Days 293 and 294—We are in the TENTH month of Bible reading and studying the New Testament Gospels.

NOTE:  Both Sunday and Monday studies are posted on MONDAY.

    Day 293 – Matthew 16, Mark 8 (4,000 fed, beware Pharisees, death/resurrection, Peter’s confession and rebuke)

After three days of solid crowds, Jesus felt sorry for them because they had nothing to eat. Again, someone volunteered seven rolls and a few fish, and after arranging the people in groups on the ground, Jesus thanked God for the food, cut up those “tuna sandwiches,” and had his disciples pass the food out.   ALL 4,000+ people ate and were satisfied.   AND seven large baskets of leftovers were gathered. As evening approached, Jesus sent the now-satisfied people home, and He, with the disciples, got into a boat for another shore.

But, those weary disciples forgot to bring the seven baskets of leftover bread and had only one roll between them! 

Jesus, thinking of an encounter with the Pharisees who had wanted Him to give them “a sign” to prove who He was, said to the disciples, “Beware the leaven (or sin) of the Pharisees and of Herod.”    The disciples immediately thought Jesus was scolding them for forgetting those big baskets full of bread. 

“Why are you talking about bread??  Don’t you remember me feeding 5,000+ people a while ago and now feeding 4,000+ people, both times with lots of leftovers???  Bread is not the problem.  It’s the constant attack and false teaching by the religious leaders who question who I am that you need to think about.  Beware of THEM!”

Again, on the land near Caesarea Philippi, Jesus asked them, “Who do YOU say that I am?”   

“You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” says his leading disciple, Peter.

“Bless you, Simon Bar-Jonah! Flesh and blood have not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.  And I tell you, you are “Peter, the stone,” and on this “rock” (of your testimony) I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.”

You know this, guys, but don’t be spreading around this truth just yet, he warns them.  There will be a time to do that, and I will empower you.”

From that moment on, Jesus begins to tell his men that 1) He must go to Jerusalem, 2) suffer many things from the religious leaders, 3) be killed, and 4) on the third day be raised.

Peter, grabbing his arm, says, “Far be it from you Lord!! This shall never happen to you!”

Jesus, shocking them all, growls, “GET BEHIND ME, SATAN! You are a hindrance to me. For you are not setting your mind on the things of God, but on the things of man!”   

WHOA!  (This was sure an “opportune time,” and Satan used Peter to once again tempt Jesus from the cross and his own prophesied head-crushing.)

NOTE: A lesson for us after a “mountain-top experience.” Beware, that’s when your guard is down, and the devil can get in some sucker punches.

Jesus then takes all his disciples aside and tells them the seriousness of His mission and their following Him.  They also must be willing to give their lives up for His sake.  They must bear a cross (symbol of the ultimate persecution), and follow Him all the way to the death.  Your SOUL is more important and long-lasting than your BODY.

“Whoever is ashamed of me and of my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him will the Son of Man also be ashamed when he comes in the glory with the holy angels.“

Surely, Jesus was speaking to US as well.

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    Day 294. – Matthew 17, Mark 9 (transfiguration, boy with a demon, Jesus’ future, temple tax)

Again, we see the story of Jesus transfigured on the mountain before His three core disciples, showing them a glimpse of His magnificent glory. We also hear their stupid words. (Oh, let’s make a memorial of the spot.)

At the bottom of the mountain, they encounter the desperate father with a son tormented by a demon who was trying to kill him by throwing him into the fire. (Yes, that is precisely what Satan would like to do to us, too: join him in the fires of hell.)  The other nine disciples (although they had done miracles before) could not cast these demons out. 

“Lord, have mercy on my son, for he is an epileptic, and he suffers terribly. For often he falls into the fire, and often into the water. Your disciples could not heal him.” (Luke’s passage definitely calls it a demon.)

Jesus sighs at their lack of faith and turns to the father. He says, “All things are possible for the one who believes.”

“I do believe; help my unbelief,” cries the father.

With force, Jesus says, “You mute and deaf spirit, I command you, come out of him and never enter him again.”  And, of course, the spirit HAD TO.  But it resisted and convulsed the boy terribly, so he cried out and then lay as a corpse. 

Was he dead?  What does it matter? Jesus lifted him up and gave him to his father. 

Later, the disciples asked why they couldn’t cast out the demon. 

You didn’t pray, and you had but little faith.  “I say to you, if you have faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could move this mountain.”

As they go their way, Jesus again tells them that He will suffer and be killed, but He will be raised on the third day.  However, this does nothing but distress them.

When they got to Capernaum, the Temple tax collectors came to them, hands held out for the half-shekel tax every Jew, 20 years and up, had to pay annually.  When Peter went to Jesus about it, Jesus sent him, not to Judas, who carried the money, but to the lake.  Peter was to throw in a hook, and the first fish he drew out would have a shekel coin in its mouth.  He was to take and give it to the collectors for Himself and for Peter. 

(Bread and taxes. Indeed, the LORD supplies all our needs.)