As most here know, the scriptures have a way of teaching us Kingdom principles by using natural examples.
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Leaven is a substance (usually yeast) that is added to dough that causes it to ferment and rise.
Jesus warned the disciples to "beware," of specific types of leaven.
1. Leaven of Pharisees
In the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. Luke 12:1
Hypocrisy is defined as: "The practice of claiming to have moral standards or beliefs to which one's own behavior does not conform; pretense."
Definition
2. The Leaven of Herod
And he charged them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the leaven of Herod. Mark 8:15
Again, in the above passage, Jesus speaks of the Pharisees, but he includes, "the Leaven of Herod."
John the Bapsit said this directly to King Herod.
For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife. Mark 6:18
The book of Acts gives us another example of the, "leaven of Harod."
And upon a set day Herod, arrayed in royal apparel, sat upon his throne, and made an oration unto them.
And the people gave a shout, saying, It is the voice of a god, and not of a man.
And immediately the angel of the Lord smote him, because he gave not God the glory: and he was eaten of worms, and gave up the ghost.Acts 12:21-23
These two examples give us a pictures of, "the Leaven of Herod." 1. Adultry, and 2. Pride.
The Apostle Paul addressed the Corinths when he spoke about "purging old leaven."
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?
Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8
The Corinths were believers, and Paul instructed them, not only to purge out the old leaven, but spoke about keeping the feast with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
I believe that the feast that Paul referened was the feast of unleavened bread which lead to the passover feast.
In the book of Romans Paul said this:
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Romans 6:1-2
Leaven of sin
Leaven throughout the Old and New Testament continuously represented sin, as seen in the examples above.
There are natural examples in the Old Testiment that offer insight into these principles.
In order to move on to the next form of leaven listed in the scriptures, the only way to explain it is by looking at scriptures and examples that make references to these things.
When the Hebrew people were set free from Egypt, they left in a hurry and they took unleavened bread with them.
And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt, and could not tarry, neither had they prepared for themselves any victual.Exodus 12:39
When Jesus cleanses us from sin, we are set free, (like the example in the veres above.) We are to maintain and gaurd our hearts and not allow any kind of sin, pride and hypocrisy into our lives.
Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.Exodus 23:18
There is only one mention of offering "leavened," bread in the OT.
Besides the cakes, he shall offer for his offering leavened bread with the sacrifice of thanksgiving of his peace offerings. Leviticus 7:13
This is not unleavened bread, it is leavened. Jesus purges out the old leaven but there is another kind of leaven that is involved with salvation, peace and thanksgiving.
With that established, here is what Jesus said:
Matthew 13:33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Jesus said that the woman took and hid this leaven in three meaures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Like the offering spoken of in Leviticus 7:13, it was to be offered with thanksgiving and peace.
From the verse Matthew 13:33, the direct definition of "leavened," as recorded in Strong's concordance Is this:
Word: zumow
Pronounce: dzoo-mo'-o
Strongs Number: G2220
Orig: from 2219; to cause to ferment:--leaven. G2219
Use: TDNT-2:902,302 Verb
Heb Strong: H2556
To leaven
To mix leaven with dough so as to make it ferment
Link to the Definition
To view the definition, scroll down on the page to Matthew 13:33, and click on the number that is located next to the word, "Leavened."
July 1 2017
