It is evident that Jesus' disciples did not understand His words about leaven—or rather, they understood them in their own, wholly inadequate way. The Savior had to remind them of the recent miracle of the multiplication of the loaves so that they would realize He was not speaking about what they had imagined. At first glance, it may seem that...
It is evident that Jesus' disciples did not understand His words about leaven—or rather, they understood them in their own, wholly inadequate way. The Savior had to remind them of the recent miracle of the multiplication of the loaves so that they would realize He was not speaking about what they had imagined.
At first glance, it may seem that the apostles simply failed to understand the allegory used by their Teacher. But that was probably not the whole matter. On the one hand, one could say that the apostles had indeed forgotten the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves; on the other, they probably thought that such miracles could not happen continually.
By “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” they undoubtedly understood leaven itself and nothing else. In other words, they continued to think in the categories of their former life, the categories of the untransformed world—a world where miracles do occur, of course, but only as exceptions, and where one must live by the laws of that untransformed world, trying merely to avoid, as far as possible, a direct violation of the Torah, the commandments given by God.
This is how the disciples understood the Savior's words about leaven: they could no longer have dealings with either Sadducees or Pharisees. But then, as the apostles reasonably concluded, there would be nowhere for them to obtain bread. Jesus, however, is speaking of something entirely different: spiritual leaven, that which spiritually nourishes a person seeking the Kingdom. And it turns out that the spiritual food offered by people who live chiefly or exclusively by religion is not suitable for such a person.
Indeed, now that the Kingdom, in the Savior's words, had “drawn near” and was ready to begin its transforming advance through our world, anyone wishing to partake of its life could not limit himself to what religion could offer, even the most spiritually profound and systematically developed religion. The fullness of the Kingdom cannot be contained within the framework of any religion on earth, which is hardly surprising, since every religion is the work of human hands and minds. Jesus calls His disciples to feed directly on the life of the Kingdom, sharing in it through Him Himself—the only way anyone can share in the life of the Kingdom.
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8:1 Мф 15:32.
8:8 So they did eat - This miracle was intended to demonstrate, that Christ was the true bread which cometh down from heaven; for he who was almighty to create bread without means to support natural life, could not want power to create bread without means to support spiritual life. And this heavenly bread we stand so much in need of every moment, that we ought to be always praying, Lord, evermore give us this bread.
8:11 Tempting him - That is, trying to ensnare him. Мф 16:1.
8:12 Мф 16:4.
8:15 Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod, or of the Sadducees; two opposite extremes.
8:17 Our Lord here affirms of all the apostles, (for the question is equivalent to an affirmation,) That their hearts were hardened; that having eyes they saw not, having ears they heard not; that they did not consider, neither understand: the very same expressions that occur in the thirteenth of Matthew.And yet it is certain they were not judicially hardened.Therefore all these strong expressions do not necessarily import any thing more than the present want of spiritual understanding.
8:18 See note at Мк 8:17
8:23 He led him out of the town - It was in just displeasure against the inhabitants of Bethsaida for their obstinate infidelity, that our Lord would work no more miracles among them, nor even suffer the person he had cured, either to go into the town, or to tell it to any therein.
8:24 I see men as trees walking - He distinguished men from trees only by their motion.