A Little Leaven

Matthew 13:33

I. The Meaning of the Bread:

a. Jesus’ audience, the Jews, would have immediately known what Jesus was talking about when He said, “three measures of meal.” (Genesis 18:6; Judges 6:12; I Samuel 1:24; Ezekiel 45; Numbers 15; Leviticus 2). This is blessed bread, this is something to satisfy the heart, the mind, of God. It’s reserved for a special occasion (Luke 11:5-6, 13). So, the idea of this bread is this bread is blessed bread.

b. This bread represents that which satisfies the heart and mind of God. And what it really speaks of is communion and fellowship with God and man, because the breaking of bread, unleavened bread, represents fellowship with God from the Passover Feast right on down to the Lord’s Supper like we took last Sunday.

c. So, think, first of all, about the three measures, and just put in your mind this bread is significant, it’s special. It pictures the Church. The Apostle Paul said we are one bread. It pictures fellowship with God. It pictures communion with God, in so many symbols.

II. The Leaven that is Hidden:

a. Now, leaven is hidden in three measures of meal. This sneaky housewife comes into the kitchen, and she just slips in. The Bible says she hides leaven in these three measures. Leaven, in the Bible, is not a symbol of that which is good. It stands for evil, that which is hidden, that which is working unseen, that which works slowly, that which works surely and pervasively (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; Matthew 16:11; Mark 8:15).

III. The Agent of the Enemy:

a. The woman represents the strategies of the enemy. It was a purposeful act. She knows exactly what she is doing. She’s not doing it by chance. She does it intentionally. It is a deliberate act. Folks, Satan knows what he is doing. Satan is out to sabotage the work of God any way he possibly can.

b. It was a devious act. She’s not doing this openly. This is something that is done secretly. Now Jesus said in John 18:20, “I’ve done nothing in secret.” And we’re not out to hide the gospel. We’re out to make the gospel known. This woman represents the false church, not the true Church, the bride of Christ. She is representing Satan’s work in these last days to infiltrate the Church with the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herod.

c. The devil doesn’t have just one way to work. In the parable of the Sower, he catches away the seed. In the parable of the tares, he imitates the harvest. In the parable of the mustard seed, he corrupts the herb. In the parable of the leaven, he infiltrates the bread.

• Now, why is the Lord doing this? He’s trying to show us what is going to happen; and these parables go from the time when Jesus began to sow the seed to the Final Judgment. The Bible is a wonderful book; and everything is tracking exactly, precisely, as God said it would. You’re not going to have false expectations, or be discouraged, or doubt, or despair. You’re able to rejoice in the truth of God’s Word!