Mk. 8.14-21  Pharisees' Leaven (Mt. 16.5-12)

14  Καὶ ἐπελάθοντο λαβεῖν ἄρτους καὶ εἰ μὴ ἕνα ἄρτον οὐκ εἶχον μεθ᾽ ἑαυτῶν ἐν τῷ πλοίῳ.
14  And they had forgotten to take bread, and did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.

 15  καὶ διεστέλλετο αὐτοῖς λέγων· ὁρᾶτε, βλέπετε ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ τῆς ζύμης Ἡρῴδου.
 15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod."
B1 Leaven. A figurative description of the self-centered of both the Pharisees and Herod Antipas (see Lk. 12.2; 1 Cor. 5.6-8; Gal. 5.9).

C1. Leaven. The growing corruption of Pharisees and Herod. Leaven was a common Jewish metaphor for an invisible, pervasive influence. Its use here as a corrupting influence was an appropriate image to use in describing the subtle but pervasive control the religious leaders had on society. Like leaven that works its way into fresh dough, spreading out through the bread until its effects are evident in the entire batch, so their ideas were gradually infiltrating men’s minds until they had penetrated and permeated every part of their thinking. In this context, the leaven of the Pharisees must be linked with their desire to see a sign, because they did not believe in Jesus’ identity. Herod also wanted a sign (Luke 23:8). This unbelieving attitude, like leaven, had started to permeate the general population.

D1 Leaven. Jewish people had to remove it, on pain of being cut off from Israel, in preparation for the first Passover and for all Passovers thereafter (Exod 12:14-20). In some Jewish traditions the removal of yeast came to symbolize the future purification of God’s redeemed people (cf. 1 Cor 5:1-8). The metaphor is appropriate because Jesus’ death on Passover (see note on 14:12-26) belongs to his inauguration of Israel’s new exodus-in which the impure attitudes of Herod and the Pharisees have, like yeast, no place (see note on 1:2-3). The Pharisees (see note on 2:16) have been the most prominent opponents of Jesus (2:16,18,24; 3:6; 7:1), and Herod executed John (1:14; 6:14-28; cf. 3:6). If Jesus’ disciples are to participate in this new redemption, they must rid themselves of the pride and self-deceit-that which comes from the heart is what defiles (7:14-23)-that led the Pharisees and Herod to oppose the inbreaking kingdom of God (cf. 1 Cor 5:6-8). In preparation for the first announcement of Jesus’ coming death (v. 31), this warning introduces a major theme in Mark’s next section (8:22-10:52). Tragically, confronted by the prospect of a suffering Messiah, Jesus’ followers consistently show themselves in jeopardy of the yeast of Herod and the Pharisees (v. 32; 9:34,38; 10:37,41).

16  καὶ διελογίζοντο πρὸς ἀλλήλους ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχουσιν.
16  They began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread.
B1 they had no bread. Inability to to grasp spiritual truths. 

17  καὶ γνοὺς λέγει αὐτοῖς· τί διαλογίζεσθε ὅτι ἄρτους οὐκ ἔχετε; οὔπω νοεῖτε οὐδὲ συνίετε; πεπωρωμένην ἔχετε τὴν καρδίαν ὑμῶν;
17  And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet see or understand? Do you have a hardened heart?

18  ὀφθαλμοὺς ἔχοντες οὐ βλέπετε καὶ ὦτα ἔχοντες οὐκ ἀκούετε; καὶ οὐ μνημονεύετε,
18  "HAVING EYES, DO YOU NOT SEE? AND HAVING EARS, DO YOU NOT HEAR? And do you not remember,
B1 Eyes and Ears. The Pharisees reject Jesus' teaching outright, the disciples are slow to appreciate it. The figurative reference to eyes and ears echoes the healings of the deaf man (7.31-35) and the blind man (8.22-26). Jesus wants to open the "ears" and "eyes" of the disciples' hearts. [Jer. 5.21]

19  ὅτε τοὺς πέντε ἄρτους ἔκλασα εἰς τοὺς πεντακισχιλίους, πόσους κοφίνους κλασμάτων πλήρεις ἤρατε; λέγουσιν αὐτῷ· δώδεκα.
19  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."

