Do you not yet understand or comprehend? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes and not see, ears and not hear? And do you not remember, when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many wicker baskets full of fragments you picked up?” They answered him, “Twelve.” “When I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many full baskets of fragments did you pick up?” They answered (him), “Seven.” He said to them, “Do you still not understand?” (Mk 8,17-21)
What does Jesus intend to communicate by saying ‘the leaven of the Pharisees’ and the leaven of the Herod?
The disciples had forgotten to take bread with them. And they were talking among themselves about it. Why should they be worried about bread because they have witnessed the multiplication of bread for five thousand and four thousand. They know well that Jesus could multiply bread even if they had forgotten. This section of the story follows the story of the Pharisees asking for a sign from heaven. The Pharisees have seen many miracles yet they ask for a sign and Jesus refuses to show any sign.
Here the disciples who had witnessed to the multiplication of bread are worried about bread. So they are as doubtful as the Pharisees. Their belief and trust in Jesus is as weak as that of the Pharisees. So the leaven of the Pharisees is not trusting in Jesus, that is having doubt in Jesus.
Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.
