Key: SCHAFF: “When the Lord open his mouth, we should open our ears and hearts”
THE PARABLE OF THE LEAVEN…1 Matt. 13:33, Lk. 13:20-21.
The disciples did not ask for the interpretation of these two parables, because they quickly understood the meaning. The mustard seed represents the expansion of Christianity in a vast dimension and in an extensive way. The parable of the leaven on the other hand is the assimilation, diffusion of Christianity through the vast mass of humanity, in an intensive way. This parable does not contradict the parable of the tears of the field, as we will explain later. We have to consider Christ’s objective for the world which is outlined in these parables and what he is doing for the Church today.
- Matt. 13:33 “The kingdom of heaven is like unto a leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leaven.”
- We want to first look at leaven in the light of other passages of the Bible. Matt. 16:6 “the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees”, Lk. 12:1 “the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”, Gal. 5:9 “A little leaven leavened the whole lump”, 1Cor. 5:6-8 “leaven of malice and wickedness”, also in Matt. 6:11-12, Mk. 8:15. It has been used as a symbol of things corrupting and pernicious.
a. It is true that evil doctrines and corruption as stated in 1Tim. 4:1-3, 2Tim. 3:1-9, 13; 4:3-5, 2Pet. 2:1-3 and other passages will come to penetrate Christianity in the world as we have the doctrine of Balaam and the deeds of Nic-o-la’i-tanes as seen in the Churches in Asia, Rev. 2, 3.
b. Evil has never corrupted the whole Church and will never. Christ said I will build my Church and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.
I. The Church is ‘Salt’ as salt preserves things from corruption and decay, so it is the office of Christian to preserve mankind from moral corruption and ruin. He is a force against rottenness. Salt also as seasoning, add flavour to the world. The christian are to save life from being stale and flat.
II. The Church is light, and as light to expose shoddiness and unworthiness. Eph. 5:11.It display what human existence must be. She should avoid dark ways. Eph. 5:3-10. He is to shine, ‘let your light so shine Matt. 5:16. In Phil. 2:15 we are compared with John Jn. 5:35, a shining light, Is. 60:1-3.
c. Evil cannot overcome good Rom. 12:21, and darkness will never overcome light, as in the parable of the tears of the field, evil sown by the devil will never affect the Church. Moreover, Christ is sitting in heaven today, to keep, protect and preserve the Church. Jn. 17:15 He is our mediator, guarantor, intercessor and advocate. We will look at the parable properly in our next study.
