THEOSISTheophylact of Bulgaria
He properly admonishes them for their lack of comprehension regarding the might of Christ, through which the Lord can create bread from nothing.
Mark 8:17Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Which Jesus knowing, saith to them: Why do you reason, because you have no bread? Do you not yet know nor understand? Have you still your heart blinded?
και γνους ο ιησους λεγει αυτοις τι διαλογιζεσθε οτι αρτους ουκ εχετε ουπω νοειτε ουδε συνιετε ετι πεπωρωμενην εχετε την καρδιαν υμων
The Church Fathers on this verse
5 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Alexander Gorsky
As he was about to depart, Jesus spoke to his disciples in a profound manner regarding their inquiry, warning them to be cautious of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, alluding to their teachings and their insincerity (Mt. 16:12; Mk. 8:15; Lk. 12:1).
Bogolepow D.P.
Following an encounter with the Pharisees and Sadducees in the regions of Dalmanutha and Magdala, Christ once again crosses to the opposite shore of the sea, specifically the eastern side, in order to avoid the hostility of His adversaries. Upon reaching the new location, He instructs His disciples to be wary of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees (Mt. 16:6), the leaven of Herod (Mk. 8:15), and the hypocrisy of the Pharisees (Lk. 12:1), as well as the materialism and secular mindset of the Sadducees, which prioritizes political motives over spiritual ones, a hallmark of the Herodian faction.
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The disciples had neglected to bring provisions, stating that “except for one loaf, they had nothing to eat with them in the boat” (Mk. 8:14). This oversight caused them concern, and when Christ warned them about the leaven of these groups, they mistakenly believed He was cautioning them against purchasing bread from the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians, suggesting they should avoid mingling with these adversaries.
With a heavy heart, the Lord began to admonish His disciples for their lack of understanding: “Are your hearts still hardened? Do you not perceive? Do you not hear?” (Mk. 8:17-18). Did you not witness my miraculous feeding of thousands with just a few loaves? How can you still be oblivious?
Gladkow B.I.
"Do you really believe that I, who miraculously provided sustenance for five thousand with five loaves and for four thousand with seven, cannot supply your needs, my twelve disciples? Why is it that you do not see, even though your eyes are open? And why do you not hear, despite having ears? Have you forgotten what you have witnessed? Do you still fail to grasp the significance of what is unfolding around you? Is your heart hardened to the truth? How can you misconstrue my words about bread when I cautioned you to ‘Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees’? It was only then that the Apostles realized that Jesus was warning them about the peril of the doctrines of the Pharisees and Sadducees."
Paul Matwejewski
After addressing the spiritually ‘incurable’ hypocrites, Jesus Christ reboarded the boat and journeyed to the opposite shore of the Sea of Galilee. The disciples, having forgotten to bring provisions, only had a single loaf of bread with them. During the voyage, Jesus warned them, saying, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, and Herod's leaven,” as the holy evangelist Mark recounts. He cautioned them against the corrupt doctrines and superstitions of the Pharisees, the skepticism of the Sadducees, and the moral depravity of the Herodians, which served as harmful influences that could lead them astray.
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Misunderstanding the Lord’s message, they believed he was referring to the bread they had taken from those groups, worried about becoming spiritually contaminated. Since they had only one loaf, they started to reflect on their own neglect and said to one another, “We have not brought bread.” However, perceiving their thoughts, the Lord rebuked them for their misguided reasoning and lack of faith, as Blessed Theophylact notes. They displayed folly by forgetting how he had miraculously fed thousands with just a few loaves and exhibited disbelief regarding his ability to provide for them despite their insufficient supplies. “Why do you ponder within yourselves, O you of little faith, thinking that you cannot obtain bread? Do you not perceive, do you not understand? Is your heart hardened? Do you not see with your eyes, and do you not hear with your ears? Do you not remember? When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets of leftover pieces did you gather?” They replied, “Twelve.” “And when I broke the seven loaves for the four thousand, how many baskets of leftover pieces did you gather?” They answered, “Seven.” “How is it that you do not understand that I spoke to you not about bread, but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees and Herodians?” Then, the disciples realized that being in the presence of their Savior, their concern should not have been for earthly bread, but rather for the teachings of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians that could jeopardize their spiritual well-being.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Mark 6:52For they understood not concerning the loaves; for their heart was blinded.
- Isa 63:17Why hast thou made us to err, O Lord, from thy ways: why hast thou hardened our heart, that we should not fear thee? return for the sake of thy servants, the tribes of thy inheritance.
- Heb 5:11Of whom we have much to say and hard to be intelligibly uttered: because you are become weak to hear.
- Heb 5:12For whereas for the time you ought to be masters, you have need to be taught again what are the first elements of the words of God: and you are become such as have need of milk and not of strong meat.
- Mark 2:8Which Jesus presently knowing in his spirit that they so thought within themselves, saith to them: Why think you these things in your hearts?
- Mark 3:5And looking round about on them with anger, being grieved for the blindness of their hearts, he saith to the man: Stretch forth thy hand. And he stretched it forth: and his hand was restored unto him.
- Matt 16:8And Jesus knowing it, said: Why do you think within yourselves, O ye of little faith, for that you have no bread?
- Matt 16:9Do you not yet understand, neither do you remember the five loaves among five thousand men, and how many baskets you took up?
The original text
Greek text, 19 words with lemma, transliteration and Strong’s number. Tap to expand.
- ΚαὶkaiandG2532 · καί
- γνοὺςgnousI come to knowG1097 · γινώσκω
- λέγειlegeiI sayG3004 · λέγω
- αὐτοῖςautoisheG846 · αὐτός
- ΤίtiwhoG5101 · τίς
- διαλογίζεσθεdialogizestheI reasonG1260 · διαλογίζομαι
- ὅτιhotithatG3754 · ὅτι
- ἄρτουςartousbreadG740 · ἄρτος
- οὐκouknoG3756 · οὐ
- ἔχετεecheteI haveG2192 · ἔχω
- οὔπωoupōnot yetG3768 · οὔπω
- νοεῖτεnoeiteI understandG3539 · νοέω
- οὐδὲoudeneitherG3761 · οὐδέ
- συνίετεsynieteI considerG4920 · συνίημι
- πεπωρωμένηνpepōrōmenēnI hardenG4456 · πωρόω
- ἔχετεecheteI haveG2192 · ἔχω
- τὴνtēntheG3588 · ὁ
- καρδίανkardianthe heartG2588 · καρδία
- ὑμῶνhymōnyouG4771 · σύ