The Petrified Soul

Simon, by his outspoken nature, became the voice for the twelve disciples. When they were all wondering what Jesus was saying, more often than not, Simon was the one to ask for an explanation. Simon was never afraid to say that he didn't understand. He was the only disciple to ever disagree with Jesus.

In Matthew 15, Jesus answered the objections raised by the Pharisees that His disciples did not wash their hands in the prescribed way when they ate. The Jewish religious leaders had developed elaborate washing rituals these practices as a way to show their piety and keep from defiling themselves. Jesus challenged the validity of the practice because He said it is not what a man puts in His body that defiles him. Instead, it is that evil within him that causes him to be unclean.

Jesus was not against good sanitation practices. Rather, He abhorred religious pretense and legalism. Jesus defended the actions of His disciples and pointed out how the Pharisees violate the laws of God when it serves their purpose. This, of course, offended the religious Jews . After all, who was Jesus to lecture them - right? Jesus went even further to quote a Jewish prophecy. He characterized them as people who honor God with their lips but their hearts are far from Him.

The disciples cautioned Jesus about offending the Pharisees. And even though the Bible never states as such, I am sure that Simon was one of those disciples who was trying to save Jesus from Himself. Jesus said, "Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch." Simon wanted this statement to be explained. He couldn't seem to understand why Jesus made a fuss with the Pharisees and kept on offending them. He wanted to know the meaning of the parable. And he probably struggled to understand why Jesus couldn't just get with the program like everyone else?

Doggedly determined to hold to the truth, Jesus lovingly asked, "Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man." Just like the religious leaders, Simon focused on the external situation.

The disciples always seemed to get preoccupied by the physical reality of the situation. Jesus frequently used physical things to explain spiritual concepts. Christ wanted Simon to see that it is what is on the inside that truly counts. While everyone may see the outside, it is what goes on inside a man that determines His purity.

The Pharisees were blind guides because they focused on the wrong thing. They had the wrong heart as they went about following the Law. Jesus did not want His followers making the same mistake. Jesus demonstrated the proper role of a leader. He defended His people against unwarranted criticism while trying to teach through the moment. He refused to be bullied or trapped by the Pharisees.

When challenged, Jesus was more than wiling to play Scriptural ping pong with the best scholars of His day. He never did this though to feed His ego or tear down others. Jesus said even harsh words out of a desire to see people come to an understanding of the Father's heart and will. These lessons must have proved helpful as Simon later in life had to stand up against the religious leaders who would accuse him of teaching false doctrine.

A ruler of the synagogue named Jairus came to Jesus begging for Him to intervene and save the life of his daughter. Jairus fell at Jesus' feet and in humility asked for a miracle. Given the controversy surrounding Jesus, this is something that had to be difficult for Jairus to do. What would the other religious leader think? But this man had to come to the point where he did not care. He was desperate. If something didn't happen, his little girl could die.

Jairus had come to the end of his resources. He must have felt helpless, and Jesus had compassion on him. This episode proved to be a great teachable moment for Simon. While on the road, people pressed around Jesus and one woman touched His garment. He felt virtue and power go out from Him. Jesus stopped to ask who touched Him. Simon dismissed the question by basically saying that the crowds were all around Him. Anybody could have done it. But Jesus was not talking about any normal touch. This was the touch of a person who believed. This touch was different because Jesus knew power had gone out of Him.

A women with a rare blood disease came forth and admitted to her act. She was healed. This disruption delayed them enough that Jairus' daughter died in the process. I am sure that Jairus must have felt heartbroken. The answer was so close. But it didn't come in time. He may have thought, 'if we had only hurried.'

Jesus immediately dismissed the news of the daughter's death. Bad news has never been a problem for Jesus. He trusted in the power of His Father. Jesus turned to Jairus and said, "Be not afraid, only believe." He hit on the major enemy of faith - fear. Jesus called Jairus to believe.
Only the girl's parents and a few key disciples were allowed in the house. Everyone else who had already gathered to mourn the girl was put out of the house. They were making such a loud noise with their sorrow that it made the situation difficult for Jesus. They laughed at Jesus when He said that the girl was not dead just sleeping. Jesus cleansed the house of disturbances and anything that could disturb His work.

Jesus went into the girl's room with her parents, Simon, James and John. Without much elaborate fanfare or any great pageantry, Jesus went about His task with complete confidence. He touched the girl by taking her hand. Then He spoke to her and told her to arise.

Immediately, the girl got up and walked around the room. According to Mark 5, the girl was twelve years old. Everyone in the room was astonished, except, of course, Jesus. He knew what would happen. He acted in faith when He went to heal the girl.

Jesus then forbids anyone to publicize the event or make a big deal about it. This miracle was done for God's purposes not to enhance the reputation of Jesus’ ministry. Then Jesus told them to give the girl something to eat.

Simon was there for this entire situation. He saw it from start to finish. He saw how Jesus brushed aside bad news, the laughter of the crowd and even the doubt of those closest to the miracle. Simon saw how Jesus calmly dealt with the situation and did it in a very non-religious way. The miracle occurred to honor God and His purposes.

Simon saw that Jesus stopped to reward a woman for her faith along the way. While each step for Jesus was deliberate, He never got in hurry. What is time to God? Each of these moments became valuable teaching lessons to Simon. He discovered how God has called His people to wake the dead. This miracle happened as a foreshadowing of Jesus' power over death. It helped Simon see that all things are truly possible with God for those who believe. Death is not greater than the power of God.

