February 24: Trusting His Provision.
HIS UNVEILING.
And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"--Mark 8:21
The 2012 tornado season in the United State4s turned deadly. Stephanie Decker was at home with her two children when the first tornado hit Henryville, Indiana. With no time to take them to the shelter, she covered them with her own body. The flying debris broke seven of her ribs, and her legs became casualties of the second tornado that hit a few minutes later, but her children didn't suffer as much as a scratch. In the interviews, she was smiling because it was all worth it!
After the feeding of the five thousands, the breakthrough with the Syrophoenician woman, and the feeding of the four thousand (events that we have reviewed for the last three days), it was now time for the unveiling of the bread riddle. To make sure the hearers and readers do not miss the connection between the two feedings, Mark adds a summary of Jesus: " 'Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many large baskets [kophinos] full of broken pieces you picked up?' And they said to Him, 'Twelve.' 'When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets [spuris] full of broken pieces did you pick up?' And they said to Him, 'Seven.' And He was saying to them, 'Do you not yet understand?' " (Mark 8:18-21). Obviously, there was enough bread for Jews and for non-Jews, for the insiders and the outsiders. And there were leftovers for each group, emphasized by the numbers and words befitting the respective cultural settings. But what, exactly, did the bread symbolize? Towards the end of this Gospel, the full mystery of the ongoing bread riddle is unveiled, using the verbs that had been present in the narrative of both feedings: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke is and gave it to His disciples, saying, 'Take it; this is my body' " (Mark 14:22, NIV). Jesus here revealed the fact that He would die for all; He gave up His life so that we could be assured of life eternal. And both feedings confirmed that His sacrificial victory was for all who believe in Him. And who, exactly, are all? Oh, yes! All!
My Response:______________________________________________________
HIS UNVEILING.
And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"--Mark 8:21
The 2012 tornado season in the United State4s turned deadly. Stephanie Decker was at home with her two children when the first tornado hit Henryville, Indiana. With no time to take them to the shelter, she covered them with her own body. The flying debris broke seven of her ribs, and her legs became casualties of the second tornado that hit a few minutes later, but her children didn't suffer as much as a scratch. In the interviews, she was smiling because it was all worth it!
After the feeding of the five thousands, the breakthrough with the Syrophoenician woman, and the feeding of the four thousand (events that we have reviewed for the last three days), it was now time for the unveiling of the bread riddle. To make sure the hearers and readers do not miss the connection between the two feedings, Mark adds a summary of Jesus: " 'Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many large baskets [kophinos] full of broken pieces you picked up?' And they said to Him, 'Twelve.' 'When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets [spuris] full of broken pieces did you pick up?' And they said to Him, 'Seven.' And He was saying to them, 'Do you not yet understand?' " (Mark 8:18-21). Obviously, there was enough bread for Jews and for non-Jews, for the insiders and the outsiders. And there were leftovers for each group, emphasized by the numbers and words befitting the respective cultural settings. But what, exactly, did the bread symbolize? Towards the end of this Gospel, the full mystery of the ongoing bread riddle is unveiled, using the verbs that had been present in the narrative of both feedings: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke is and gave it to His disciples, saying, 'Take it; this is my body' " (Mark 14:22, NIV). Jesus here revealed the fact that He would die for all; He gave up His life so that we could be assured of life eternal. And both feedings confirmed that His sacrificial victory was for all who believe in Him. And who, exactly, are all? Oh, yes! All!
My Response:______________________________________________________
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