The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Jesus said, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matt. 16:5).
On one occasion after landing on the shore the Sea of Galilee, the disciples realized they had forgotten to pack bread for the trip. Jesus then seizes the opportunity to warn them about “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:5-6). The leaven is an sinful yeast, the doctrinal errors espoused by the religious leaders.
The disciples did not understand and were perplexed about having forgotten the bread (Matt. 16:5).
But it was not about the bread.
It was about always remembering God’s provisions. The Lord reminds them of two great miracles they all experiences in the form of two questions: “Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?” (Matt. 16:9-10). The answer, of course, is twelve for the feeding of the five-thousand (Matt. 14:20) and seven for the feeding of the four-thousand (Matt. 15:37).
Certainly the numbers would have symbolic significance, twelve representing the tribes of Israel, and seven being the number of completion representing the fullness of God’s people. Ultimately, in both miraculous feedings, the Messiah had given to the people more than enough, an overabundance of food in the wilderness.
The disciples had forgotten the bread, but Jesus warns them to not forget the God who provides.
The disciples were to be cautious of “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:5). This was not a warning about bread with leaven, but the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus does not go into detail on the specifics of their teachings, but that the disciples were to use discernment in listening to what they were communicating to the masses. They were “blind guides of the blind” (Matt. 15:14). They asked for signs, but the only sign they would be given would be “the sign of Jonah,” which is Jesus’ death and resurrection; yet, they could not discerns all the signs that were already given to them. Jesus performed many signs and wonders for the people, but in spite of it all there were religious leaders who simply rejected any thought that He was Israel’s long awaited Messiah (Matt. 16:1-5).
Blaise Pascal wrote, “Truth is so obscured nowadays and lies so well established that unless we love truth we shall never recognize it.” Lies come at us from every angle. We too must watch out for “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” This demands that we love truth. In loving the truth, we can recognize falsehood.
On one occasion after landing on the shore the Sea of Galilee, the disciples realized they had forgotten to pack bread for the trip. Jesus then seizes the opportunity to warn them about “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:5-6). The leaven is an sinful yeast, the doctrinal errors espoused by the religious leaders.
The disciples did not understand and were perplexed about having forgotten the bread (Matt. 16:5).
But it was not about the bread.
It was about always remembering God’s provisions. The Lord reminds them of two great miracles they all experiences in the form of two questions: “Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up?” (Matt. 16:9-10). The answer, of course, is twelve for the feeding of the five-thousand (Matt. 14:20) and seven for the feeding of the four-thousand (Matt. 15:37).
Certainly the numbers would have symbolic significance, twelve representing the tribes of Israel, and seven being the number of completion representing the fullness of God’s people. Ultimately, in both miraculous feedings, the Messiah had given to the people more than enough, an overabundance of food in the wilderness.
The disciples had forgotten the bread, but Jesus warns them to not forget the God who provides.
The disciples were to be cautious of “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matt. 16:5). This was not a warning about bread with leaven, but the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Jesus does not go into detail on the specifics of their teachings, but that the disciples were to use discernment in listening to what they were communicating to the masses. They were “blind guides of the blind” (Matt. 15:14). They asked for signs, but the only sign they would be given would be “the sign of Jonah,” which is Jesus’ death and resurrection; yet, they could not discerns all the signs that were already given to them. Jesus performed many signs and wonders for the people, but in spite of it all there were religious leaders who simply rejected any thought that He was Israel’s long awaited Messiah (Matt. 16:1-5).
Blaise Pascal wrote, “Truth is so obscured nowadays and lies so well established that unless we love truth we shall never recognize it.” Lies come at us from every angle. We too must watch out for “the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” This demands that we love truth. In loving the truth, we can recognize falsehood.
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