Mark 8:14-15 - The Leaven of the Pharisees and the Leaven of Herod

Mark 8:14-15
14 And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. 15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

Message: The Leaven of the Pharisees and the Leaven of Herod

Time: Mark's personal connection with Peter gave him the source material for this book. This book was composed probably between AD 57 and AD 59. It's a book that is on the move, leading to the cross. 39 times is the word 'immediately' used. Mark reveals Jesus as God's servant, reaching into the lives of people and effecting physical and circumstantial change.

What the Lord is Saying: 

Preface: Jesus continues his journey to preach the Gospel: Repent and Believe. But not everyone believes. He sees in people differences of belief and unbelief. Along the way Jesus has a desire to meet people's needs as many have needs and have sacrificed much simply to come see and hear from Him. But the Pharisees are also questioning Him, seeing in Him something much different from the tradition of the time. Most recently, he has declared to the Pharisees that he isn't there to put on a magic show and show them a sign as he knows mere signs will not bring them to faith.

Those questions from the Pharisees in verses 11-13 were an interlude and now Jesus comes back to the disciples, who were with him, entering a boat, on their way to the district of Dalmanutha, the region of Galilee. After feeding the 4000, they ate and were satisfied; and they picked up seven large baskets full of what was left over of the broken pieces. Then Jesus entered the boat with His disciples. And now we read they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them. So after feeding 4,000 and having bread left over they got into the boat, but left the bread behind or maybe they had sent it with the 4,000 people who were returning their journey home. Either way, they did not have bread. 

But Jesus wants to teach them something through this process as he always does. It is like he can't seem to get through a message with the disciples. They continue to make their decisions about what they can see in front of them. Jesus is trying to have them look at life through His eyes and what God can provide. They are not to look at life just with one sense: their eyes. The message of the Gospel includes beholding the Power of God and believing in it. It is believing that God can change circumstances beyond what we can see or even according to our understanding (Prov. 3:5). It is trusting in the power of God. It is a sobering lesson and reminder to me as I navigate through life. Is my hope in life short-sighted? 

Jesus transitions to a statement on leaven. Leaven expands dough. Leaven or yeast ferments the starches in the dough and cause the dough to increase in size. Without it, the dough would just be flat and not rise. One does not need much leaven, but just a little is needed. Leaven is a common term used in the Bible and it generally is speaking of sin in a person. The little amount of sin, while seemingly insignificant has far-reaching outcomes. 


So, Jesus says Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Look out, even the little amount of leaven that the Pharisees bring forward can transform what is good and useful into something bad and useless. It is unclear exactly what was being referred to that would taint things, but no matter, there is the warning that a little can change a lot in life. 

I notice this. In life we tend to call out the big sins: murder, corruption, embezzlement, adultery, alcoholic or other addictions - we call out the things that society might throw you in a jail cell or prison for a long time. Right now, in our country the issue is sexual harassment. And that itself is a good example, because that is something that may seem insignificant to one person, but to another person, the offending party, it materializes into something bigger. I notice in life then that what we often do is dance with danger. In a subtle manner, we allow things to come into our lives and view them as harmless and over time they take over. 

I continue to be amazed at American society and this age of entertainment in which we live in. All o life seems to center on this, to the point that we are now in a constant state of not simply rewriting our morals, but abandoning them. So, we must be careful, as Numbers points out, be careful in our lives of what we are allowing to effect it.  

Summary: Jesus continues to teach through all of life's circumstances. This is the amazing thing about Jesus is he takes any situation and teaches. Here the disciples have gotten on a boat without the food they had and Jesus startles them with the idea that they need to be aware of how they can in a subtle way be drawn away. He uses the bread to speak of the leaven. Don't get caught up in what you don't have.  

Promise: From Tabletalk - When we harden our hearts even just a little bit and refuse to obey God on what we might consider a minor matter, we introduce leaven in our lives that can spread to other areas. It is imperative, therefore, that we regularly repent of our disobedience and seek to obey the Lord in all of life. We should be striving for obedience in all matters, not just the really "big" ones.  

Prayer: Lord, help me to value all of life and to take seriously all my choices  of how I spend my time. I want to not only glorify you, but protect myself from the way I allow matter into my life that does not please you. Guard us Lord.