I was tempted to go up to the mountain this evening with the dogs to do that run from Timberline to Government Camp…knowing how much they love that kind of excursion. But I guess that’ll have to wait for another opportunity. Using these great LED head lamps, that run is easy to achieve even after dark.
Have you noticed that these guys who were called DISCIPLES OF JESUS were not always on the same page with Jesus? We have one such case in the verse quoted above. The disciples were actually filing a kind of complaint with Jesus. May I use my imagination and paraphrase their intent? “Jesus—we were really squirming when you spoke so harshly to the Pharisees. Are you aware that you actually called them ‘hypocrites?’ You know they had to be pretty offended.” Jesus’ implied reply is something like this: “So what!? I came to speak TRUTH, not to make arrogant self-righteous elitists feel good.”
Here’s another clash of ideas: Peter was representative of the other disciples when he asks Jesus for clarification as to what Jesus really meant when He spoke of what defiles a man. Apparently Peter, like the Pharisees, really thought that the tradition of ceremonial washing was equal with a law of God. To prod Peter into thinking more clearly, Jesus seriously rattled his cage and said, “Are you still so dull?” (15:16). In other words—“Come on, Peter—use your noodle!” Ouch!
One more mismatch appears in verse 23 of this reading where the disciples are irritated with the Canaanite woman who persisted in begging Jesus to deliver her daughter of demon possession. The disciples wanted to send her away. I don’t really know why Jesus appears to be so reluctant in answering her for a time—I think it was a kind of test. He proceeds to actually scald her with what seems to be an ugly statement of prejudiced bigotry—“It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to their dogs” (v. 26). Wow! At this point, however, this woman reveals that she is more on the same page with Jesus than were His own disciples. After all she had connected some vital dots and addressed Him as “Lord, Son of David”—meaning Messiah. Jesus finally commends her with the words, “Woman (She’s no longer a “dog.”), you have great faith. Your request is granted.”
While the disciples give lots of other evidence that they were not entirely with Jesus all the time, they were getting there. So are we. And so we should.