In Mark 8:14–21, the disciples had forgotten to bring bread with them on the boat, except for one loaf. Jesus used this situation to teach them an important lesson.
Passage Overview
Verses 14–16: The disciples realize they have only one loaf of bread and begin to worry about not having enough to eat. Jesus, aware of their concern, warns them to "watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." The disciples, misunderstanding, think He is talking about the lack of bread.
Verses 17–21: Jesus then questions the disciples, reminding them of the two recent miracles where He fed thousands of people with just a few loaves of bread (the feeding of the 5,000 and the 4,000). He asks them how many basketfuls of leftovers were collected after each miracle, and they answer correctly. Jesus ends by asking, "Do you still not understand?"
What Had the Disciples Forgotten?
The disciples had forgotten about the miraculous provision of food that Jesus had already performed. Despite witnessing Jesus' power to provide abundantly from very little, they were still anxious about their immediate lack of bread.
The Point Jesus Made
Jesus was emphasizing that they were missing the deeper meaning of His miracles and teachings. Their focus on physical needs, like bread, prevented them from understanding spiritual truths. Jesus wanted them to recognize that He was not just talking about physical bread but was warning them about the corrupting influence ("yeast") of the Pharisees and Herod, which represented unbelief, hypocrisy, and spiritual blindness.
Jesus pointed out their lack of understanding and urged them to move beyond concern for physical needs to grasp the spiritual realities He was teaching.
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