Matthew 13:3 another
parable spake he unto them; the kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a
woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
I will try to not go to long on this short parable. It was a
splinter in my mind for many years; leading to an abundance of study because
the common exposition just did not settle with me.
The common teaching about this parable is that it is
basically a redundancy of the parable of the mustard seed teaching us that the
kingdom shall grow larger and spread.
In this understanding the leaven is seen as a good thing but
this is not consistent with the rest of scripture. In scripture leaven is used
to symbolize corruption.
I Corinthians 5:7-8 Purge
out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened.
For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the
Feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness;
but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
Any sacrifice placed on the alter was not to
contain leaven.
Leviticus 2:4-5 And if
thou bring an oblation of a meat offering baken in the oven, it shall be
unleavened cakes of fine flour mingled with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed
with oil. And if thy oblation be a meat offering baken in a pan, it shall be of
fine flour unleavened, mingled with oil.
Leviticus 7:12 If he offer
it for a thanksgiving, then he shall offer with the sacrifice of thanksgiving unleavened
cakes mingled with oil, and unleavened wafers anointed with oil, and cakes
mingled with oil, of fine flour, fried.
Yeshua as our Passover lamb made death to pass over us. In
the teaching of this seen through the deliverance of Israel from Egypt we see
two instances of unleavened bread the Passover feast and the bread made for the
journey out showing the where not to carry the leaven of that which came from
Egypt nor to tarry in Egypt to prepare for their journey.
Exodus 12:8 And they shall
eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter
herbs they shall eat it.
Exodus 12:15-20 Seven days
shall ye eat unleavened bread; even the first day ye shall put away leaven out
of your houses: for whosoever eateth leavened bread from the first day until
the seventh day, that soul shall be cut off from Israel. And in the first day
there shall be an holy convocation, and in the seventh day there shall be an
holy convocation to you; no manner of work shall be done in them, save that
which every man must eat, that only may be done of you. And ye shall observe
the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for in this selfsame day have I brought your
armies out of the land of Egypt: therefore shall ye observe this day in your
generations by an ordinance for ever. In the first month, on the fourteenth day
of the month at even, ye shall eat unleavened bread, until the one and twentieth
day of the month at even. Seven days shall there be no leaven found in your
houses: for whosoever eateth that which is leavened, even that soul shall be
cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he be a stranger, or born in
the land. Ye shall eat nothing leavened; in all your habitations shall ye eat
unleavened bread.
Deuteronomy 16:3-8 Thou
shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread
therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land
of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out
of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life. And there shall be no leavened
bread seen with thee in all thy coast seven days; neither shall there any thing
of the flesh, which thou sacrificedst the first day at even, remain all night
until the morning. Thou mayest not sacrifice the Passover within any of thy
gates, which the Lord thy God giveth thee: But at the place which the Lord thy
God shall choose to place His name in, there thou shalt sacrifice the Passover
at even, at the going down of the sun, at the season that thou camest forth out
of Egypt. And thou shalt roast and eat it in the place which the Lord thy God
shall choose: and thou shalt turn in the morning, and go unto thy tents. Six
days thou shalt eat unleavened bread: and on the seventh day shall be a solemn
assembly to the Lord thy God: thou shalt do no work therein.
The rule of a parable is to use what is common to your audience
to teach and create thought about what one is teaching. From five years old until
fifteen the education system of Israel was the scriptures, they performed and
celebrated every sacrifice and feast day; so when leaven was mentioned these
things would shape their understanding.
One last thing about the leaven is (unlike a seed that grows
by the increase of YHWH) it does not make bread grow but simply puffs up the
bread with air pockets. The end result is something that looks as though it has
gained and multiplied but in reality it remains the same. In the way that the preacher
of Ecclesiastes says every work and increase of man is nothing but vanity and vexation
of spirit.
Let us look at the common understanding of the other
elements of this parable. Unlike the proceeding parables in which the principle
performing the action was a man (which Yeshua identified as Himself) in this
parable the principle is a woman. Symbolically in scripture a woman is used to
represent man’s relationship with YHWH.
When we refuse to have any other power, authority, or love
in our life we are referred to by scripture as a virgin.
When we are walking and trusting in the promises and
covenant of YHWH we are called a bride.
When we honor YHWH with our lips but our heart desires the
things that are not of Him we are called an adulterer.
When we throw off His covenant and join ourselves to the
ways and powers of those who do not know YHWH we are called a harlot
So the common understanding would be that a woman represents
men in relationship with YHWH. This woman took (come in possession of naturally
or by force) leaven and hid (to hide or mix from a root to conceal or keep
secret) it in three measures of meal.
What would the mention of three loaves bring to mind? The
tradition of three loaves of unleavened bread on Passover; which came from the
three loaves made for Abrahams feast for His three visitors.
Genesis 18:6-8 And Abraham
hastened into the tent unto Sarah, and said, Make ready quickly three measures
of fine meal, knead it, and make cakes upon the hearth. And Abraham ran unto
the herd, and fetched a calf tender and good, and gave it unto a young man; and
he hasted to dress it. And he took butter, and milk, and the calf which he had dressed,
and set it before them and he stood by them under the tree, and they did eat.
Notice that as in the Passover this was a bread made in
haste; not a bread which had been given a day to rise.
Consider these other places in scripture that would have
come to the mind of Yeshuas audience.
Genesis 19:3 And he [Lot]
pressed upon them [the two angels] greatly; and they turned in unto him, and
entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened
bread, and they did eat.
Judges 6:19-21 . . .
Gideon . . . made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes . . . and the angel of God
said unto him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and lay them upon this
rock, and pour out the broth, and he did so. Then the angel of the Lord put
forth the end of the staff that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the
unleavened cakes; and there rose up fire out of the rock, and consumed the
flesh and the unleavened cakes . . . .
In 1st
Samuel 1:24 Hannah brings one ephah of flour which is three measures of
meal. (also Ezekial 45:24 & 46: 5, 7, 11)
Also of interest Yeshua warned of three types of leaven
Matthew 16:6-12 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.
False teachings about the things of YHWH
Mark 8:15 And He charged
them, saying, Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, and of the
leaven of Herod.
Joining oneself and allying with the world system
Luke 12:1 . . . Beware ye
of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
To deceive others by acting as if one has come to a place in
relation to YHWH that they have not.
Galatians 5:9 A little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
So the conclusion is that Yeshua is warning that if we have
the kingdom in our heart but also try to keep (no matter how small) that which
comes from the world, or that which is for the lifting up and comfort of ourselves,
or withhold anything from YHWH, we will find a spreading corruption boiling in
us until we are entirely leavened. Having a pleasing appearance, but empty within,
not fit to be a living sacrifice unto YHWH.
