Mark 8:14-21 Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Herod

Still Life with Figs and Bread, Painting by Luis Meléndez (1716-1780), Painted circa 1770, Oil on canvas © National Gallery of Art, Washington

Gospel Reading

The disciples had forgotten to take any food and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. Then he gave them this warning, ‘Keep your eyes open; be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.’ And they said to one another, ‘It is because we have no bread.’ And Jesus knew it, and he said to them, ‘Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you not yet understand? Have you no perception? Are your minds closed? Have you eyes that do not see, ears that do not hear? Or do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves among the five thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ They answered, ‘Twelve.’ ‘And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets full of scraps did you collect?’ And they answered, ‘Seven.’ Then he said to them, ‘Are you still without perception?’

Reflection on the painting

In today's reading we see how at times Jesus and his disciples were on completely different wavelengths. His disciples were only focused on having their hunger satisfied, whilst Jesus gets annoyed at their self-focus. He fires nine questions at them in this short passage! Jesus warns His disciples: 'Watch out; beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod'. They need to watch out for the Pharisees' teachings and discern what effect the these have on them. Yeast is a raising agent. In the baking process, yeast is mixed and worked through the entire dough. The yeast becomes one with the dough. Good yeast will make the dough rise and turn the though into a splendid loaf of bread (such as the one in our painting). Bad yeast will result in bread that is flat and inedible. Jesus' comparison suggests that letting false teachings enter our minds will prevent us from rising to our full potential. Luis Meléndez was one of the the greatest still life painters of 18th century in Spain. Meléndez's Still Life with Figs and Bread contains many elements characteristic of the master's works. His talent for rendering everyday objects with exact detail is evident, as are his marvellous effects of color and light, and subtle variations of texture. Look at the dew on the figs, the glossiness of the bottle and the bread that looks all crispy and fresh. The bone handle of a kitchen knife projects over the edge of a rough wooden tabletop into the viewer's space.