The people believed that there was hope for recovery as long as the girl remained alive. But once she died, they felt all hope was gone. They saw death as the end of the line. Jesus did not look at the situation the same way. He knew that He had the power over the grave. Simon witnessed the power of God even when it came to death.

God specializes in bringing dead things back to life. Jesus called Simon to do likewise. We are all called to wake the dead by bringing the life of Jesus to a dying world. Sometimes this requires raising the physical body of a dead person. But most of the time, God wants us to bring His life to those who are spiritually dead.

After the miraculous feeding of the five thousand near the Sea of Galilee, the men marveled at the works of Jesus. They thought that Jesus was the prophet who would come and change everything. This was the Messiah who would save Israel. Immediately, their desires and imaginations started to run wild. Jesus perceived what the crowds were thinking. He knew that they would come and seize Him. They would try to make Him king by force. But this was not the will of God.

Even though the people would follow Him if He simply gave the word, Jesus refused to give into the temptation of power or the will of the crowd. He dismissed the crowd and departed into a mountain to be alone. Jesus knew that the crowds were impressed. But He did not come to win the admiration of men. Jesus came to do the will of His Father.

By walking away, Jesus modeled for His disciples what is important. Jesus showed them to not be swayed by public opinion. A true disciple must answer to a higher authority - the voice of God. Impressed by the food that Jesus provided, many followed Jesus to Capernaum. They had their fill and wanted more. They desired a kingdom of feasts, prosperity and blessing.

Like people today, they came to Jesus because of what He could do for them. The crowds wanted to see what Jesus would do next. They expected for something greater than just one miraculous feeding. They wanted a new kingdom designed to their desires. But Jesus sorely disappointed the crowd.

At what could have been the moment that catapulted Jesus to greatness in the eyes of the crowd, Jesus destroyed any such fantasies. Jesus spoke harsh yet truthful words. He challenged the people's notion of Messiah and God's Kingdom on earth. This was even difficult for the twelve disciples to swallow. But they did not dare leave their Rabbi.

When the people first saw Jesus after He walked on water, they inquired how he had gotten on the other side of the sea. If Jesus had wanted to impress the crowd even further, he could have done so. Instead, He refused to give them what they wanted - even greater signs and miracles. They wanted the glory of God without having to pay the price of faith.

Jesus challenged the people because they saw the miracles and still did not believe. They were there because they lusted for more goodies. They wanted even greater signs. They wanted more free lunch. Jesus encouraged them to seek the meat that lasts forever not just the temporary delights of the physical world. Jesus called the people to seek "meat which endureth unto everlasting life." The people then sought a formula or instructions. They wanted to know how they could do the works that would please God. Jesus took the focus off themselves and put it on His work. Jesus said, "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent."

Jesus' words and previous miracles were not good enough. They wanted something more. The people wanted Jesus to outdo what "Moses" had done. But Jesus was not there to amuse or impress the crowd. He was there to do the will of His Father. Jesus aptly pointed out that God not man provided manna from heaven.

All true acts of divine power come from God not man. While God may choose to use man, the power resides with God alone. Jesus went on to declare Himself as the bread of life that has come down from heaven to give life to the world.

It can be real easy to read over this section and miss the significance. Jesus declared in the above statement that salvation belongs to more than just the Jesus. The bread of life exists to feed the world.

The Jews of Jesus' day thought of the Messiah as a leader who would restore the Jews and establish a Jewish, earthly kingdom. Jesus challenged their prejudices and preconceived notions. Also, Jesus said that He came down from heaven. This was hard for the crowd to accept because they knew His family. The reality of what they knew in their mind kept them from believing what they sensed within their soul.

Jesus very words struck at their religious traditions and beliefs. The thought of eating human flesh would have been just as repulsive then as it is today for most people. Jesus said that they would have to drink of His blood. Eating or drinking blood was prohibited by the law according to Leviticus 7:26-27. But Jesus spoke of His work on the cross not physical drinking His blood. The common people could not see the spiritual truth behind the physical mystery of Jesus' words.

Jesus declared to His disciples, "I am that bread of life." This was the first of Jesus' great "I AM" statements. Jesus contrasts Moses' manna and the bread of life. One is temporary, the other is eternal. One is physical, the other is primarily spiritual. One is by experience, the other comes by faith.

Jesus did not say these controversial statements in secret. No, He proclaimed them while teaching in the synagogue. Jesus took the pulpit and said stuff that nobody else would have ever dared to say. Many people said they could not follow this teaching or understand it. Jesus asked his disciples, "Does this offend you too?" Jesus said, "It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."

The crowds focused on the flesh while Jesus was trying to point them to the truth as revealed by the Holy Spirit. Many walked away from Jesus at that moment. What could have become the launch pad to His "ministry career" ended up costing Him many followers. Even His twelve closest disciples did not know what to think. Jesus asked if they would leave Him too. Then Simon answered, "Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life." Simon went on to declare that they believed Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God.

Notice the words of Simon. The twelve had come too far and seen too much to turn back now. They were sure of Jesus' identity. And although the words that Jesus spoke were hard, they were flat out of other options. Jesus spoke the words of eternal life. When Jesus spoke, things happened. When Jesus spoke, life sprang forth. When Jesus spoke, eternal hope came to those who received His teaching.

Simon's response reveals the true heart of many disciples today. The words of Jesus are difficult now just as they were back then. Christ's teaching does not always cause warm fuzzies. It can be as violent and disturbing as a sword in the gut. Yet, it remains the only option to those who desire eternal life.