Matthew 16:1-12 - "And the Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Him asked Him to show them a sign from heaven."

Matthew 16:1-12

In this passage Jesus rebukes both the Pharisees and Sadducees, and later on his own disciples, for their unbelief. Jesus scolds both groups for not knowing better: the religious leaders for not knowing how to read the sign of the times, and the disciples for fretting about bread on the heels of his two feeding miracles. One group is openly hostile toward Jesus, and the other are his friends. So what is the difference between the unbelief of the two groups? The first group Jesus would later refer to as sons of hell (23:15). The second group Jesus ends up commissioning to preach the gospel to all the world, even as they stand there doubting his resurrection (28:16-20). So how do we know if we have an unbelieving unbelief or a believing struggle with unbelief? How can we know if Jesus is going to respond to us with scary condemnation or with a fatherly scolding?

When the Pharisees and Sadducees asked Jesus for a sign, they did so because they were "testing him." It wasn't the first time either. The Pharisees along with the scribes had made it a practice to stalk and harass Jesus regularly. Back in 12:38-42 they demanded a sign from him and were denied. Jesus told them then that the only sign they would be getting was the sign of Jonah, and even gave a lengthy explanation of what that meant. So you can understand his curtness to them in this passage. He had been around this merry-go-round with them before. Not to mention the Pharisees were also going around publicly accusing him of casting out demons using satanic power (12:24) and were actively plotting his destruction (12:14).

So there's that history. But even aside from all that, their entire attitude toward Jesus in this encounter reeks of arrogance. "You're guilty until proven innocent." "You need to convince us on our terms, not yours." All the while pretending to be seekers who wanted to know the truth, who needed only one more sign to convince them, as if Jesus' very public mass healings and feedings and exorcisms were a paltry show. They came to him with a dishonesty, insincerity, and deceitfulness that made Jesus turn around and walk away. There was an evil agenda hidden behind those smiling faces. The reason they didn't believe is quite simply because they didn't want to.

The disciples by contrast did believe. Jesus called them "you men of little faith," not "you men of no faith." They did have a weak faith, but they did not come to him deceitfully. They were anxious to do things right, so much so that they got all tied up in knots over forgetting to bring bread for the trip. They thought Jesus would be disappointed because they were irresponsible. It never occurred to them that Jesus actually expected them to be irresponsible at times, and what really disappointed him was that they didn't console themselves with the realization that he could simply provide. Apparently they thought he provided bread for the multitudes because those people were pitiable. But to provide bread for themselves because they had been forgetful was, in their minds, not a good enough reason.

This reasoning sounds familiar, doesn't it? I don't want to ask God to provide for me if I was irresponsible. I was late getting out of the house. Should I pray that the meeting would start late? But I deserve to face the consequences of my actions, not treat God as a genie to get me out of another scrape! How can this be a time for faith when it should be a time for guilt and self-flaggelation? It never occurs to me that Jesus is more disappointed in my unbelief, in my assumption that he can't (or won't) help me, than he is in my laziness or forgetfulness.

So the unbelief of the disciples was of a completely different kind than that of the Pharisees and Sadducees. It had to do with the limits that they, in their little faith, put on Jesus' love for them. Jesus' rebuke to them was in the vein of what he said back in 6:30: "But if God so arrays the grass of the field, which is alive today and tomorrow is thrown into the furnace, will He not much more do so for you, O men of little faith?" The unbelief of the Pharisees and Sadducees, on the other hand, wasn't even close to being engaged in the struggle to believe in Jesus' love for them. As far as they were concerned, Jesus had nothing to offer them. It was their job to judge him. Their unbelief was all about looking for grounds to discredit him, to ultimately drag him before the authorities and have him killed.

Matthew 15:32-39 - "And Jesus called his disciples to him, and said, 'I feel compassion for the multitude...'"

Matthew 15:32-39

It wasn't too long ago that Jesus performed a very similar miracle with a multitude of five thousand, and now we find him at it again, this time feeding a multitude of four thousand. In the first feeding he multiplied five loaves and two fish resulting in twelve baskets of leftovers. Here he multiplies seven loaves and "a few small fish" resulting in seven baskets of leftovers. The details are meant to distinguish these two similar-sounding miracles. Jesus even discusses the two events and these very details with the disciples in 16:9-10 when he scolds them for their lack of faith.

Speaking of which, it's the disciples' display of unbelief that seems to be the point behind the telling of this second miracle. The circumstances are so similar to the first feeding. Jesus is mobbed by the crowds. He feels compassion for them. He spends all day--actually three straight days this time--healing their sick, and now he doesn't want to send them away hungry. He mentions this concern to the disciples and their response is, "Where would we get so many loaves in a desolate place to satisfy such a great multitude?"

You sort of expect Jesus to raise his eyes at them and wait, his mouth half open with a smile tugging at one corner, as if to say, "You're not serious, right? Tell me this is a joke. Punch line? Punch line please?" But no, the punch line never comes because the disciples are dead serious. Why Jesus! Where on earth would we ever get enough loaves to feed such a multitude, and in such a desolate place--because loaves and multitudes and feedings and desolate places just don't ring a bell with us at all?

The children of Israel saw the parting of the Red Sea, then the next thing you know they're worshipping a golden calf. It doesn't matter how great a miracle is displayed before human eyes, the human heart somehow finds a way to disbelieve. "Yes, but that was then. That was so last week. What have you done for me lately?"

Jesus doesn't betray any impatience, though he must have been exhausted after dealing with three days of non-stop demands. He goes through the exact same ritual. He has everyone sit down. He asks for the loaves. He takes them, blesses them, breaks them, and gives them out for distribution. They eat. They are satified. The disciples collect the leftovers and count the baskets. The repetitiveness is lesson-like. Let's review. Remember this? We've been here before. See how it's the same outcome?

Jesus is very patient, but he does want us to catch on eventually. He's provided for you before, and yet you doubt he will provide again? He's answered so many prayers in the past, and yet you struggle to pray now? Our excuse is that faith feels foolish and illogical. But when you see the disciples' behavior in this story, it becomes apparent that it's really unbelief that is foolish and illogical.