And the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod.” And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet comprehend or understand? Do you still have your heart hardened? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?” They said to Him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?” And they said to Him, “Seven.” And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:14-21, NASB).
This post introduces a new feature on Darkened Glass Reflections, which I hope will enable me to share several more posts per week. My goal is to share three posts per week of the words of Jesus: Just a brief Gospel reading (taken from the daily prayer lectionary in the Book of Common Prayer) with only a few essential comments, followed by one or two questions to apply Jesus’ teaching to our lives.
The above episode occurred shortly after Jesus had multiplied bread and fish a second time. The religious leaders confronted Him, demanding a sign from heaven, which Jesus refused to give (Mark 8:11-13). They wanted Him to prove that He was the Messiah.
Afterward, when He was alone with His disciples, Jesus said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod” (Mark 8:14). Matthew 16:6 phrases it slightly differently: “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” In each case, He referred to the “leaven” (the yeast) of the people who opposed His ministry. After He reminded them about the multiplication of the loaves, which showed His power over creation, “they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:12).
What kind of leaven (teaching or influence) might oppose Jesus’ presence and work in your life today? How have You seen His power in your life? How can you beware?
Copyright © 2023 Michael E. Lynch. All rights reserved.
Darkened Glass Reflections 
3 responses to “The Words of Christ—Mark 8:14-21”
I don’t really know how to “engage” blogs and teachers in things like this. You obviously have a set of questions you wish to attend, and I should be focused there, it seems.
It’s obvious to me you are a studied Bibe student, not some novice. If you have a program going here, I’m missing the point; I’m sure.
I am a Mark enthusiast. I have studied Mark excessively for years, and as such I have views on Mark I don’t find elsewhere. (Not that I have THE TRUTH cornered… not saying that, but…) I have thoughts about it which don’t fit the standard mold (assuming there is a standard).
Thus, at the risk of disengaging right when attempting to engage, I suggest chapter 8 of Mark is key to understanding HOW to read Mark in general. Mark is hard on the disciples, in a sense. They don’t understand Jesus, according to Mark. They drop their nets and follow (a good choice), but they fumble every move they make afterward all the way until we find that most terrible verse, 14:50.
It is my theory that Mark wants us to wrestle the angel, much like Jacob of old. I believe Mark’s Gospel was penned first and was so troubling to readers that this helps explain why there are three more. Matthew, Luke and John all present Jesus in a far more comforting and triumphant light.
Most of my theory borrows from theorists in academia who have credentials, but I have borrowed a little here and a lot there making mine a unique blend. Some of it is mine, though, and this next element, to my knowledge, is all me and no one else published and scholarly.
I believe Mark wrote this story as something of a recruiter’s pamphlet, at a time (or shortly after) young Jews of fighting age were answering a call to come stand at the temple against the pagan hordes of Rome. Mark, I believe, is calling these young Jews to a different messiah other than John of Gischala or Simon bar Giora, other Jewish Rebel leaders who might have messianic influence for war.
As part of that, I see Mark’s narrative DOING things to the reader other than mere informing. This story persuades too. But it does so very covertly.
All narrative draws a reader into the story. We feel what the protagonist feels, and we take on a yearning for a conclusion that satisfies the protagonist too. But Mark actually draws us into the Gospel (or possibly the converse of this, he makes the Gospel into the world story in which we already live). As such, we readers (let the reader understand (13:14)), become a de facto 13th disciple/apostle in the story.
Do we understand what the others do not?
We have special access to information and to Jesus (even his inner thoughts) that no one else in the narrative has. Jesus’s frustration with the disciples grows, but so does ours, if we are honest.
Chapter 8 is the chapter where the blind man gets healed twice. It’s almost as if Jesus can’t do it, or like he gets tripped up and needs a second run at it. This is unlike YHWH in every other instance throughout the Bible, but Mark’s Jesus heals this man in these two stages since his vision doesn’t clear up the first attempt.
Why?
Is Jesus really incapable?
Or… is it really VISION that is at stake?
Is it even the blind man’s vision we are really dealing with?
These disciples hear bread and that is all they can think.
A few verses later, Jesus begins preaching to them clearly. That’s what the text says. Curious. He’s been preaching only in parables and puzzles since chapter 4, but now all of a sudden, Jesus is stating the matter plainly, and what does he say?
He is going to die.
And Peter rebukes him!
But we, the reader understanding, are coming to the realization that this thing MUST happen.
Just prior to this moment, and shortly after the text you site, Jesus asks the disciples, WHO do the people say I am? And they give some half-way guesses. These are standard views of Jesus such as we already found in Herod.
But Jesus then asks, WHO do YOU say I am?
Mark’s Peter is quick to say, “YOU ARE THE CHRIST!”
But notice, Mark’s Peter stops right there.
His is correct!, but only half right. Matthew’s Jesus has Peter continue with the other half of the right answer, but Mark’s Peter can’t quite cough up this most precious insight. Mark’s Peter sees Jesus like trees walking.
The reader, though….
Hmmm…. Let the reader understand!
Chapter 8, in my theory, teaches us how to read Mark. Chapter 8 is where it becomes clear that WE THE READER, as the 13th apostle, are bearing the burden of insight the others do not have and cannot get. By 14:50, they will all abandon Jesus, but if we continue reading, we do not.
All of this comes to a head at 16:8, the original ending where the women flee the tomb scared, afraid, and troubled, and they don’t tell anyone about the empty tomb or the resurrected Lord! But we the reader are left standing there holding this bag of responsibility.
On the first read through it, we are left stunned too. But if the Holy Spirit has baptized us, as John the Baptist promises in chapter 1, then we do the only thing we can do in this instance. We race back through and read it a second time as fast as we can looking desperately for anything we missed.
Right there in chapter 1, we find Jesus getting up early in the morning and withdrawing to pray. Everyone is looking for him with some measure of fear and disorientation. When they finally do find him, he says, let us go to the towns around here and preach FOR THAT IS WHY I CAME.
Our eyes too are healed in two stages. It’s a chapter 8 thingy. We find we are not that different from those bumbling disciples! And in fact, stating the matter plainly that Jesus must be handed over to evil men and die is truly a troubling plan for our messiah.
Thus, in my view, chapter 8 (including this bit about leaven of Pharisees) is prepping us to understand the function of this Gospel overall. It teaches us HOW TO READ Mark, I think.
I hope this engagement is meaningful…
God bless…
LikeLiked by 1 person
You have really given this a lot of thought. I may not agree with all of your conclusions: I adhere to the view that Mark was basically recording what he learned from Peter.
But you do have some interesting thoughts about the importance of Mark 8. It seems to be a crucial point in Jesus’ ministry and His relationship with the disciples. Also, thank God that the Gospel writers (particularly Mark) were willing to report these struggles. All of us have our moments when we act like Peter, or Thomas, etc. I’ve had a few “Boanerges” moments over the years.
I plan on writing three of these “Words of Jesus” posts per week, and most of them will be in Mark’s Gospel until sometime in September, when the lectionary skips over to Matthew (probably my favorite Gospel) for a few months.
God bless!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I apologize for not being more timely with my response. I get interrupted a lot.
I wanted to say that I know that theory about Mark writing Peter’s Gospel. I cannot prove or disprove it, but I think it is likely. I think when we read Mark, we view Jesus largely through Peter’s eyes. So, I agree with you on that.
LikeLike