David Bahn – Reflections

Mark 8:15

And Jesus cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”

We live in a quick fix world. Some people buy a new car every two or three years just because they don’t want to deal with the longer-term issues of on-going maintenance, new tires, or other issues. Some people seek the solution of drugs and alcohol when facing the nagging emotional pains of life. Some people charge up their credit cards because they want it now and have no thought for longer-term financial goals. Such life choices will never sustain happiness or even sustain themselves.

But there is another side of the quick fix mentality that has to do with the dangers of ignoring longer-term impact of certain life approaches. We may not always recognize those dangers but they are real. Jesus warns against them. When he tells the disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod he is pointing them to the dangers of a more insidious nature. It’s not merely the Pharisees or Herod who are the dangers – though they will conspire ultimately to kill Jesus. They will go the way of all men. But their teachings, ideas and ideals pose a lasting and more grave danger.

I’ve said many times: We tend to overestimate what we can do in the short term, and way underestimate what God can do in the long term. The same can be said of any political, social, or religious opponent: We may be too overly-concerned about the person and not aware enough about the longer-term impact of their ideals. Hitler died. But the greater dangers of fascism, communism, and nazism lived on for decades.

The long-living ideals of religious formalism or governmental despotism pose greater dangers to the cause of Christ’s Kingdom than any particular religious or political leader. The Pharisees self-righteousness, legalistic values, and concern only for outward appearances undercut the message of the Kingdom of God. That message is about the reign of Christ in the hearts of people. It starts there and works its way out from the inside. It is a message of grace and truth, of love and faithfulness, of redemption and hope. Those are eternal treasures worth seeking and guarding in our hearts.

Mark 8:11-21

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, seeking from him a sign from heaven to test him. ¹² And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation seek a sign? Truly, I say to you, no sign will be given to this generation.” ¹³ And he left them, got into the boat again, and went to the other side.

¹⁴ Now they had forgotten to bring bread, and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. ¹⁵ And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” ¹⁶ And they began discussing with one another the fact that they had no bread. ¹⁷ 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? 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 broken pieces did you take up?” They said to him, “Twelve.” ²⁰ “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you take up?” And they said to him, “Seven.” ²¹ And he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?”