Thursday, March 16, 2023

Today’s Scripture Reading 
Mark 8:11–21

The Pharisees came and began to argue with him, asking him for a sign from heaven, to test him. And he sighed deeply in his spirit and said, “Why does this generation ask for a sign? Truly I tell you, no sign will be given to this generation.” And he left them, and getting into the boat again, he went across to the other side.

Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat. And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.” They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.” And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened? Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.” “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.” Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” (NRSV)

Reflection

Do you remember those first days of the pandemic when we would scour the market for various products, just to make do without? For me, it was yeast. I was so desperate for it, that I traded a coveted bottle of hand sanitizer for a small 1/4-ounce packet of yeast from a neighbor. Bread never tasted better.

And as it turns out, yeast hasn’t always been such a good thing. While in the early days of the pandemic we all clamored to buy yeast from the market, first-century bakers would know it as a symbol of corruption. In their day, in their hot dry desert day, bread kept longer when it was unleavened, flat without yeast. To add rising power — yeast — to flour would render it corrupted, useless. The bread would quickly age and rot. One scholar noted that during the first century, to say something is like yeast is akin to saying that it is like rust.

The disciples would have known the danger of leavening agents when Jesus warned them against the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod. He saw how both parties were corrupting God’s message. The Pharisees had added so many strict regulations and stumbling blocks to God’s law that their yeast was self-righteousness. King Herod violently lorded his position over his subjects. His yeast was power. Both self-righteousness and power can be quite addictive and corrupting — even just a little bit. I can admit it: it feels good to think I am better than everyone else or that I am in a more powerful position than others. It feels good, but I also know that those feelings stand in opposition to God’s story. For Jesus, life with God is about humility and servitude. The Christian life is about resisting the ways of the powerful while working in solidarity with the powerless.

Jesus knew that his disciples — that we — are human. We are not perfect. It’s easy to get off course and get a bit corrupted. So Jesus urges us to be aware of even the slightest bit of power and sanctimoniousness, for if we work towards humility and service, we find ourselves sustained and nourished by the true Bread of Life.

Prayer

O God, by your love help me to resist the yeast around me that fails to sustain a strong relationship with you and your world. O Bread of Heaven, Bread of Heaven, feed me till I want no more. Amen.

Written by Shawn Fiedler, Major Gifts Officer

Reflection and prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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