They were completely amazed, for they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
You know what’s most puzzling about Jesus’ students here?
Not the fact they are amazed when Jesus calms the storm, but that they are completely amazed!
They’ve seen Jesus feed 5,000 people with five loaves and two fishes and have leftovers. They were present as He healed the sick. They even saw a little girl raised from the dead!
If Jesus could do all this, wouldn’t they suspect He might just have some power over the weather too?
How can they be completely amazed?
Mark writes - they had not understood about the loaves; their hearts were hardened.
What would Jesus have to do before they would understand who it is they follow?
We’re not sure. Because we don’t know for sure how to let Jesus’ love and power penetrate our own hard hearts.
He’s done amazing things. Came to earth, lived a perfect life, died on the cross for our sins, rose from the dead and made an offer to be our Savior and Teacher.
Haven’t we forgotten about the loaves too!
The Jewish people of Jesus' day were expecting a ruler - an earthly ruler. A physical Kingdom where the Messiah would sit on David's throne in Jerusalem and physically restore Israel to a world super-power as it was in David's day. The disciples were thinking along these lines as well. Even in Acts 1:6, after the death, burial, and resurrection, they are still thinking a physical kingdom - and ask:
ReplyDelete"Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?"
Their preconceived ideas of who the Christ would be limited their understanding of what was going on. Their mindset on the physical blinded them to the spiritual - even when spiritual things were happening around them - walking on water, raising the dead, miracles and wonders.
Maybe they hadn't understood about the bread because they were thinking - in this way he will help restore Israel - who needs supplies when he can feed thousands with a few fish and some bread!?!
So when the storm is calmed - they were completely amazed. And probably so would we be!
Don't we have the same problem? We focus on the physical instead of the spiritual. What of our prayer requests - are they more for physical ailments or spiritual matters? When we get caught up in the physical, we can miss the spiritual things happening around us. So yes, the same caution applies to us today.
As well, do our preconceived ideas of who Jeus is and what he can and can't do today blind us to spiritual blessings that could happen?
How many times lately (in our readings or in our lives) have we seen Jesus do things no one would have expected or believed?
Thus, even when we believe, we should be prepared to be amazed!