# 80 The Metaphor of Leaven: A Warning Against False Doctrine - Matthew 16:5-12

Introduction: What is your favorite type of bread? Allow me to mention some…

   Breads made with Yeast:

· White bread - soft and fluffy. Refined flour.

· Wheat bread – made from whole grains. Richer in fiber and nutrients.

· Sourdough – Naturally fermented bread with a tangy flavor and chewy crust.

· Rye Bread – Made with rye flour, often dense with a deep flavor.

· Pumpernickel – A dark, dense German rye bread with a slightly sweet taste.

      Unleavened Breads: Made with no Yeast

· Matzo – Jewish unleavened bread is eaten during Passover.

· Tortilla – A thin, flat Mexican bread made from wheat or corn flour.

· Roti/Chapati – Indian whole wheat flatbreads, often cooked on a griddle.

· Lavash – A soft, thin Armenian flatbread.

· Pita – A Middle Eastern flatbread that can form a pocket when baked at high temperatures.

   Specialty and Regional Breads:

· Naan – A soft, slightly chewy Indian bread, often brushed with butter or garlic.

· Focaccia – An Italian flatbread, often topped with olive oil, herbs, and sometimes cheese.

· Bagel – A dense, chewy bread with a crisp crust, often boiled before baking.

· Pretzel – A twisted, chewy bread, usually topped with salt.

· English Muffin – A small, round bread with a soft texture, often toasted.

· Cornbread – A dense, slightly sweet American bread made from cornmeal.

· Ezekiel Bread – A sprouted grain bread based on a biblical recipe (Ezekiel 4:9).

   Have I successfully made you hungry? If you could only eat one kind of bread for the rest of your life, which would you choose?

   How important is Bread? Bread is a universal staple of life, symbolizing sustenance and provision. It has been part of the human diet since creation and is consumed in every culture.

    Picture in your mind a traveler setting out on a long journey without food. He is focused on reaching his destination but neglects to bring nourishment. Midway through, exhaustion sets in, and he finds himself unable to continue. The same principle applies spiritually—without the nourishment of God’s Word, we become weak and susceptible to deception.

  Jesus highlighted the significance of bread when He said:

   “Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” – Matthew 4:4

   This statement reveals that bread is not just physical sustenance but also a symbol of teaching and spiritual nourishment. Understanding this symbolism is key to interpreting Matthew 16:5–12, where Jesus uses bread to issue a warning about false doctrine.

1. Forgotten Bread – Matthew 16:5

“Now when His disciples had come to the other side, they had forgotten to take bread.”

    We read in the parallel passage in Mark 8:14,

   And they did not have more than one loaf with them in the boat.

 The word used here for “forgotten” in verse 5, means “to neglect, to overlook, to let slip.” This implies that their forgetfulness was not merely absentmindedness but a failure to prioritize correctly.

   How often do we forget our bread? We fail to prioritize our time with God and His Word. Christians who neglect spiritual nourishment will suffer spiritually. You can only go so long without proper nourishment.

   How can we take what we have read and put it into practice today? Here are some suggestions:

Make Scripture a daily priority. Have a time and a place where you meet with God (2 Timothy 2:15).

Set reminders for Bible study, just as you do for meals.

Memorize key verses so the Word is always with you (Joshua 1:8).

  Charles Spurgeon penned, “When the soul is neglected, it hungers for truth but often settles for the counterfeit.”

2. Bad Bread – Matthew 16:6

“Then Jesus said to them, ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’”

  In Mark 8:15 the words, “And the leaven of Herod” are added.

   The words “take heed” (or “beware” in some translations) here in verse 6, means “to be cautious, to perceive, discern, or be on guard.” This implies an active, ongoing awareness rather than a one-time warning.

  Leaven throughout Scripture is a symbol of evil. We saw this when we looked at the parables in Matthew 13, and we see this looking back into the Old Testament (See Exodus 12:8, 15-20).

   All you must do is place a small amount of yeast in the dough, and it will permeate the whole batch. False teachings work the same way—what seems like a small deviation from Scripture can spread and alter one's entire belief system. So, allow me to share an example from Church History –

   An important biblical doctrine that can lead to significant error is the nature of Christ—specifically, the belief that Jesus was created rather than eternally divine.

