Matthew 16: 5 - 12
5 When they went across the lake, the disciples forgot to take bread. 6 “Be careful,” Jesus said to them.“Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
7 They discussed this among themselves and said, “It is because we didn’t bring any bread.”
8 Aware of their discussion, Jesus asked, “You of little faith, why are you talking among yourselves about having no bread? 9 Do you still not understand? Don’t you remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many basketfuls you gathered? 11 How is it you don’t understand that I was not talking to you about bread? But be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he was not telling them to guard against the yeast used in bread, but against the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
http://www.christendom-awake.org/pages/hemer/bewareyeast.htm says:
ReplyDeleteIn the New Testament world, yeast was often used as a symbol for corruption. Jesus cites two different indeed opposite religious attitudes and says that both of them, even in a small dose can effectively corrupt one’s whole Christian life.
The yeast of the Pharisees is narrow-minded religious exclusivism, it is sectarianism. It is the attitude that says only those who believe and behave like us are saved, everyone else is damned or at least of no consequence. (Of course it’s not only religious people who have those sorts of attitudes; the secular equivalent would be extreme tribalism or nationalism.) The yeast of the Pharisees makes people more concerned about who is ‘in’ and who is ‘out’ that just trying to get on and do the will of God. It makes people continually define themselves over against others: it makes them assume for instance that the main thing about being Catholic is not being Protestant – or vice versa.
The yeast of the Sadducees is precisely the opposite tendency. They were big friend with the Romans since the Romans kept them in power. For them the important thing was to keep the status quo as it was – because of course it favoured them. In order to do this they were prepared to make any number of accommodations, they were prepared to water down their Jewish faith. For instance they allowed the pagan Romans to appoint the High Priest.
The Christian is called to be passionately committed to Christ while remaining open to others, and to be open to others without simply accepting anything and everything.
http://livingonhisword.blogspot.com/2012/06/yeast-of-pharisee.html says:
ReplyDeleteSelf-righteous, hypocritical and petty.
These are adjectives that are thrown at Christians from time to time.
Though these are attributes that are shared by all people in varying degrees (no matter what their worldview is) they stand in stark contrast to Jesus, and the example He modelled to His disciples.
In fact when you read how Jesus spoke to people, you find that sinners that knew they were sinners received a gentle word from Jesus, but the religious pretentious received the most stinging condemnation and rebuke - the like of which it is difficult to imagine even the most zealous preacher today delivering to some of the worst moral delinquents.
there is always the danger that there is some other thing that we attach a special mark of spirituality to.
And if the change is gradual enough, anyone can end up at the ridiculous.
There are 2 general types of people that have their hearts infected by this attitude:
The unregenerate Pharisee.
The infected Christian who starts to think and act like the Pharisee.
Yeast has a powerful action, in that it only takes a small amount to confer its properties to a large batch of dough.
The same thing happens with a little of this teaching in the heart of a Christian.
We all share a common trait, we're sinners. We break the Holy Law of God in word, in heart, and in action; and regularly. But Pharisees are convinced on some level of their own righteousness, and they want people to know it.
When this yeast infects a person's heart, it puffs up the person, making them look and feel larger than they really are. What looks like larger-than-life zeal, holiness and righteousness is just a paint job (Matt 23:27,28).
Pharisees sweat the small stuff and rewrite the Law to major on those things that they feel good at. And since the weightier parts of God's Law like love, mercy, justice and faithfulness make them feel bad about themselves, they focus on the minor, external aspects. For example: "I don't smoke, drink or swear and I pay my tithes".
How else can you convince yourself that you're righteous, unless you make sure that you sweep the commands under the rug that make you feel like a failure, and market the visible aspects of the commands that you find easier.
http://livingonhisword.blogspot.com/2012/06/yeast-of-pharisee.html continued:
ReplyDeleteBecause Pharisees have a self-made code of righteousness (one that condones their actions and doesn't judge their hearts), they have a rather high view of themselves.
Instead of comparing themselves to Christ and The Law, they compare themselves to others through the lens of their favorite rules.
Unfortunately, God just doesn't evaluate us using our own standard - an idol would - but not God.
He uses His own perfect standard.
the tax collector's eyes were open, he knew he was a breaker of God's Law, the only avenue he had left was to own up to it, and plead for mercy - and he got it!
Pharisees actually have a hard time of it; they don't seek grace from God, but believe they deserve blessing based on their performance, so they get none.
So once a Christian who initially humbled himself before God, and ran to Christ for mercy, gets infected with the Yeast of the Pharisee, this way of thinking takes hold.
Their joy and peace evaporates, because these are given by grace through the Holy Spirit.
A root of bitterness springs up, and they begin infecting others with this yeast.
They can't help themselves really, since they are 'denying themselves' so much, they become offended with others who haven't joined the 'works for wages' program.
It amazes me how many believers have such a low view of scripture, and such a high view of themselves.
I've often heard people denigrate the preaching/teaching/reasoning of the Gospel to the lost, saying that we ought to just witness through our lives.
Seriously?
It's obvious that our conduct should affirm the words of our lips and not contradict it, that we should always try to 'practice what we preach'.
But do these 'pious' types truly believe that their hearts are so pure and their lives are so bright, that they don't need to speak the Gospel which is the power of God unto salvation (Rom 1:16)?