Sermon Tone Analysis

Backstory

Our Scripture begins with this demand.

Miracle?

They want a miracle now?

What about the previous miracles?

You see, here Jesus fed 5,000 with 5 loaves of bread and 2 fish

The Disciples were concerned with $$$ enough to buy food.

Jesus miraculously provided.

Fast forward a bit, and here is Jesus doing it again...

In the beginning of ch 8, Jesus feeds 4,000

7 loaves of bread & a few small fish

This is the second time Jesus feeds many with only a little.

again

This miracle was again WITH the 12 disciples present.

The Disciples were concerned again with HOW they could feed so many.

They were worried about limited resources.

Again, Jesus provided.

But this time, Jesus had the Disciples distribute the food.

They were part of the miracle!

Two of life’s most common main concerns are:

Having enough money

and, having enough resources

Isn’t it interesting that in both cases, Jesus was the one who provided?

Time and time again, Jesus demonstrated His divinity, authority, & power to His followers.

I count 23 previous miracles from Jesus (recorded).

Has God ever worked a miracle in your life?

If so, what was your reaction?

Is it still fresh in your memory?

Did it have to do with money or resources?

Was it clearly a miracle?

IOW, What made it a miracle?

Sometimes we miss the miracles & blessings God bestows upon us.

Even the one’s right in front of our eyes.

Enter the Pharisees...

“We want a sign!”

After the feeding of the 4k, Jesus & the Disciples head out in a boat for Dalmanutha.

When they arrive, they were recognized and...

The pharisees began to argue with Jesus… They began testing Him.

They wanted a “...miraculous sign from heaven...”

and Jesus seems to just say “NO”.

Two points here:

1) What do the Pharisees mean by a miraculous sign from heaven?

Aren’t all signs miraculous & from heaven?

2) Did Jesus really say that the current generation would not get a sign?

After all, didn’t we just see 24 signs?

I did some cultural & language digging:

First

“A sign from heaven” does not refer to the author of the sign—a sign from God. Signs by their very nature came from God, so that the phrase “a sign from God” is redundant.

The Pharisees specifically ask for a sign “from heaven.”

They have in mind a peculiar type of sign distinct from another sign they may have requested.

Jeffery Gibson in the “Journal for the Study of the New Testament” argues that “a sign from heaven” refers to “apocalyptic phenomena which embody or signal the onset of aid and comfort for God’s elect and/or the wrath that God was expected to let loose against his enemies and those who threaten his people.”

This generation, represented by the Pharisees, asks Jesus to do something that will signal Israel’s deliverance from her enemies and their crushing defeat.

A sign from heaven is something that “is apocalyptic in tone, triumphalistic in character, and the embodiment of one of the ‘mighty deeds of deliverance’ that God had worked on Israel’s behalf in rescuing it from slavery.”

Ironically, this request comes after the miraculous feeding, a miracle that pointed to the blessing, not the destruction, of Gentiles.

Jesus refuses to give the Pharisees a sign from heaven because God has sent him to give his life on the cross for all humanity, not to smash the enemies of Israel or to give the nation political mastery of the world.

He will not give in to pressure to take a course of action different from God’s purposes.

Garland, David E.. Mark (The NIV Application Commentary Book 2) (pp.

308-309).

Zondervan.

Kindle Edition.

All of Jesus’ signs and miracles were life giving and blessings, and never for the sake of showing power alone.

Jesus’ response?

“I tell you the truth, I will not give this generation any such sign.”

Can you see the similarity to Israel’s wandering in the wilderness?

Jesus is using similar language with the Pharisees.

This Generation = Pharisees

A little more digging into the ANE culture & language, and there is a “snarky” nuance to Jesus’ response.

The text literally reads,

“If a sign will be given to this generation.”

and it is part of an oath formula.

“I’ll see you tomorrow, if the Lord’s willing and the creek don’t rise.”

If this scripture were spoken today, it may read:

“If a sign will be given to this generation.”

…may God strike me down!

I love when scripture comes off the pages and becomes animated.

So, let me ask:

What signs have you asked Jesus for?

Were they requests for signs of power, to prove something?

Or, were they for the benefit & blessing of someone?

Another lesson learned by the Disciples, from dealings with the Pharisees.

Or is it?

What will we do?

SO, Jesus and the Disciples get back into their boat and head out for the other side of the lake.

Previously, Jesus worked miracles with the Disciples while on a boat.

The Disciples had a first-hand view of the Authority & Power of Jesus.

In an earlier scene the were witness to Jesus walking on water, where they had a first-hand view to the Divinity of Jesus

So, twice (in a boat) the disciples saw miracles.

Maybe this time they would catch on.

Would their hearts still be hardened and unable to comprehend?

Jesus, knew ahead of time what was going to happen next.

“Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and of Herod.”

Wait what?

Let’s look at the verbiage here.

First we must understand that Yeast is synonymous with Leaven.

And, leaven symbolized corruption and the infectious power of evil in the OT.

We think of yeast as something good that makes dough sweet and makes it rise and give it a light airy texture.

However, leaven had “dangerous” stigma in OT times.

Why?

It was produced by keeping back a piece of the previous week’s dough, storing it in suitable conditions, and adding juices to promote the process of fermentation.

But this homemade rising agent was fraught with health hazards because it could easily become tainted; it would then spread poison when baked with the rest of the dough.

It, in turn, would infect the next batch.13