Bread is food: this simple statement can have a depth of meaning which those of little faith (Mt 16:8) fail to grasp. Only the open mind and heart can manage the notion that food for the soul can also be called bread. Several times, Jesus had to rebuke his disciples because of their inability to understand the deeper meaning of spiritual bread. He talked about the "leaven of the Pharisees, and the leaven of Herod" and they thought he was referring to the fact that they only had one loaf of bread with them in the boat (Mk 8:14-21). A narrow mind does not admit of broad ideas. Jesus clearly states that his followers "should not be working for perishable food (physical bread) but for food that remains unto life eternal." This is typical Semitic style in which the absolute denial of one part serves the reinforce the affirmation of the other part. Jesus, in fact, is not condemning manual labor to make a living; he is saying that it cannot be compared to the higher goal of life.