In Lesson 72: The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” we delve into a profound and cautionary teaching by Jesus:This cryptic statement, found in the Gospel accounts, carries a powerful message that continues to resonate in our lives today.
As we explore this enigmatic metaphor, we will uncover the deeper meaning behind Jesus’ warning against the leaven of religious hypocrisy and unbelief.
We will unravel the significance of being vigilant against spiritual decay, false teachings, and the dangers of empty religious rituals. In doing so, we will gain valuable insights into how to nurture a genuine and transformative faith.
Lesson 72: The Leaven Of The Pharisees And Sadducees
The public ministry of our Lord set Him on a collision course with the religious leaders of His time. The greatest opponents of Christ’s message were, perhaps, the Pharisees and Sadducees.
These two especially were instrumental to the arrest, trial and crucifixion of Jesus. Before Jesus warned His disciples about the error of their doctrine as seen in the text, there had been some allegations leveled against Christ by these false religious leaders. The Pharisees accused His disciples of profaning the Sabbath (Matthew 12:2).
On another occasion, the Pharisees alleged that Jesus cast out devils by Beelzebub the prince of devils (Matthew 12:24). Along with certain scribes from Jerusalem, the Pharisees queried the non-compliance of Jesus’ disciples with the traditions of the elders(Matthew 15:1,2).
The spiritually blind scribes and Pharisees often demanded signs from Christ(Matthew 12:38; Luke 11:16,29). Our Lord, knowing that His disciples would soon become religious leaders themselves warned them lest the contagion of hypocrisy found in Pharisees and Sadducees should defile them.
SIGN OF JONAH (Matthew 16:1-4; Mark 8:11,12; The Pharisees and. Sadducees came with an evil John 2:18; Jonah 1:17; 3:4-5) intention to tempt Christ.
The wonderful words Jesus spoke, the rare manifestation of God’s power through Him and the casting out of demons from the afflicted were enough signs that Jesus was the promised Messiah.
Jesus then drew their attention to the course of nature. If a careful observation of the sky could lead them to accurately predict the weather, Jesus reasoned that happenings around them should have pointed them to Him as the one they were expecting. Jesus rebuked their unbelief and wickedness:
“A wicked and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given unto it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas. And he left them and departed”(Matthew 16:4).
Jesus reminded them further of the incidents surrounding the ministry of Jonah the prophet. After refusing to run an errand for the Almighty, Jonah was swallowed up by a great fish, inside of which he spent three days and three nights.
The prophet repented afterwards and preached a message of repentance to Nineveh. Likewise, Christ would die on the cross, be buried and remain in the earth for three days after which He would rise again.
It seems the miracles of opening the eyes of the blind, unstopping the ears of the deaf, raising the dead all wrought by Christ could not convince the Pharisees and Sadducees.
Many are in the position of the Pharisees and Sadducees today. Thousands of people are still skeptical about the Lordship of Jesus even though they have witnessed spectacular miracles and signs performed in His name by His anointed servants. The Pharisees’ demand on Christ definitely sprang out of a heart of unbelief.
Stubborn refusal to submit to the Lordship of Christ in spite of confirmation of God’s word by signs and wonders is a grievous sin. The Bible says, “……blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29).
LEAVEN OF HYPOCRISY (Matthew 16:5,6; Job 8:13; 15:34; Matthew 6:2,5,16; 23:1-5; Luke 12:1; Mark 8:15)
Jesus did not only reveal the truth about God and acceptable standards of worship to the multitudes, He also warned people about the influence of false teachers. He aptly described their conduct as hypocritical.
“In the meantime,… he began to say unto his disciples first of all, beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”(Luke 12:1).
The Pharisees were a religious group in Israel given to legalism. Theirs was an outward show of religion which consisted of mechanical observance of Mosaic laws, traditions of elders as well as ethical and ceremonial commandments of the law.
They lacked true piety and this they covered up with religious devotions such as praying in street corners, giving of alms, tithing and fasting. In short, they majored in the minor, neglecting weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy and faith.
The Sadducees on the other hand were less strict in their religious observances. They contrasted sharply with the Pharisees in their beliefs. The Sadducees did not believe in the existence of angels, spirits or resurrection of the human body after death. Many of them were priests in Jesus’ day.
With very few exceptions, the Pharisees and Sadducees were antagonistic to Christ and His message. These two groups wielded a great influence on the religious life of the Jews. This was the reason Jesus taught the people, especially His disciples to avoid their pernicious ways. While pointing to Himself as the true Shepherd, He warned His listeners not to follow religious hypocrites who were actually wolves in sheep’s clothing.
When Jesus was teaching His disciples on what constitutes acceptable devotion to God, He cautioned them time and again not to comport themselves “…..as the hypocrites do…..” (Matthew 6:2). Perhaps our Lord had the Pharisees and Sadducees in mind while speaking, Jesus denounced the Pharisees in particular for their hypocrisy.
The evils of hypocrisy are legion. A hypocrite is blind to his spiritual destitution. He treads the path of eternal destruction even though he may appear pious outwardly.
