If Jesus had such a problem with His first disciples, is it possible that He has similar issues with us? Could we also have hardened our minds such that the light of His Word cannot penetrate deep within us? Pride is one of the things that can set our hearts when we talk of ourselves as higher and better than everyone else. Pride will lift our spirits above the Word of the Lord. On hearing the word “leaven”, Jesus’ disciples assumed He was talking about bread and whether they had carried enough. It was not the only time they had so grossly misunderstood what Jesus meant, even though they spoke the same language as Him.
The term “hardened hearts” refers to a person so used to a particular idea that they refuse to take it on board when a better one is shared with them. The disciples of Jesus were like that.
“But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?’” (Mk 8:17). The Lord rebuked His disciples and described their hearts as hardened. The word that Jesus used carries the idea of “covering with a thick skin” or becoming dull in understanding. Teacher Jesus had trouble getting His disciples to understand His message. The Jews had grown up viewing the Scriptures from the traditional perspective of their religious seats. When Jesus came, He shone new light on the Scriptures. It was that unique light that the disciples found challenging to accept. Some things like pain and power, for example, harden our hearts.
Pain: Our hearts can be hardened when we go through painful experiences, especially when repeated.
Power: Our hearts can also be hardened when we have so much authority in this life. Whether through our positions or prosperity, power can intoxicate us to see ourselves better than everyone else.
Scriptures.
But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them because they are spiritually discerned. (2 Cor 2:14).
Then I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within them, and take the stony heart out of their flesh, and give them a heart of flesh. (Eze 11:19).
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me. (Ps 51:10).
