5 When the disciples reached the other side, they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 And they began discussing it among themselves, saying, “We brought no bread.” 8 But Jesus, aware of this, said, “O you of little faith, why are you discussing among yourselves the fact that you have no bread? 9 Do you not yet perceive? Do you not remember the five loaves for the five thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 10 Or the seven loaves for the four thousand, and how many baskets you gathered? 11 How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.
It is never about bread (well maybe a couple of times). It is always about the relationship between truth and falsehood. Why are people not supposed to touch dead things? So that you do not die. Why are people supposed to avoid the unclean? Because it can make you unclean. Why are you not supposed to plant different kinds of crops next to each other? so that you do not have cross pollination or corruption.
Here Jesus uses the example of leaven. It does not have anything to do with bread. It has to do with the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. You could even indicate the actions of the Pharisees and Sadducees as they lord their authority over the people. "Beware of the leaven" is a statement of warning against all kinds of false teaching and horrible misconceptions.
So today we warn you about the false teachings we face in the world today. Jesus is true God of the same substance with the Father by whom all things were made. Jesus is true Man born of a Virgin. Jesus was not just some great teacher or nice guy, but he performed miracles and even made a sacrifice for the sins of the world. Eternal life is not promised to all mankind, but only to those who believe in this truth and trust in God above all things. This faith is not grounded in the reason or strength of sinful corrupt creatures, but this faith is created in sinful corrupt creatures by God himself.
These people may be striking against some but it is a great gift for others. God has called you out of darkness into light, and created faith in you so that you may believe in Jesus Christ and through his sacrifice have eternal life. This is not of your own work but a gift of God.
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