Church Fathers Commentary Matthew 16:5-12

"And the disciples came to the other side and forgot to take bread. And Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, We took no bread. And Jesus perceiving it said, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have no bread? Do ye not yet perceive, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up? How is it that ye do not perceive that I spake not to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees." — Matthew 16:5-12 (ASV)

Glossa Ordinaria: As the Lord had left the Pharisees because of their unbelief, He now teaches His disciples to be on their guard against their doctrine. From this it follows, And when His disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread. ¹

Remigius of Auxerre: They were bound to their Master with such great affection that they were unwilling to part from Him for even a moment. In this, it should be observed how far they were from any longing for delicacies, when they took so little care for necessities that they had even forgotten to take bread, without which human weakness cannot support itself.

He said to them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

St. Hilary of Poitiers: In this, the Apostles are admonished not to be partakers of the doctrine of the Jews. The works of the Law were established to produce faith and to prefigure the things that were to come. Those who lived when truth itself had arrived should not look for further types of truth, lest the teaching of the Pharisees, which did not know Christ, should hinder the effect of Gospel truth.

St. Jerome: For he who takes heed of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees does not observe the precepts of the Law and of the letter, but neglects the traditions of men so that he may do the commandments of God. This is the leaven of which the Apostle speaks, A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump (1 Corinthians 5:6).

By every means, we should also avoid the leaven that Marcion, Valentinus, and all the heretics possessed. For the nature of leaven is such that when mixed with flour, what seemed to be a small amount increases to a large quantity and brings the whole mixture to its own flavor.

Thus, if heretical doctrine has cast just a small spark into your breast, in a short time a mighty flame is raised and carries the whole disposition of the man along with it.

St. John Chrysostom: Why did He not say plainly, "Take heed of the doctrine of the Pharisees"? Because He wanted to remind them of what had been done in the multiplication of the loaves, knowing they were forgetful. To have given them this charge so bluntly would have seemed unreasonable. However, finding fault with them on an occasion they themselves provided prepared the way for the charge. Therefore, the Evangelist brings forward their thoughts: But they thought within themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

St. Jerome: How could they have no bread, since as soon as they had filled seven baskets they entered the boat and came to the region of Magedan? There they heard that they ought to take heed of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. But the Scripture is witness that they had forgotten to take the baskets with them.

St. John Chrysostom: Because the disciples were still fixated on Jewish observances, the Lord sharply rebukes them for the benefit of all. So it follows, But Jesus knowing their thoughts said to them, O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have no bread?

Glossa Ordinaria: This is to say: Why do you think that I spoke of earthly bread, for which you ought not to have a thought, having seen Me make such an abundant surplus from so little? ²

St. John Chrysostom: He does this so that He might remove from them all anxiety about food. But why did He not reprove them when they said, "Whence should we have so much bread in the wilderness?" for that seemed a more fitting occasion. He did not blame them at that time, so that He would not seem to be urged on by their words to perform miracles, and He was unwilling to find fault with them in front of the people.

Furthermore, the charge was more reasonable now, when they were anxious about food after two miracles of multiplying loaves. Observe with what mildness He rebukes them; He even provides an answer for them Himself, saying, Do you not yet understand, nor remember the five loaves?

Glossa Ordinaria: This is to say: Do you not understand the mystery, nor remember the miracle? ³

St. John Chrysostom: By this He was recalling what was past and rousing their attention to what was to come.

St. Jerome: Thus He takes this occasion to instruct them on what is meant by the five loaves and the seven loaves, and the five thousand and the four thousand who were fed in the desert. For if the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees signified not earthly food, but corrupt traditions and heretical dogmas, why should not the food with which the people of God are fed signify true and uncorrupt doctrine?

St. John Chrysostom: So that you may learn what force Christ's reproof had on His disciples and how it roused their sluggish spirit, hear what the Evangelist says: Then they understood that he told them not to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.

Yet, He had not interpreted this for them. This instruction from the Lord, then, drew them away from Jewish observances, made them attentive instead of careless, and lifted them out of their little faith. Consequently, whenever they seemed to have only a small provision of bread, they would have no fear about food but would instead despise all those things.

1. non occ.
2. ord.
3. interlin.