Warnings

After they had departed in the boat, Jesus told His disciples, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians.”

Now, the disciples had forgotten to take bread with them, except for one loaf they had in the boat. And so, at hearing Jesus' warning, they discussed it among themselves and concluded, “It is because we did not bring any bread.”

Aware of their conversation, Jesus said, “You of little faith, why are you debating among yourselves about having no bread?” Jesus then spoke to His disciples in words that recalled the Books of Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. “Do you still not see or understand? Do you have such hard hearts? 'Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear?' And do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?”

“Twelve,” they answered.

“And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many basketfuls of broken pieces did you collect?”

“Seven,” they said.

How do you not understand that I was not telling you about bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians.”

Then His disciples understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the leaven used in bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians.

See Matthew 16:5-12; Mark 8:14-21; Deuteronomy 29:4; Isaiah 42:20; Jeremiah 5:21; and Ezekiel 12:2

Note: The Gospel of Mark references the leaven of Herod. Scholars think this may have been a reference to the Herodians, who were a group of Jews that supported the Herodian dynasty. And Jesus' reference to Herod suggests that there may have been Herodians among the Pharisees and scribes that were asking Jesus for a sign.

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