of evidence.