20  ὅτε τοὺς ἑπτὰ εἰς τοὺς τετρακισχιλίους, πόσων σπυρίδων πληρώματα κλασμάτων ἤρατε; καὶ λέγουσιν [αὐτῷ]· ἑπτά.
20  "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."

21  καὶ ἔλεγεν αὐτοῖς· οὔπω συνίετε;
21  And He was saying to them, "Do you not yet understand?"
A1 Do you not yet understand? The disciples in Mark’s Gospel often misunderstood the miracles of Jesus as well as his teaching. Between Matthew, Mark, and Luke, Mark paints the most revealing portrait of the shortcomings of the Twelve (cf. 6:51-52; 7:17-19; 8:1-10, 14-21, 27-30, 33; 9:5, 10, 33; 10:28, 35-45; 14:19, 29-31, 32-37, 50, 66-72).

B1 Do you not yet understand? When Jesus had twice multiplied food, the disciples were supposed to understand the significance of these miracles: he who stands before them is none other than the eternal creator and giver of life (cf. Col. 1.15-20).  

Reflections
1 How can we recognize that the "yeast" is still active today?
2 How does Jesus make our heart "softer"?

Mk. 8.22-26  Healing of a Blind Man (No parellel passage)

22  Καὶ ἔρχονται εἰς Βηθσαϊδάν. Καὶ φέρουσιν αὐτῷ τυφλὸν καὶ παρακαλοῦσιν αὐτὸν ἵνα αὐτοῦ ἅψηται.
22  And they came to Bethsaida. And they brought a blind man to Jesus and implored Him to touch him.

23  καὶ ἐπιλαβόμενος τῆς χειρὸς τοῦ τυφλοῦ ἐξήνεγκεν αὐτὸν ἔξω τῆς κώμης καὶ πτύσας εἰς τὰ ὄμματα αὐτοῦ, ἐπιθεὶς τὰς χεῖρας αὐτῷ ἐπηρώτα αὐτόν· εἴ τι βλέπεις;
23  Taking the blind man by the hand, He brought him out of the village; and after spitting on his eyes and laying His hands on him, He asked him, "Do you see anything?"
B1 "out of the village". Jesus led the blind man out of the village, perhaps to be away from elements of unbelief and hostility. 

24  καὶ ἀναβλέψας ἔλεγεν· βλέπω τοὺς ἀνθρώπους ὅτι ὡς δένδρα ὁρῶ περιπατοῦντας.
24  And he looked up and said, "I see men, for I see them like trees, walking around."
Double "see", two different Greek words to express. Emphasis?

B1 Double "see".  In the context of 7.3-8.26, and especially in light of Jesus' focs on the disciples of lack of understanding (8.17-21), the man's answer may be analogous to their limited understanding of Jesus. The see him vaguely, just as the blind man see people merely like trees walking. Jesus' healing of the man in two stages may have been intended to emphasize this fact. This interpretation is supported by the fact that vv. 22-26 contain no less than nine terms related to "seeing".

25  εἶτα πάλιν ἐπέθηκεν τὰς χεῖρας ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμοὺς αὐτοῦ, καὶ διέβλεψεν καὶ ἀπεκατέστη καὶ ἐνέβλεπεν τηλαυγῶς ἅπαντα.
25  Then again He laid His hands on his eyes; and he looked intently and was restored, and began to see everything clearly.

26  καὶ ἀπέστειλεν αὐτὸν εἰς οἶκον αὐτοῦ λέγων· μηδὲ εἰς τὴν κώμην εἰσέλθῃς.
26  And He sent him to his home, saying, "Do not even enter the village."

Reflection
1 In understanding Jesus, what is my vision? Almost blind. Seeing blur images. 2020 vision.