The Gospel of Mark 8:14-21

 

Brian Hirvela

7/20/2024

“And they 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 do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? 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?”

Jesus and His disciples had left from Dalmanutha to the other side of the Sea of Galilee, heading for Bethsaida. While on the boat Jesus was commanding them to “Watch out! Beware the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

They had just left the Pharisees who came out to argue with Him and seek a sign from heaven, testing Him. They did so because they refused to believe who Jesus was, the Son of God.

This is why Jesus warned them that the Pharisees, Herodians, and Sadducees had corrupted the truth of God’s word and had established their own traditions. Remember they had the notion that one must wash their hands to be pure internally.

Jesus is quite clear in what He is telling them, but being flawed humans they took it amongst themselves that they did not bring enough loaves of bread. They mistook the term leaven to mean bread. Leaven is an agent like yeast that causes bread to rise.

 Leaven biblically in neither good or bad, but it is used thematically as a measured of growth in relation to sin and the Kingdom of God. Leaven starts off small and grows, thus corruption can start off small and innocuous and grow into a full manifestation of evil and wickedness. Similarly, like the smallest of seeds, a mustard seed, the kingdom of God starts off small and grows into a mighty tree that covers all who are under it for its protection and shade.

Jesus admonishes them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?” Is it any wonder why these twelve men are so dull in what they see and hear?

Jesus fed 5000 people and had five baskets left over, and after feeding 4000 had another seven baskets full of bread. Could they not see that if needed one loaf of bread was sufficient for Jesus to feed just 12 hungry men?

Yet He is more concerned about their understanding of what He is saying. Matthew tells us in chapter 16 that they would understand that they were to “Beware the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

And I want to take this time to warn you of the same. Be watchful and understand that there are many forces out there that will pervert the truth of God for their own gain. Judaizers in Paul travels attempted to persuade the people of Galatia that in order to be saved they must cut off the foreskin and be circumcised. This would render their faith null and void for it was by faith they were saved and not by the law.

Paul encourages the Christian in Colossae to be assured in the full knowledge of Jesus the Christ so that no one would delude them with a persuasive argument. That being “firmly rooted and being built up in Jesus, having been established in their faith—just as you were instructed—and abounding with thanksgiving. So that no one takes them captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, and not according to Christ.”

And this is crux of it all, that in Jesus is the fullness of all wisdom and knowledge. Man cannot supply such wisdom. They twist things to suit their own gain. Look around today, do you not see and understand what is happening?

What ideologies and philosophies have taken you hostage? Are you certain you are propagating the truth when you talk to someone? Have you done the research to know what your expertise is saying?

The other day, I visited a martial art dojo to check out what they do. The teacher took my words and tried to twist them to meet his definition of what would make me awesome. But God, having asked for wisdom saw fit to allow to see the lies and deception.

The teacher’s heart was meaningful in the since that what he thought he was doing was good, but he was only deluding himself and in turn deluding others. And this is what we face every day. We have “truth” coming at us from every tv, phone, radio, newspaper, and schools that are propagating lie after lie.

Remember what Jesus said in Mark chapter 4, “Beware what you listen to. By your standard of measure, it will be measured to you, and more will be given to you.” This verse has stuck with me. I am now more careful about what I listen to and what I learn. I want to be more like Jesus and less like myself, or anyone else.

This is what it means to deny oneself, take up his cross to follow Jesus. I don’t have enough time on a Saturday to really make this any clearer. There is only one way to saved and that is through Jesus the Messiah.

You cannot be saved by who you know or who you are related to, for even not all of Israel is of Israel. You cannot be saved by your own works, for all the work one does to make himself right before God is but filthy, bloody, rags in the sight of God. And you cannot choose to be saved, for no man seeks after God, no, not one. A mans will is weak and because of sin he chooses his sin over God.

But God, He can save you from your sins and open eyes so that you can see, open your ears so that you can hear, and open your heart, so you can love Him and others. Believe in Jesus and repent of your sins.

Jesus came to save sinners. Sinners suppress the truth and hide in their darkness because they love darkness. They are unbelieving, vile, foolish, rebellious, haters of God who have adopted the ideologies of this world and the doctrines of men. They have become slaves to their sexual desires, perverting the flesh and mind, and rebelling against the created order of God. They are doomed to condemnation and will be judged by Jesus and sent to Hell where they will burn for eternity in the lake of fire.

However, God so loved His creation, mankind, that He sent His Son Jesus, who can forgive you of your sins and redeem you because He has the authority and power. Jesus brings eternal life to all who repent and believe. For Jesus bore all our sins; He bore all the sins of all who believe in Him. Jesus was born and lived a perfect life of obedience to God as a man. Jesus was condemned to be executed and die in the sinner's place. He suffered the totality of God's wrath upon Himself on the Cross, which every sinner deserves, so that those who believe in Jesus may have peace with God.

Jesus rose from the dead, conquering death, and lives, and ascended to the right hand of God the Father. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life, and He is in your midst with us offering you salvation, repent, and believe Jesus.