I had always considered "leaven" to be an impurity - therefore, it is a bad thing. Now I know that it is relative to the environment being discussed.
It is not only an ingredient in bread which causes it to rise. It is also something that causes a change. Depending on the substance, it can be good or bad. We have to look at the source to determine if it is something that we either want or something that we want to avoid.
The parables that Yeshua gave are to teach a message that must be considered for a short time in order to apply the parable for better understanding. If we read the parable and then skip the pondering that is called for, it is useless. The parable of the Sower is just such a story, yet I doubt a lot of thought has been given by many. After all, we thought we "got it" already.
Mt 13:18–30. “Hear then the parable of the Sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Ever wonder which type of soil each of us has been? If we were the ones who did not understand the word; did we simply ignore it rather than search for the meaning? If so, it was not long before the word vanished from our minds. However, if we thought "Hey, that's cool!" and then let the thought drift away, we did not grow the roots to cause us to be stronger. Without that strength, we are quickly overcome. In each of these cases, we became ripe for the world to pluck us off the path we needed to stay on. But, there is gain in taking the time to learn from God, and we can serve God as He has planned.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
The again, some people like the garden they found themselves in. I think that happens in many churches today. The make friends, they enjoy the social environment, they and their children like Sunday School and the music, etc. They praise the Pastor and the teachers. The look like good Christians and even get complimented on the evidence of their growth - but they never understood the scriptures. They do remember what they are taught to believe, though.
One day, if they had actually worked out their salvation with fear and trembling, they should expect to be separated from the weeds. There will be few of them.
All of this should cause self-examination. Will it? Personally, it did not cause me to examine myself for years. It happened to the Jews in the time of Yeshua as well.
Mt 16:5–12 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
But, the ones around us are not called Pharisees or Sadducees.
Biblical Use: Leaven is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, where it is used as a symbol of spiritual growth and influence. In the New Testament, Jesus frequently used leaven in his parables to illustrate the power of growth and the spread of the gospel message.
Matt 13:33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Beware of where we get our truth. In conversations in these forums, many topic are discussed. This is a good source of ideas and reasons to study and ponder, After than, there is only one true source of truth. If we invest in seeking.....
It is not only an ingredient in bread which causes it to rise. It is also something that causes a change. Depending on the substance, it can be good or bad. We have to look at the source to determine if it is something that we either want or something that we want to avoid.
The parables that Yeshua gave are to teach a message that must be considered for a short time in order to apply the parable for better understanding. If we read the parable and then skip the pondering that is called for, it is useless. The parable of the Sower is just such a story, yet I doubt a lot of thought has been given by many. After all, we thought we "got it" already.
Mt 13:18–30. “Hear then the parable of the Sower: When anyone hears the word of the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart. This is what was sown along the path. As for what was sown on rocky ground, this is the one who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy, yet he has no root in himself, but endures for a while, and when tribulation or persecution arises on account of the word, immediately he falls away. As for what was sown among thorns, this is the one who hears the word, but the cares of the world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and it proves unfruitful. As for what was sown on good soil, this is the one who hears the word and understands it. He indeed bears fruit and yields, in one case a hundredfold, in another sixty, and in another thirty.”
Ever wonder which type of soil each of us has been? If we were the ones who did not understand the word; did we simply ignore it rather than search for the meaning? If so, it was not long before the word vanished from our minds. However, if we thought "Hey, that's cool!" and then let the thought drift away, we did not grow the roots to cause us to be stronger. Without that strength, we are quickly overcome. In each of these cases, we became ripe for the world to pluck us off the path we needed to stay on. But, there is gain in taking the time to learn from God, and we can serve God as He has planned.
He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat and went away. So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. And the servants of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, “Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”
The again, some people like the garden they found themselves in. I think that happens in many churches today. The make friends, they enjoy the social environment, they and their children like Sunday School and the music, etc. They praise the Pastor and the teachers. The look like good Christians and even get complimented on the evidence of their growth - but they never understood the scriptures. They do remember what they are taught to believe, though.
One day, if they had actually worked out their salvation with fear and trembling, they should expect to be separated from the weeds. There will be few of them.
All of this should cause self-examination. Will it? Personally, it did not cause me to examine myself for years. It happened to the Jews in the time of Yeshua as well.
Mt 16:5–12 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
But, the ones around us are not called Pharisees or Sadducees.
Biblical Use: Leaven is mentioned numerous times in the Bible, where it is used as a symbol of spiritual growth and influence. In the New Testament, Jesus frequently used leaven in his parables to illustrate the power of growth and the spread of the gospel message.
Matt 13:33 He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.”
Beware of where we get our truth. In conversations in these forums, many topic are discussed. This is a good source of ideas and reasons to study and ponder, After than, there is only one true source of truth. If we invest in seeking.....
