8:14
From time to time I remind us that the chapter divisions were not part of the original text. Often they are helpful, but sometimes they produce a false division in the text, where it is actually important to see how the whole thing fits together. This is even more true of section headings which most translations put in. ESV has split 8:1-21 into three sections (1-10, 11-13 & 14-21), and NIV splits it into two sections (1-13 & 14-21). Again this can be helpful, but the whole of 1-21 is linked together. We have the miracle feeding, then the blindness of the Pharisees, then we have the blindness of the disciples, and Jesus urging them to think about the things they have just witnessed. The disciples were in the boat and had one loaf of bread with them.
8:15
Jesus then warns them to watch out for the “yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod”. First of all, why does Jesus talk about yeast? In bread a little yeast is added and it works its way throughout the whole loaf. In the same way a little wrong thinking may seem a minor issue at first, but it can eventually work its way through to affect and corrupt everything. We see this many times. A little compromise on sexual morality, a little doubting of the trustworthiness of the Bible, a little wrong attitudes. At first they may seem to be of minor importance, but in time they can have a devastating effect. The Pharisees and Herod represent two different errors. The Pharisees were dedicated to the Law, but their attitudes were corrupted, they were legalistic, and so wedded to their additional rules that they set aside the actual Law of God. And it blinded them completely to who Jesus was. If we have a particular theology, eg Calvinism, we can become so dedicated to that ism that we start considering the ism more important than the Word of God itself (though we will never admit to it). Herod compromised with the Roman authorities, and the Sadducees went along with this. So they served Rome rather than God.
No comments:
Post a Comment