Beware of the Leaven - Matthew 16:11

Matthew the apostle wrote how Jesus told His disciples to, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O you of little faith, why reason you among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up? Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?”, and in chapter sixteen and verse eleven of his book, Matthew shares how Jesus told His disciples to, “be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” where we read:

How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

The verse reads, “How is it that you do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, ...”. Matthew began with the words, “how is it that you” which means “in what way and manner is it that the disciples” “do not understand” or “do not perceive, know, notice and discern” “that I spake it” which means “that Jesus declared, uttered and proclaimed” “not to you” or “no and not in any way to the disciples” “concerning bread” which means “about loaves of flour mixed with water and baked”. Matthew shared how Jesus questioned His disciples about their not “comprehending” that He was not warning and advising them about physical “bread” but “spiritual”.

The verse goes on to say, “... that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?” Matthew continued with the words, “that you should beware” which means “that the disciples should be attentive to, regard and be cautious” “of the leaven” which means “about the fermentation or inveterate mental and moral corruption which is viewed in its tendency to infect others” “of the Pharisees” or “belonging to the sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to Old Testament books the Pharisees recognized in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fasting, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works” “and of the Sadducees” which refers to “the religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation, as the divine authority”? Matthew shared how Jesus warned His disciples about the “teachings and doctrine” of “the Pharisees and Sadducees” who were the religious leaders of their day.

When we consider Matthew's words in this verse, we see how Jesus was not taking about “physical” food and nourishment, but rather “spiritual” food. The “doctrine” or teachings of the “Pharisees and Sadducees” were not in alignment with God's kingdom, and though they portrayed themselves to be in touch with God, their teachings were not. God desires people to “worship Him in spirit and in truth”, and just because someone bears a “religious” title does not mean they are in alignment with God or His word. Their “actions, attitudes and words” reveal the true nature of their hearts, and whenever their traits are out of sync with God's, their doctrine and teachings should be very cautiously approached and known.

Next time Matthew shares how Jesus' disciples understand that He spoke to them concerning, “the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees,, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

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