BEWARE OF THE LEAVEN

Matt. 16:5-12, “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.   Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.   And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.  Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?   Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?  

Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?   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 understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” 

1. FORGOTTEN “And when his disciples were come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.”  

Their forgetting to buy bread was on their conscience. Majoring in Minors It was common place for the apostles to often misinterpret the teachings of Christ. Their forgetting to buy bread was on their conscience.

2. BEWARE “Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

Mark, instead "of the leaven of the Sadducees", says, "the leaven of Herod"; either because Christ might caution against all three; or because the Sadducees were generally Herodians, taking Herod to be the Messiah.

The leaven is a Hypocatastasis which is a figure of speech that declares or implies a resemblance, representation or comparison. It differs from a metaphor, because in a metaphor the two nouns are both named and given; while, in hypocatastasis, only one is named and the other is implied, or as it were, is put down underneath out of sight. Hence, the leaven equates to false doctrine and practices.

III. REASONED “And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.” 

The word leaven was rarely used in this way The word leaven was rarely used in this way. Hence, the apostles were not comprehending the warning.

IV. PERCEIVED “Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?”  

Eccl. 1:17  And I gave my heart to know wisdom, and to know madness and folly: I perceived that this also is vexation of spirit. Eccl. 2:14  The wise man's eyes are in his head; but the fool walketh in darkness: and I myself perceived also that one event happeneth to them all. Isa. 64:4  For since the beginning of the world men have not heard, nor perceived by the ear, neither hath the eye seen, O God, beside thee, what he hath prepared for him that waiteth for him.

V. UNDERSTOOD “Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?” 

Psa. 73:17, “ Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end.” John 12:16, “These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.”

VI. REMEMBER

1. Remember My Miraculous Powers How could they be concerned about bread after Jesus just performed the miracle of feeding the multitude?

2. Remember My Method of Proclaiming Matt. 13:34, “All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them.”

VI. PROGRESSION

THREE FACTORS IN PROGRESSION (1) Accustomed- When something becomes habit, frequently practiced. For 3 ½ years Jesus taught these men using parables. THREE FACTORS IN PROGRESSION

These men were fishermen, tax collectors, and common laborers These men were fishermen, tax collectors, and common laborers. Yet in the presence of the Messiah. They had to adjust their ways of thinking! 2. Adjust

3. Accept The Pharisees rejected Christ by keeping their traditions (Mark 7:9). The apostles came to accept Jesus as the Savior of the world.