The Leaven
Matthew
13:33 & Luke 13:20-21
Joseph
Van Winkle
Setting
In both Gospels the parable of the Leaven is preceded by the parable of the Mustard Seed. The parable provides an interpretive setting in which the Leaven parable should be viewed. The Mustard Seed parable depicts the Kingdom of Heaven as an uncontrollably overwhelming plant that has arisen from the seemingly insignificant beginnings of a tiny seed.[1] The tone has been set, and the mood just right to view this parable similarly.
In Luke, the parable is preceded by Jesus’ Sabbath offense of healing a crippled woman. To the religious authorities of the time, Jesus' action was an evil deed, breaking the Mosaic Law that forbids work on Saturday. In their thinking, anyone sent by God would obey God’s Law, not disregard it, as the heathen do.[2] This provides the reader with another literary context within which to understand the parable.
Much as Jesus’ actions were considered unclean, or evil, to the Jewish authorities, so was leaven in Jewish tradition. Everywhere it is mentioned, with the possible exception of this Synoptic parable, it has a negative connotation. Mosaic Law even demanded that anyone who ate leavened bread during Passover must be cut off from the people of Israel.[3]
In Jesus’ day, leaven was not the same prepackaged yeast that is added to bread today. Leaven much more closely resembled sourdough bread starter, a small lump of fermenting dough that is added to fresh dough to cause it to ferment and rise. Before baking another small portion was removed from the batch to be used the next day. Because the fermentation completed its process in less than forty-eight hours, women were forced to repeat this process every day to ensure bread in the future.[4]
The Greek verb used to express what the woman did with the leaven is ekgruto, which is translated as to "conceal in," or "hide in."[5] The hiding of the leaven apparently designates the “hiddenness of the kingdom.”[6]
The “ three measures” of flour that the leaven was mixed with is equal to about four and a half pecks, or roughly 144 cups of flour.[7] Considering that it only takes only about three to five cups of flour to make a single loaf of bread today, the recipe given in the parable would easily feed a hundred men.[8]
Message
Though the Kingdom of Heaven may appear to be hidden in the world, there, “is an irresistible force inaugurated by God that will have its way and transform all of creation.”[9] Even though we cannot see the effects of our ministry in this lifetime, we can be assured that, since it is God’s desire to bring such developments about, He is the one with the power to accomplish the work.
Application
The Leaven parable is a challenge for believers to continue the Lord’s work in spite of the visible results, or lack of them. This is why in the Gospel of John, Jesus says, “One sows and another reaps.”[10] We may not see the end of our labors, but God is able to bring the task to completion. Somebody else may be involved in that completion of the Lord’s work and not us; that is up to the Almighty.
It is also important to return to the example set by Jesus where the religious authorities viewed His God-ordained ministry as evil. Just as leaven was traditionally associated with evil influences, so Jesus' was misjudged by many of his contemporaries. Not surprisingly, some of our deeds, though done in accordance with the Lord’s Will, may be seen as evil to the religious authorities. How many looks and remarks would you get from the leaders of your church if you showed up for Sunday morning with a van full of young, rebellious delinquents? Just because someone might consider your actions inappropriate, even heathen, is no guarantee that your ministry is misguided, or not from God. As long as what you do is in accordance with the Word of God, and done to the glory of God, continue to persevere in the midst of the persecution and storms of the religious authorities. After all it is our Lord Jesus Christ who is our model and not the Pharisees.