His life of deception may lead other sincere seekers astray. If he is a member of a local church the individual constantly brings reproach to Christ. He is a great stumbling block in the way of others. Any wonder Jesus addressed the Pharisees thus:
“But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in” (Matthew 23:13).
EXPRESSIONS OF HYPOCRISY (Matthew 16:7-12; 6:5,16; 23:25, 27-33; Mark 7:1-8).
Corruption spreads easily among a group. Therefore, Jesus instructed His disciples by figuratively referring to the action of leaven (or in the modern usage, yeast) on dough.
A little leaven, when added to the dough will soon spread throughout the food material and cause it to rise. In the scriptures, leaven always stands for something bad or sinful. The only exception was when Jesus used it in the parables of the kingdom (Matthew 13:33) to depict the spread of God’s kingdom.
Like a leaven, hypocrisy in the little band of disciples could destroy the teachings of Christ they had received and eventually pollute the church in infancy. The disciples were slow at understanding the figure used by Christ, so He told them plainly what He meant:
“How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees? Then understand they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11,12).
The Pharisees were scrupulous about outward ritual cleansing of hands, cups, pots and other vessels while the … in ward part is full of ravening and wickedness” (Luke 11:39).
This is the picture of a pretender, a phoney who has the form of religion but denies the power thereof. The fellow may bear the name of Christ and may have learnt to comport himself (outwardly) the way genuine Christians do. Meanwhile the heart is full of sin and wickedness.
Jesus condemned hypocrisy in strong terms. Although He did not find fault with the Pharisees’ careful observance of the law of tithing, but He spoke against their neglect of issues that were far more important than tithing.
When all an individual knows about Christianity is singing, dancing, fasting and regular church attendance, he is already following the doctrine of Pharisees and Sadducees. The individual concentrates on trifles while sound Christian experiences- salvation, sanctification and Holy Ghost baptism are relegated to the background.
The Pharisees were described as “whited sepulchres” which appear beautiful outwardly but inside, they are full of all uncleanness. This reveals the state of a religious hypocrite who may be a professing Christian.
Are there not people in the church, who have effectively mastered the language of true saints even though they are yet to be transformed by God’s grace? Such people are tares in the midst of wheat. Paul the Apostle referred to them as false brethren.
A lot of sining church members dress and put up the appearance of a genuine Christian, even though they are unconverted. For many professing believers, the only experience they have seems to be that of a change of dress and denomination, not a change of heart..
The woes Jesus pronounced on the religious hypocrites of His time will also fall on the impenitent churchgoer. The only way of escape from God’s judgment is repentance from hypocrisy and resolution to follow Christ all the way.
THE GOSPEL TRUTH (Matthew 16:12; John 1:9,14,17; 8:32, 45,46; 18:37)
False teaching and hypocrisy are not limited to the ” time of Christ alone. They are widespread today. Heresies are found in many religious circles.
Erroneous doctrines are being disseminated by modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees, and Christians should beware. need to tenaciously cling to the truth revealed in the gospel so as to safeguard our spiritual life from the leaven of hypocrisy.
In every age, we find religious leaders who, like Pharisees and Sadducees, always attempt to set people free from sins, which have held they themselves in captivity. The light of the gospel is the only power that can illuminate the heart and set free from doctrinal error and deception.
“That was true light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. And the word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth” (John 1:9,14).
To come out of the influence of preachers who are religious hypocrites, some necessary steps must be taken. One, we must not attend crusades or meetings organized by such preachers so as to be free from their snare. Two, we should avoid their books and cassettes like a plague.
He who abides not in Christ and His full gospel abides not in the truth. Three, we are to refuse the fellowship of those given to heresies and hypocrisy. Religious hypocrites (whether leaders or members) seem to be in the majority out of those professing to be Christians in our time.
It will take spiritual insight and zealous commitment to the truth to discern a hypocrite. To this end a Christian must be careful in choosing his companions. If we keep close to Christ and His words, we will never stray into the nets of modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees. We should be unreservedly devoted to Christ and His cause..
“Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To end was I born, for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice”(John 18:37).
We must believe this truth, uphold it in our lives and defend it always. By doing so we will not only preserve our lives but will as well pass the unadulterated gospel to succeeding generations.
Personal Questions
Question 1: Why did the Lord rebuke the Pharisees and Sadducees, and what lesson I can the believer learn from the rebuke?
Question 2: What things in the life of the Pharisees and Sadducees are believers to avoid?
Question 3: What is hypocrisy? Mention instances of hypocritical behaviour among believers of today.
Question 4: In practical terms, what kind of teaching or doctrines can we liken to a leaven today?
Conclusion
In concluding Lesson 72, we have delved into the profound message conveyed by Jesus through the metaphor of “The Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
This teaching serves as an eternal reminder of the dangers of religious hypocrisy, empty rituals, and unbelief that can infiltrate our lives and communities.
As we reflect upon this lesson, let us take to heart the importance of maintaining a sincere and transformative faith. Let us be vigilant in examining our own hearts and attitudes, guarding against the leaven of hypocrisy that can subtly erode the authenticity of our spiritual journey.
