How Do You Not Understand? - Mark 8:21

Mark wrote how Jesus' “disciples had forgotten to take bread, neither had they in the ship with them more than one loaf. And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have no bread. And when Jesus knew it, he said unto them, Why reason you, because you have no bread? perceive you not yet, neither understand? have you your heart yet hardened? Having eyes, see you not? and having ears, hear you not? and do you not remember?When I brake the five loaves among five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up? They say unto him, Twelve. And when the seven among four thousand, how many baskets full of fragments took you up? And they said, Seven”, and in chapter eight and verse twenty-one of his book, Mark shared how Jesus asked His disciples, “how is it that you do not understand?” where we read:

And he said unto them, How is it that you do not understand?

The verse reads, “And he said unto them, ...” Mark began with the words, “and he said” which means “and Jesus uttered, declared, proclaimed and asked” “unto them” or “to His disciples. Mark shared how Jesus continued His discourse with His disciples.

The verse goes on to say, “How is it that you do not understand?” Mark continued with the words, “how” or “in what way and manner” is it that you do” which means “do Jesus' disciples” “not understand” which means “no and in no way perceive, comprehend, consider or be wise”? Mark shared how Jesus questioned as to “why” His “disciples” did not “comprehend” what He meant by being aware of the “leaven” of the “Pharisees and Herod”.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how Jesus appealed to His disciples to remember His provision of “physical nourishment” in the past so they would know what He meant by the “spiritual nourishment” in the present. “The Pharisees and Herod” were preaching and teaching false doctrine, and because Jesus' disciples were focused upon their “physical” condition, they were missing the importance of the “spiritual” one. God knows people focus their attention upon their temporary physical circumstances which often leads to ignoring spiritual ones which are eternal. Those who are wise will understand that God sent His Son Jesus into the world to help people realize there is an “eternal spiritual realm”, and only those who receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will be able to live with God within it. Let all who read these words hear Jesus' asking them, “how is it that you do not understand?”

Next time Mark shares how, “they brought a blind man to” Jesus, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".