Leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees

Dear class,

Today's readings are taken from Genesis 39,40 and Matthew 16.

We read of Jesus exhorting the disciples to"take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

These 2 groups basically make up the Jewish religious "ruling class" in that time. The Sadducees were the upper class elite whereas the Pharisees were more associated with the common man. The council or Sanhedrin comprised mainly of Sadducees and a minority of Pharisees.

In general, the Pharisees gave equal weight to oral traditions, a belief which they exploited having more influence with the "ground" and also that which Jesus struck out against (c.f. Mat 23). The Sadducees on the other hand believed only in the authority of the Scriptures (primarily the Torah or what we refer to as the Pentateuch - first 5 books of OT) but denied the eternal nature of the spirit and the resurrection (Mat 22:23; Mar 12:18; Luk 20:27) and the existence of spiritual beings (Act 23:8).

Thus from a spiritual/religious stand point, the "leaven" or as the disciples came to realise later, the doctrine of these 2 groups, represented all that which was contrary to the teachings of Christ.
Denying the eternal nature of the spirit basically makes a mockery of what God had ordained Jesus for! Why else would God be so concerned for the salvation of man even to the point of giving His Son? While the part of the Sadducee doctrine spoke rightly of the free will of man, it goes to the extreme of removing God out of the equation altogether. A loose paganistic equivalent would be that of the Greek Stoics. (c.f. Act 17:18)
Yet the bible clearly teaches that without God, man is lost! (c.f. Jer 10:23; Pro 14:12; 16:25) God is not a "touch and go" Being, leaving man to struggle on his own but continues to watch over him, admittedly not in similar fashion throughout history, but ever present, ever working, ever abiding! (c.f. Mat 5:45; Mat 28:20; Rom 8:28; 1Co 10:13; 2Co 1:3,4, etc)

The Pharisees on the other hand represented, in a way a more despicable attitude, so prevalent in the "Christian" world at large today, in that of form without function. Worldliness in the cloak of godliness. Wolves in sheep's clothing!

And why leaven? Because just as a little leaven (or yeast), makes the dough double or more in size - such is the multiplier effect of teachings. In the good way, Jesus used it to describe the spread of the gospel (Mat 13:33), but more often, in a bad way, such was the speed and extent of false teaching (c.f. 1Co 5:7.8; Gal 5:9 ref also Gal 1:6).

Let us, perhaps more so today beware and continue to stay vigilant to the leaven of false teaching, and let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly (Col 3:16) that we may finally lay hold to our heavenly reward.

The Lord bless our day ahead.

in Him
Paul


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But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. ~ Hebrews 3:13

Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ~ Romans 8:7,8