Stopping the Infection: Daily Thoughts from Mark (Mark 8:14-21)

When I was a kid and fell and cut open my knee my mom put this lovely red liquid on it that burned like fire.  Mercurochrome.  Remember it, you old people?  It was to kill bacteria.  Bacteria could spread, an infection that could do damage.

Jesus has just had an incredibly disappointing interaction with the Pharisees, them asking him for a sign in their unbelief, and him giving them none.  He is seeking to apply some Mercurochrome to his disciples.

Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. And Jesus, aware of this, said to them, “Why are you discussing the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? 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 did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (Mark 8:14-21, ESV) 

Jesus must feel somewhat alone even with his disciples.  When he tries to warn them of the negative influence the Pharisees and Herod can have on them they think he is getting on to them for failing to stock up on the bread supply.

So he has to get on to them for what the real problem is:  They are slow to understand him and why he has come. 

His demonstration of power in the feeding of both the 5,000 and the 4,000 is stunningly obvious, yet they think they have to worry if they don’t have enough bread in their travels.  Are we this slow?  Are we so focused on continuing to feel that we have to make do for ourselves in our daily lives that we don’t perceive that Jesus loves us and is powerful enough to take care of us?

In this discussion, the warning of Jesus about the leaven of the Pharisees takes on renewed meaning.  Leaven or yeast has the capacity of spreading throughout an entire lump of bread dough.  The attitude of the Pharisees, that they can establish their own righteousness and are able to be what God wants them to be on their own, is a pernicious evil that we fall too readily into.  Herod is but another example of a leader who figures that his success is up to his own cunning and effort.

How ridiculous!  We have the Creator of the universe as our Father and Caregiver.  To look to ourselves is the utmost folly.  But it is also one of our greatest temptations.  And it spreads among us and to others like bacteria.  You’ll hear a sermon urging you to pull yourself up by your bootstraps, to pull your spiritual weight, as if it is up to your energy and effort to be holy and as if the gospel and Christ are not needed to become better.  It is insidious.  But it is only the kind of “righteousness” that makes you proud of yourself and judgmental of other lesser lights than you.

What’s in your bread?