Mark 8:14-21
Chapter 8
14
The Blindness of the Disciples
The disciples had forgotten to bring extra bread and only had one loaf with them in the boat.15
Then Jesus warned them:
“Keep your eyes open and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”
16
And they said to one another:
“He saw that we have no bread.”
17
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?
18
Have you eyes that don’t see and ears that don’t hear? And do you not remember
19
when I broke the five loaves among five thousand? How many baskets full of leftovers did you collect?”
They answered:
“Twelve.”
20
“And having distributed seven loaves to the four thousand, how many wicker baskets of leftovers did you collect?”
They answered:
“Seven.”
21
Then Jesus said to them:
“Do you still not understand?”
Commentaries
They Ask Him for a Sign from Heaven – The Blindness of the Disciples.
The Pharisees ask Jesus for a sign. Jesus uses this moment to teach that the signs or miracles he performs are acts of mercy and solidarity; they are not meant to persuade people to believe. A faith based on miracles produces believers without true commitment. Faith cannot rely on miracles; instead, miracles depend on faith. Yeast (15) here symbolizes a negative influence of fermentation, which causes the bread of misunderstanding and unbelief to rise—a trait of the Pharisees and Herodians (cf. 3:6). The focus then shifts to the disciples. Jesus questions them sternly, rebuking their lack of belief and understanding by comparing it to that of their critics.