Distinctive Hearers #2478

17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?” (Mark 8:17–18, NKJV)

Jesus expected His apostles to understand His warning against the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod, but they were only thinking about physical bread (Mark 8:14-16). He said their hearts were “still hardened” because they could not perceive (understand) the meaning of His warning. They needed to comprehend the corrupting influence of their error, immorality, and hypocrisy (Matt. 16:11-12; Luke 12:1). Here is a lesson on being distinctive hearers. It matters how we hear Christ’s word. Jesus said, “Therefore take heed how you hear” (Luke 8:18). The Pharisees disputed with Jesus and rejected His signs (Mark 8:11-12). Like their forefathers, they were “stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears” (Acts 7:51-52). We must have open hearts to receive the gospel of Christ, lest the leaven of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians corrupt us. (Demanding preaching that scratches itching ears still happens, 2 Tim. 4:3-4.) When we resist the word of Christ, we are disputing with and testing Jesus just like the unbelieving Pharisees (Mark 8:11). May we humbly, reverently, and obediently accept the word of Christ. We understand Christ’s teachings when our will is to do the will of God (John 7:16-17; Eph. 3:3-4; Heb. 5:12-14). Open your heart to the gospel of Christ, and you will be blessed (Acts 17:11-12).

“Does this offend you?” #1486

60 Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” 61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this, He said to them, “Does this offend you?” … 63 “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” … 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. (John 6:60-61, 63, 66)

The gospel of Jesus Christ is not beyond our ability to comprehend. The problem here was the unwillingness of His audience to receive His teachings. When we complain about the difficulty of receiving and following the teachings of Christ we are complaining against Jesus Himself. The words of Jesus Christ are “the words of eternal life” (John 6:68, 63). Jesus did not modify and change His teaching to what the audience felt it needed to hear. He did not change the vocabulary of truth to be sensitive to their anxieties, insecurities and doubts. So, many were offended and did not follow Him. Yet, He boldly expected them to change themselves to conform to His word. He expects the same of us, too. Instead of trying to change the gospel to fit our agenda, Jesus says to change ourselves to fit His. His words give eternal life. Our own words can never do that (Jeremiah 10:23).