Matthew 16:1 says, The Pharisees also with the Sadducees came, and tempting desired him that he would shew them a sign from heaven. The Pharisees came with the Sadducees this time, desiring to tempt Jesus by asking Him for a sign from heaven. These were two of the most religious groups of those who were God's chosen people. We as Christians, God's chosen people today, should not tempt God by asking for any sign from heaven for any reason. Verse two states, He answered and said unto them, When it is evening, ye say, It will be fair weather: for the sky is red. Verse three adds, And in the morning, It will be foul weather to day: for the sky is red and lowering. O ye hypocrites, ye can discern the face of the sky; but can ye not discern the signs of the times? Jesus told them that they could look at the sky and tell what the weather was going to be, and called them hypocrites because they could not read the signs of the times spiritually. Verse four declares, A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them, and departed. Jesus said a wicked and adulterous generation asked for a sign, and the only sign that would be given was the sign of Jonah, who was in the belly of the whale for three days and then resurrected to life. Then, Jesus left them. The only sign that we really need to be concerned with today is the sign of the cross, and then all the other signs of the times will take care of themselves. We should not look for the return of Christ as a justification for Christians, though it will be, but as a failure to reach all the lost of the world. Verse five says, And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. When the disciples came to the other side where Jesus was, they had forgotten to bring bread. How often do we come to Jesus empty handed? Verse six declares, Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Jesus did not address the lack of bread, but instead gave the disciples a spiritual warning. They were to beware of the leaven, or teachings, of the Pharisees and Sadducees, those who were very religious in the eyes of man but were lost in the eyes of God. Verse seven adds, And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. The disciples reasoned among themselves and came to the conclusion that Jesus was talking about their not bringing bread. When we reason among ourselves about God without going to the source, God Himself, through the leadership of the Holy Spirit, we may likewise come to the wrong conclusions about what God is saying to us. Verse eight declares, Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? When Jesus knew what they were doing, He called them weak and of little faith because of their thinking that He was talking about bread. We should never allow the things of this world to come between God and us. Verse nine adds, Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Jesus asked the disciples if they had forgotten the feeding of the five thousand with five loaves and all the leftovers. Verse ten continues, Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Jesus added the feeding of the four thousand and all that was left over to the question. Jesus had not only shown the disciple once, but had shown them twice, that He could meet heir physical needs, so he wondered at their lack of understanding about what He was really saying. We should be careful that we do not make our faith in Jesus about material things. God will always meet our needs if we put our faith in Him. Verse eleven asks, How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Jesus asked them how they could think He was talking about bread when He warned them about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. We should never attempt to make God's word about material things, but should always look for the spiritual meaning. Verse twelve says, Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. Then, after coming to Jesus, or Him coming to them, for the answer, the disciples understood that Jesus was warning them about the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees and not about bread. We must come to Jesus through the leadership of the Holy Spirit if we really want to understand the word of God.
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