Mathew 13:33

[hisgrace]

Can someone tell me what this scripture is about, Mathew 13:33. I know its a parable, i just couldn't grasp it. I feel badly because a muslim ask me about it. I did get to witness to them about Jesus.

Edited April 1, 2005 by hisgrace

[hisgrace]

thank you whysoblind that helped. He has some strange beleif i just kept telling him the truths of Jesus. It explains why he ask about that particular verse.

[Dad Ernie]

Can someone tell me what this scripture is about, Mathew 13:33. I know its a parable, i just couldn't grasp it. I feel badly because a muslim ask me about it. I did get to witness to them about Jesus.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Greetings His Grace,

The first poster got it wrong. Here is what is meant by the parable:

Matthew 13:33 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.

In this verse, the Kingdom of Heaven is LIKENED to leaven, IOW, the nature of leaven to cause a small amount of dough to rise and expand is being spoken of here. Since we have history to look back upon, we can evaluate this to see if it is true. Christianity started out with only a very small number of followers, a very small amount of "leaven". As Christians are raised up, they are sent out to evangelize the world. We never see a very large group of Christians going into an area to evangelize it, but often we see only one or two that go in and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just these one or two are enough "leaven" to leaven the whole area of evangelization. You can see this throughout the history of the church.

The idea that leaven is "false doctrine" is completely in error. What the previous poster need understand is that the parables referring to "leaven" is not talking about the "leaven" itself, but its result. We are warned by Paul here:

1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Again, here "sin is likened to leaven". Leaven is NOT the bad thing in and of itself, because we all sin, but if that sin is not confessed and repented of, then it becomes self-propagating and can "LEAVENETH" the whole lump. So Paul tells us to get rid of ANYTHING that acts as "leaven", that is sins, false doctrine, or whatever that would multiply and increase if not purged at the outset.

So your response to your Muslim friend should be: "The Gospel is God's power unto salvation" and wherever it is sent, causes the Kingdom of God to spread and increase.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

[hisgrace]

Thank you Dad Ernie I did tell him that Jesus was the word manifest and that there is power in the word of God. I believe the Lord was guiding me even though i couldn't fully grasp that paticular verse.

[JimR-OCDS]

33 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.

Ok, here goes. In scripture, "Bread" represents the Word of God(Matt. 4:4). "Leaven" Represents false doctrine(Matt. 16:6). The "Woman" represents the corrupt religious system of the world(Rev. 17).

Jesus is saying that the kingdom of God is being constantly overtaken by the leaven of false doctrine and false religious movements within the Church, even to the point of almost total destruction of the Church(2 Timothy 4:3). What is the solution? I have already quoted a portion of it, but here goes.

Luke 4:4 - And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.

Isaiah 28:8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. 9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. 10 For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little: 11 For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people. 12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear. 13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.

In order to avoid the "leaven" of false doctrine, we must "search the scriptures whether those things are so," and let scripture in context interpret scripture in context, and not our own fleshly desires and understanding.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually he was talking about the false doctrines of the Pharisees and Sauducees not the Church, which he would establish, which would be protected from false doctrine. See Matthew 16:6

[johnnyc]

Here is the parable of the leaven (v.33). The scope of this is ... to show that the gospel should prevail and be successful by degrees, but silently and insensibly; the preaching of the gospel is like leaven, and works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it.

1. A woman took this leaven; it was her work. Ministers are employed in leavening places, in leavening souls, with the gospel. The woman is the weaker vessel, and we have this treasure in such vessels.

2. The leaven was hid in three measures of meal. The heart is, as the meal, soft and pliable; it is the tender heart that is likely to profit by the word: leaven among corn unground does not work, nor does the gospel in souls unhumbled and unbroken for sin: the law grinds the heart, and then the gospel leavens it....When the woman hides the leaven in the meal, it is with an intention that it should communicate its taste and relish to it; so we must treasure up the word in our souls, that we may be sanctified by it.

3. The leaven thus hid in the dough, works there, it ferments; the word is quick and powerful, (Heb. 4:12). The leaven works speedily, so does the word, and yet gradually. Matthew Henry Commentary.

