I am often glad that God has this much patience with His servants and disciples.

Here, we see Jesus taking opportunity during a teachable moment with His disciples.  They are complaining about the lack of bread (they had forgotten to bring the bread from the feeding of the four thousand) and Jesus begins to tell them about the leaven of the Pharisees.  "Watch out, beware,"  Jesus says, "for there is something that is worse than ruining physical bread, it is ruining spiritual bread..."

The disciples miss the point.  How often I have done the same.

So Jesus asks them why they do not seem to understand.  He reminds them about the bread that they have just received.  He reminds them about the bountiful excess that comes from obedience.  He asks again, "Do you not yet understand?"

Jesus is trying to help His disciples change their focus.  All they can think about is bread; He wants them to see the Spirit.  And He keeps asking them, do you understand?

I am thankful for the many times that Jesus reminds me to look at the Spirit instead of the body.  I am also thankful that He keeps asking me if I understand - this makes me think that maybe someday, I will.