In Mark 8:1-26, it so happened that Jesus began speaking to his disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees!” The disciples, having forgotten to bring bread on their trip, thought Jesus was talking to them about this matter. Obviously this wasn’t what Jesus meant, and he tried to remind them about what they had experienced so far. “Do you not yet understand?” he asks.
What about us? We may have already experienced God’s reality, but do we see it? We may have already been given instructions from God, but do we hear it?
The leaven of the Pharisees refers to hypocrisy. It happens when we know what we are supposed to do, and yet we don’t do it. It happens when we hear God’s message but we don’t do anything about it.
Hypocrisy is what makes us blind. It makes us unable to hear. Unable to understand.
May we look intently at Jesus, through his life and the words he gives us from God, and follow. And in so doing, become able to see and understand.
Summary by Horace