God's word will not return to Him void. We may not see the results as soon as we would like, but He is faithful to perform, that, what He said He would do. (Isa. 55:11)

[johnnyc]

Much of the time the word "leaven" is used in the Bible, it is something we are to avoid. In Matt 13:33, Jesus is referring to leaven as to increase the kingdom of heaven. We must search Scripture carefully to be sure we hear what we are to hear from God in each verse.

Remember Genesis 22:2, where Abraham was to offer his son Isaac for a burnt offering. Abraham could have continued to offer him if he wasn't still listening to God during the journey.

Genesis 22;12, Abraham was told "Lay not thine hand upon the lad, neither do thou any thing unto him".... Abraham could have missed this command from God had he not been listening, and expecting to hear from God.

Proverbs 4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

2Tim 2:15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

I know we all want to hear correctly from God through His Holy Spirit.

[Guest jcalive1]

Can someone tell me what this scripture is about, Mathew 13:33. I know its a parable, i just couldn't grasp it. I feel badly because a muslim ask me about it. I did get to witness to them about Jesus.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I would agree with you on this issue. If you have shown the man the scripture and explained it to him, all you can do is pray for him and continue to be a light to him by example. Also, I always thought that leaven represents the spreading of sin even if it may be a small sin, it eventually overtakes you and leads to death.

[Botz]

QUOTE(hisgrace @ Apr 1 2005, 10:20 AM)

Can someone tell me what this scripture is about, Mathew 13:33. I know its a parable, i just couldn't grasp it. I feel badly because a muslim ask me about it. I did get to witness to them about Jesus.

Greetings His Grace,

The first poster got it wrong. Here is what is meant by the parable:

Matthew 13:33 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.

In this verse, the Kingdom of Heaven is LIKENED to leaven, IOW, the nature of leaven to cause a small amount of dough to rise and expand is being spoken of here. Since we have history to look back upon, we can evaluate this to see if it is true. Christianity started out with only a very small number of followers, a very small amount of "leaven". As Christians are raised up, they are sent out to evangelize the world. We never see a very large group of Christians going into an area to evangelize it, but often we see only one or two that go in and preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Just these one or two are enough "leaven" to leaven the whole area of evangelization. You can see this throughout the history of the church.

The idea that leaven is "false doctrine" is completely in error. What the previous poster need understand is that the parables referring to "leaven" is not talking about the "leaven" itself, but its result. We are warned by Paul here:

1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

Galatians 5:9 A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.

Again, here "sin is likened to leaven". Leaven is NOT the bad thing in and of itself, because we all sin, but if that sin is not confessed and repented of, then it becomes self-propagating and can "LEAVENETH" the whole lump. So Paul tells us to get rid of ANYTHING that acts as "leaven", that is sins, false doctrine, or whatever that would multiply and increase if not purged at the outset.

So your response to your Muslim friend should be: "The Gospel is God's power unto salvation" and wherever it is sent, causes the Kingdom of God to spread and increase.

Blessings,

Dad Ernie

Right on Dad Ernie not that you need anothers endorsement but that is exactly what the Scripture is saying in this case and it is important that we learn to clearly interpret the true meaning of Scripture in general and the words of Jesus in particular.

Just because the word 'leaven' has been associated with sinful things in all its other uses in the Bible does not automatically follow that it is being used negatively here...as has been pointed out it clearly depends on what the leaven is meant to represent.

Robertson in his commentary on word pictures states the case very clearly....

Mat 13:33 -

Is like unto leaven (homoia estin zumēi). In its pervasive power. Curiously enough some people deny that Jesus here likens the expanding power of the Kingdom of heaven to leaven, because, they say, leaven is the symbol of corruption. But the language of Jesus is not to be explained away by such exegetical jugglery. The devil is called like a lion by Peter (1Pe_5:8) and Jesus in Revelation is called the Lion of the Tribe of Judah (Rev_5:5). The leaven permeates all the

[Esh]

The leaven of the kingdom of heaven does not represent the leaven of the Pharisees for the following reason:

For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed [the righteousness] of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Matthew 5:20