He told them still another parable: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into about thirty kilograms of flour until it worked all through the dough.’
Matthew 13:33 NIVUK
One morning, while I was having my breakfast, an article came on the news which should have come with a warning about potentially causing distress.
It was how criminal gangs had entered into the dog breeding market and were using primitive genetic engineering and mutilation to breed dogs that buyers found attractive.
Some of the measures were, quite frankly, appalling and downright inhumane, such as: selectively breeding dogs to have a flat nose and a wrinkly face, despite the issues this causes for breathing and for the dog’s skin health; breeding dogs to be aggressive; cutting their ears to make them more attractive. They even bred one poor puppy to have back to front knees on his front legs so the poor thing struggled to walk.
I was completely appalled how anyone could be so awful.
Genetic engineering can have its benefits. We can breed more resilient and pest resistant rice or corn, or better biofuels. All these are very useful to humanity.
But in the hands of an ill-intentioned group it can cause complete havoc.
There are those who even believe Covid-19 was genetically engineered. As someone who is not a biochemist, I can’t possibly pronounce a verdict on that.
In this parable, we see a kind of ‘genetic engineering’ of the church, where, again, a corrupting influence is added to cause havoc.
Let’s first look at the nature of the two elements here. Firstly, the flour. Nothing special here. Just plain old bread-making flower. A rather important, but singularly unimpressive, element.
Then there is leaven (which is likely a more accurate translation that yeast). Leaven is a bit like Irish sourdough – it is a small piece of dough from a previous batch that has been allowed to ferment so that it develops natural yeast. This leaven was used as a raising agent in bread.
Due to the fact that it was small in nature and that it grew on its own anyway, it was never likely to run out.
So now let’s look at the size of the two elements.
The dough is massive. Really way too big. No baker in Jesus’ day would ever use that amount of dough at one time. Kneading it would be completely exhausting. Jesus is clearly exaggerating here to make a point.
But contrast that with the leaven. The leaven is small. However, it is very potent. Knead that into the dough and it will change its very nature. It will even alter its size – it will cause it to get bigger.
And that is the effect. That is what Jesus is trying to convey. A small amount of leaven can change the character of a very large amount of dough.
So what does this all mean?
Bread was used in the sacrificial system since it was instituted by Moses (Exodus 25:30). It was also a staple, but generally unpretentious, food. Hence its mention in the Lord’s Prayer (Matthew 6:11).
However, despite leavened bread being acceptable for certain sacrifices (Leviticus 7:13), unleavened bread – bread without yeast – had an important role in Jewish history and psyche. It was this bread – the ‘the bread of affliction’ that had to be taken so quickly from Egypt that they didn’t have time to leaven it (Exodus 12:34, see also Deuteronomy 16:3) – that symbolised their suffering and speedy rescue from Egypt.
Moreover, leaven, or yeast, is symbolic of a corrupting element in the New Testament:
‘Be careful,’ Jesus said to them. ‘Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.’
Matthew 16:6 NIVUK
‘Be careful,’ Jesus warned them. ‘Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.’
Mark 8:15 NIVUK
Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch – as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 5:6-8 NIVUK
You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. ‘A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.’ I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.
Galatians 5:7-10 NIVUK
There appear to be three kinds of corrupting influences that we are warned to look our for:
· The old authorities, who prioritise their own comfort and position over the Gospel
· The old religion, with its legalistic emphasis on outward rituals and behaviours and not on the heart (see Colossians 2:20-23)
· The old person, with its emphasis on selfish and sinful attitudes and behaviours
What is really interesting to me is that these are all outside influences. They have to be added to the plain dough, like leaven.
Also, the effect of leaven on dough is mentioned here, in that it causes it to rise, or be puffed up. Paul mentions that when he discusses those who came from a different religious background:
Now about food sacrificed to idols: we know that ‘We all possess knowledge.’ But knowledge puffs up while love builds up.
1 Corinthians 8:1 NIVUK
He is mentioning here that knowledge of our religious ideals may make us proud, taking us away from the uncomplicated simplicity of an ‘unleavened’ faith into the pompous puffery of a religion based on pride and personal reputation – essentially self.
This is, again, a warning – and the fourth such warning in these parables.
Firstly, there was the warning of the Parable of the Seed, which told us that our productivity for the Kingdom depends entirely on how we listen to and obey the Word of God.
Secondly, there was the Parable of the Weeds, which told us that not everyone who claims to be a follower of Jesus, or even looks like a follower of Jesus, is actually a follower of Jesus.
Thirdly, there was the Parable of the Mustard Seed, which taught us that as the Kingdom of Heaven advances, hostile forces will try to force their way in for their own personal gain.
Lastly, Jesus is now teaching us that, even when the church is large, we must be wary of undue and unwelcome outside influences, which war against our soul and ask us to compromise who we are. They may promise growth and wealth and an expanding role in society, but the price to be paid in changing the simple, humble, unpretentious character of the church is way too high.
And this is a warning we all must heed. All of us.
Prayer
Lord Jesus, search my heart. See if there is any wicked way in me – if there is any intention in my heart to turn my worship of you and the church to which it belongs into something it should never be. May I only ever have a simple, uncomplicated, unpretentious faith in You. Amen.
Questions
1. What three outside influences in the church are highlighted as being like leaven in Jesus’ day? How do they show themselves nowadays?
2. How can you guard yourself against their influence? How can you ensure your faith is simple, uncomplicated and unpretentious?
3. Why do you think Jesus gave these warnings about corrupt influences in the Kingdom of Heaven in four consecutive parables? What is He trying to say?
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