Have you ever baked with yeast? I have been baking cinnamon rolls lately, and while I was adding the yeast to the hot water I was reminded of Jesus’s warning to his disciples. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” (Matthew 16:6 NLT)
The little rocks softened and spread immediately. Once I added the yeast to the flour mixture it became gooey. As minutes ticked by the dough began to rise, it doubled in size after an hour. While I observed this process my mind began to ponder the meaning behind Jesus’s warning. I started recalling sermons that I have heard over the years about this verse.
My mind wouldn’t leave it alone and the nerd in me wanted to know more. I couldn’t help but be curious as to why He would use yeast to describe the effects of the Pharisees’ and Sadducees’ teachings. As I dug into the Bible and other resources that I use to satiate my hunger for the Word, I discovered that this parable has multiple levels of meaning.
An appetizer of sorts as it is the shortest parable, but it boasts a powerful flavor when you bite into it. We know that yeast permeates, spreads, and grows which is why Jesus used this description of the teachings of the Pharisees and Sadducees. The disciples understood what yeast would do and should have been able to make the connection, but they didn’t understand. This is the simplest and first level of meaning for this parable.
He wasn’t talking about bread like they thought. Jesus was talking about the teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. We aren’t much different, we don’t always understand what Jesus is telling us.
Ready for the second level?
There are two theories about the meaning of this parable. One theory is that the yeast represents the gospel and that the spreading of the gospel will bring us to the thousand-year era of peace. The second theory, and the one that Willmington believes to be true is that the yeast represents evil. I tend to agree with Willmington and will focus on this aspect.
What evil could Jesus possibly be talking about?
Jesus used the yeast as a symbol showing how quickly the evil teachings would spread. The disciples needed to be aware of this, especially as they began to minister to the Jews and eventually the Gentiles. The evil teachings of the Pharisees were hypocrisy. The Sadducees were skeptics of the supernatural and of the teachings of the scriptures. The Herodians were focused on worldliness.
Hypocrisy:
It is no surprise that hypocrisy would be a problem with there being hundreds of laws that the Jews had to follow. Sadly, many of those laws were created by the leaders and not direct orders from God. The Pharisees were more concerned with their outward appearance than the actual teachings and laws that God had given them. When we reflect on our world today, we can easily look at Christians and say they are all hypocrites.
As a matter of fact, that is one of the deterrents to those who do not attend church today. Christians have a reputation for putting on a show at church. We walk out the doors on Sunday and live a life that is the opposite of our beliefs. I will be the first to tell you that I am not perfect. I make mistakes daily. I need Jesus. I do my best to live out my beliefs daily. I have messed up in big and small ways. All of my mistakes have affected me and those around me.
Sin has a way of doing that. Sin doesn’t just affect the sinner, it also affects those around them. As Christians the best way to combat the hypocrisy is to be honest with others. With this in mind, we must take the masks off and let people know we mess up and that is why we need Jesus. The more honest we are with others the more impact we will have on non-believers.
Skepticism and the Supernatural:
Skepticism and the supernatural, in my opinion, go hand in hand. If you are a non-believer, it is easy to doubt that the Gospel is real. There are so many things about Jesus’s life that brings out the skeptic in all of us. Reading, learning, and discussing the Bible and our doubts with other believers are some of the ways we can get passed our doubts. The initial doubts of a non-believer on the life of Jesus could be some of the questions listed below:
- How did a virgin give birth?
- How can Jesus be a God and a man?
- Why would Jesus die on the cross for me?
- How did Jesus die and rise again?
Part of our roles as Christians is to be able to explain the Gospel, and at the same time, it is equally important that we don’t try to explain what we do not understand. It is better to let others know when we do not know the answer than to try to explain and misguide them. Considering this, the best thing to do in this situation is to tell them we will get back to them. We are called to share the Gospel. It is God’s job to change the heart of the non-believer.
As far as the supernatural goes, it is hard to believe in something we do not see. We do not see God in human form. We did not see Jesus in his ministry. We did not witness the crucifixion. We did not witness Him in the room with Thomas and the disciples. We can not see the spiritual realm. In these instances, it is easy to be skeptical of the supernatural. We simply must believe that the Bible is the word of God and what we are reading is true.
How do we know God is real?
It is only when we believe and draw close to God that we begin to see God in the everyday things around us. We can see God’s splendor in the sunrises and sunsets. We can see how God uses the people in our lives. He uses them when we receive a text that lifts our spirits. When money that you need but do not have shows up in the mail, that is God.
God is real. His realness becomes more obvious as we trust in Him to meet our every need. Essentially, as our trust grows so does our faith. It is important that we share with other Christians what God is doing in our lives, as this helps to grow our faith.
It is equally important that we tell non-believers what God has done for us and that He will do the same for them.
Worldliness:
The concern with material things has turned this world upside down. The world wants us to believe that the more we have the happier we will be. This view is tainted and puts the focus on our ability to have the best and newest products that are created. When we do receive the best and newest product, how long does our happiness last? When our focus is on the things of the world our happiness fades, but when we focus on Jesus we have a joy deep within our souls.
In all three cases of evil teachings it is easy to see how quickly they could spread. Just like yeast being introduced to flour, once the false teachings have been introduced there is a steady, continuous and sometimes irreversible negative affect. This is why Jesus told the disciples to be aware of the false teachings of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
It is just as important for Christians today to be aware of the false teachings. We must be aware of our own behaviors that could hinder others from becoming believers and growing in Christ. Fortunately, for us, once we are aware of the evil in our lives and the world, we can reverse it.
Jesus will take our hands and guide us through the deepest valleys. He will open our eyes to our doubts and help us understand His teachings. As we keep our eyes on him and learn His ways we will not fall prey to the false teachings of this world. Jesus, Jesus, Jesus there is no sweeter name that I know.
Read this article about the yeast of the Pharisees.
https://www.gotquestions.org/leaven-of-the-Pharisees.html
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