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Dispute With the Pharisees

Text: Mark 8:11-13, Matthew 16:1-4
4 May 2014

DISPUTE WITH THE PHARISEES

1. Not the first time

2. Aggressiveness shown by the Pharisees            Mark 8:11

3. They asked Jesus to produce a sign from heaven            Mark 8:11

4. This request was designed to test Jesus            Mark 8:11

THE RESPONSE OF JESUS

1. In Mark’s Gospel

a) Jesus sighed deeply in His Spirit            Mark 8:12a
b) Rhetorical question – Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation. Mark 8:12b

2. In Matthew’s Gospel

a) He gave a strong reply
b) Rebuking the Pharisees (Popular saying)
i) Red sky at night, shepherds’ delight
ii) Red sky in the morning, shepherds’ warning
c) They were able to discern the face of the sky            Matthew 16:3
d) Why were they were not able to read “the signs of the times?”            Matthew 16:3
e) Rebuke given by the Lord Jesus Christ
i) Hypocrisy!            Matthew 16:3
ii) Wicked and adulterous generation            Matthew 16:4
iii) They seek a sign            Matthew 16:4
iv) No sign will be given except the sign of the prophet Jonah            Matthew 16:4
f) Jesus left the region without doing further ministry
i) He knew that His ministry would be attacked by the Pharisees
ii) His ministry would be seriously impeded

THE SIGNS OF JESUS

1. Beginning of “signs” – turning water into wine            John 2:11

2. Second sign – healing the son of a nobleman            John 4:54

3. Significant signs had been given

a) Feeding of the 5000
b) Feeding of the 4000
c) Healing of the sick
d) Casting out of demons

4. Thus the request by the Pharisees to Jesus to perform a sign from heaven must be regarded as spurious!

POEMS – Charles Tan

#43 I HAVE COMPASSION ON THE MULTITUDES

The multitudes flocked to Jesus because they wanted their needs met,
They would go to any length to see Jesus to obtain whatever they could get.
Some had traveled far to bring their sick in the hope that they would be made well,
And mercifully Jesus showed great compassion and all who came would have a story to tell.

There were so many people who came to see Jesus with their needs,
They were also enthralled for Jesus taught the Word as if it was a living Creed.
Three days had passed quickly and now it was time to leave for home,
Jesus must have been glad that some of the people now had faith and they would no longer roam.

Jesus felt a deep sense of compassion for the multitudes He had taught,
But this deep feeling of affection was something that the Disciples had not yet caught.
They were aghast that Jesus spoke about feeding the multitudes as His wish,
For all they had were seven loaves and a few small fish!

The Disciples seemed to have forgotten who their Master really was,
He had fed five thousand earlier and tis offer to feed four thousand should have met with applause!
The Disciples just lacked that compassion that Jesus had and were hindered by unbelief,
Compassion is a key word that should move the heart to desire to help people find relief.

How Jesus longed for His disciples to have a heart full of compassion just like His,
If only they could see beyond the superficial and look deeper at what they had missed.
Ministry not be mere activity for it involves a deep sense of affection for souls that are lost,
The heart must be filled with Divine love, for deeply meaningful ministry comes at a cost.

Inspiration: Mark 8:2