Beware of the Leaven!

Hello to All:

In the gospel of Matthew, we find written at chapter 16 and verses 6 to 12, the following:

"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?"

The "Pharisees and the Sadducees," were Jewish religous groups, consisting of those individuals who were in positions of authority in the religous communities of the Jewish people. They were the leaders. They were the teachers. They were the preachers. They gave guidance and counsel regarding right practice and right living. They were the ones who took the position that they knew the Word of God. But, they did not agree on matters of right teaching, right preaching, right practice and right living. Nor, did they agree on the meaning of the Word of God. In so many ways, they were very similar to the leadership stuctures and practices, so common to the present day church that claims allegiance to Jesus Christ; and what did our Lord Jesus Christ have to say, regarding these authorities: "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." At the end of our text, that "leaven" is identified as "the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees."

Let us pause for a moment and think about our neighborhoods and the communities that we live in. Are the churches, that we are familiar with, are they in agreement with one another? Are the church leaders in fellowship with one another? Is their teaching and preaching in agreement with one another? For most of us, the answer is, quite simply: No! Rather, our communities and our churches, are filled with "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees." Rather then seeking to build up the church that Jesus Christ has established, our church leaders are, most often, seeking to maintain their viewpoint, and have involved themselves in competition, for the few souls who still claim to believe, but have yet to find a good church home. Certainly, there are exceptions to this indictment; but, by and large, we are guilty, before the Lord our God; and, I include myself in this indictment: who am I to make any claim about knowing what is true and what is right? It has been stated before; but, let it be stated again: do not believe it simply because you heard it from me, or from anyone else! If you cannot open the King's Book and put your finger on the text, to confirm what you have been told - then you cannot believe it - because it might not be true. Everything must be affirmed by the King's Book as it is revealed by our Lord Jesus Christ. This is the only way that we will be able to recognize the difference between "the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees" and the Truth of Jesus Christ!

Until next time, by beloved brethren, in Christ Jesus, I continue to be:

Your servant and your fellow pilgrim,
Elder Theophilus