That messenger was John the Baptist, who appeared in the desert near the Jordan River preaching that people should be ritually cleansed through baptism with water as a sign of both their changed hearts and God’s forgiveness of their sins.

Jesus knew their hearts. He called to the man with the withered hand. Jesus: Come to Me.

Jesus was furious as He looked out over the crowd, and He was grieved by their hard hearts. Jesus (to the man with the withered hand): So be it. Stretch out your hand. The man stretched forth his hand; and as he did, it was completely healed.

Jesus: When you bring a lamp into the house, do you put it under a box or stuff it under your bed? Or do you set it on top of a table or chest?

although they had just witnessed the miracle of Jesus feeding 5,000 with bread and fish, and other signs besides, they didn’t understand what it all meant and their hearts remained hard.

When they finished their journey, they landed the boat in Gennesaret.

Jesus: Isaiah prophesied wisely about your religious pretensions when he wrote, These people honor Me with words off their lips; meanwhile their hearts are far from Me.

because it doesn’t go into their hearts. Outside things go through their guts and back out, thus making all foods pure.

It’s what grows out of the hearts of people that leads to corruption: evil thoughts, immoral sex, theft, murder, adultery, greed, wicked acts, treachery, sensuality, jealousy, slander, pride, and foolishness.

From there Jesus and His followers traveled to the region of Tyre [and Sidon] on the Mediterranean coast. He hoped to slip unnoticed into a house, but people discovered His presence.

Jesus (overhearing them): Why are you focusing on bread? Don’t you see yet? Don’t you understand? You have eyes—why don’t you see? You have ears—why don’t you hear? Are you so hard-hearted? Don’t you remember when I broke the five rounds of flatbread among the 5,000? Tell Me, how many baskets of scraps were left over? Disciples: Twelve.

He sat down with the twelve to teach them. Jesus: Whoever wants to be first must be last, and whoever wants to be the greatest must be the servant of all.

Jesus: Moses gave you this law as a concession because of the hardness of your hearts.

The young man went away sick at heart at these words because he was very wealthy,

You should love the Eternal, your God, with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”

and to love God with all our heart and soul and mind and strength and to love our neighbors as ourselves are more important than any burnt offering or sacrifice we could ever give.

You will hear of wars, or that war is coming, but don’t lose heart. These things will have to happen, although it won’t mean the end yet.

Jesus: My heart is so heavy; I feel as if I could die. Wait here for Me, and stay awake to keep watch.

The eleven did not believe until Jesus appeared to them all as they sat at dinner. He rebuked them for their hard hearts—for their lack of faith—because they had failed to believe those witnesses who had seen Him after He had risen.