The Metaphor of Leaven: Spiritual Insights
By Elizabeth Prata
SYNOPSIS
The term “leaven” represents a small yet influential force, both positively in the growth of God’s kingdom and negatively as a corrupting influence. Biblical teachings warn against allowing these harmful influences to pervade one’s heart and mind, urging believers to maintain purity in thought and faith.
When we read the famous verse that says ‘a little leaven spoils the whole lump’ (Galatians 5:9) or ‘beware the leaven of the Pharisees,’ (Mark 8:15) we believe we know what leaven is. It’s yeast. Right? Yes, and no.
leaven: a pervasive influence that may start small, but grows and spreads even invisibly. (Like the leaven of the Kingdom spoken of in the Matthew 13:33 parable.)
leaven: noun. a substance used to produce fermentation in dough or a liquid; the main ingredient that causes bread to rise. the remnant of dough from the preceding baking which had fermented and become acid.
So in Bible days, leaven was a bit of fermented dough (not exactly yeast) that is added to the next week’s dough to make it rise. You didn’t need much to leaven the lump. When Paul said a little leaven leavens the whole lump, people understood.
The metaphor can be used in a positive way as in Matthew 13:33… It meant that God’s kingdom would start small but would grow quietly, almost invisibly, to do its work in having a pervasive influence on the world.
It’s also used in a negative sense, as when Paul warned th Corinthains that their boasting was leaven and not good. (1 Corinthians 5:6).
Jesus warned about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees because both religious groups taught what was contrary to what Jesus taught. In Matthew’s Gospel, He specifically says the teaching of those religious figures are leaven. Their teaching was poisonous leaven permeating the Jews’ teaching from on high (Gamaliel) on down.
Sinclair Ferguson writes, “Unbelief is like leaven, small but influential, apparently insignificant, but all-pervasive in its influence.”
Boyd Johnson said, “The sinful, corrupting influences of this world have the power to lead us astray, and any remnant of unbelief in our hearts will become like leaven in our hearts, a corrupting influence in everything that we do, in all the ways that we relate to God and His people. We are tempted by self-reliance, self-righteousness, hypocrisy, skepticism, secularism, wealth, power, prestige, all of these are temptations. And all of these temptations find a home in unbelief. And therefore, we too must beware of the leaven of unbelief”.
Do not allow unbelief, half-belief, on inattentive belief to become leaven and bubble and ferment in your heart. Stay pure.
Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, think about these things. (Philippians 4:8).
