yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” And they said to one another, “He saw that we
have no bread.”
Aware of this, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about the loaves you are short of?
Do you not see or understand? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that don’t see and
ears that don’t hear? And do you not remember when I broke the five loaves among five
thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Twelve.”
“And having distributed seven loaves to the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of
leftovers did you collect?” They answered, “Seven.” Then Jesus said to them, “Do you
still not understand?”
Reflect
There are several points in the Gospel of Mark, the disciples clearly misunderstand Jesus’
message. Today’s Gospel is one example of such a misunderstanding. Jesus is trying to warn
his disciples about Herod and the Pharisees. Their followers opposed Jesus’ mission and had
even begun plotting Jesus’ death.
Jesus calls the Pharisees and Herodians “yeast.: It’s an evocative image, but it may be unfamiliar
to those who don’t do much baking. (Yeast leavens baked goods, such as bread, making them rise.
A very small amount of yeast can leaven a large amount of bread, pervading the other ingredients.
In the same way, hate, distrust, and anger can pervade relationships, destroying them from the
inside out. Jesus cautions his disciples to be aware of the effects of such damaging yeast. Instead,
we need to keep our eyes, ears, and minds open for opportunities to love those we meet as Jesus
loves us. That is the heart of Jesus’ often misunderstood mission.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023