Mark 8:11-21
The Pharisees Seek a Sign
11 Then the Pharisees came out and began to dispute with Him, seeking from Him a sign from heaven, testing Him.
12 But He sighed deeply in His spirit, and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Assuredly, I say to you, no sign shall be given to this generation.”
Beware of the Leaven of the Pharisees and Herod
13 And He left them, and getting into the boat again, departed to the other side.
14 Now the disciples had forgotten to take bread, and they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.
15 Then He charged them, saying, “Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have no bread.”
17 But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?
18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember?
19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
They said to Him, “Twelve.”
20 “Also, when I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of fragments did you take up?”
And they said, “Seven.”
21 So He said to them, “How is it you do not understand?”
Context
- How is the discussion of leaven connected to the sharing of so much bread? (Mark 8:1-9, 19-21)
Reflection
- Why did they ask Jesus for a sign? (Deuteronomy 13:1, 2, Matthew 13:58, 16:2-12, 22:18, Luke 11:29, 1 Corinthians 1:22-24)
- What is the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod? (Exodus 12:18-20, 23:18, Leviticus 2:11, Mark 3:22-30, 6:31-7:37, Luke 12:1, 23:8, Galatians 5:9)
- How come the disciples still didn’t get it? (Mark 6:52, 8:4, 32, Matthew 6:30, 16:8)
Testimony Time
- When were your eyes and ears opened? (Mark 8:18, John 20:30, 31, Ephesians 2:1-9, 2 Corinthians 5:17)