Arianism and the Deity of Christ

   In the early church, a theologian named Arius (c. 250–336 AD) taught that Jesus was not co-eternal with the Father but was the first created being. He argued that Christ was divine in some sense but not of the same essence as God the Father. This seemed like a small difference at first, but it led to a major theological crisis because it denied Christ’s full divinity.

Why This Small Deviation Was Dangerous

1. Undermines Salvation – If Jesus were not fully God, His sacrifice on the cross would not be sufficient to atone for the sins of humanity.

2. Conflicts with Scripture – The Bible explicitly teaches Christ’s divinity (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9, Philippians 2:5-7).

3. Leads to False Worship – If Jesus were a created being, worshiping Him would border on idolatry, contradicting biblical monotheism.

Outcome: The Council of Nicaea (325 AD)

  To address this deviation, the Council of Nicaea affirmed that Christ is "of the same essence" (homoousios) as the Father, leading to the Nicene Creed, which is foundational for Christian orthodoxy today.

   It doesn’t take a huge error to make it dangerous. A great example of how a small deviation, like being 1% off course, can lead to massive consequences is seen in maritime navigation.

A Ship Sailing Across the Atlantic

   Imagine today a ship setting sail from New York City to London, a distance of about 3,470 miles (5,585 km). If the ship’s navigation is just 1% off course, here’s what happens:

1% off means being off by 0.6 degrees from the intended path.

After 10 miles, the ship is 0.17 miles (900 feet) off course—barely noticeable.

After 100 miles, it’s 1.7 miles off course—still not a big deal.

By the time it reaches 3,470 miles, the ship would be over 34 miles (55 km) off course, possibly missing London entirely and landing somewhere along the English Channel—or even in another country!

The Spiritual Lesson

  This information helps us understand just how a small deviation from the truth—whether in navigation or theology—can lead to huge consequences over time. Just as a ship’s captain must constantly check and adjust the course, Christians must continually align their beliefs and teachings with Scripture to avoid drifting into error.

   This is what Jesus is teaching here in Matthew 16:5-12. He is warning His disciples about the Pharisees’ and the Sadducees' teachings—seemingly small distortions that could lead people far from God’s truth.

   Paul also warned, “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” in his letter to the Galatians (Galatians 5:9).  

   We must absorb God’s Word into our daily lives. So, I would encourage each one of us to…

Regularly test teachings against Scripture - Acts 17:11.

Seek wisdom from mature, biblically grounded believers – Proverbs 11:14

Ask: "Does this teaching align with the whole counsel of God?"

Read books about Christianity from sound authors. From publishers, you can trust.

   Dr. John MacArthur wrote, “Doctrinal error is like leaven: it begins small but spreads and contaminates everything.”

3. No Bread – Matthew 16:7–8

   “And they reasoned among themselves, saying, ‘It is because we have taken no bread.’ But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, ‘O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?’”

   The disciples of Jesus often only thought with their earthly minds. They did not think spiritually. If the truth be known, we probably are all right there with them. Jesus spoke spiritual truth – they heard through earthly ears. They were thinking of earthly bread; Jesus was warning about spiritual error – false teaching. They missed it.

   As I was reading, I discovered that some Bible teachers think that the disciples might have thought that Jesus was warning them about buying bread from these two religious sects. 

   Jesus says to His disciples, “O you of little faith”. The word comes from a Greek word meaning “lacking confidence in God’s power and provision.”

   How many times like the disciples do we worry about our earthly provisions? Perhaps daily! And yet our heavenly Father is faithful in providing for our needs – time and time again. In the Old Testament, the children of Israel were always complaining to Moses that they were without “bread and meat” and every time God provided for their necessities. He gave them “manna and quail”. Let us not forget God’s faithfulness and allow fear and worry to consume us. You see, the truth of the matter is that the disciples failed to remember Jesus’ past miracles.

   Also, I want to point out the question that Jesus asked His disciples. He asked,

  “Why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread?”

   What is interesting about that question is that the verb “reason” is in the present tense which carries the idea that in this question Jesus was asking, “Why do you keep on endlessly discussing?”

   How often do talk and talk about our needs, and forget all that God has done for us in the past?

   What steps can we take so that we don’t end up like the disciples here in our text today? Here are three practical ideas:

Keep a journal of answered prayers as a reminder of God's faithfulness.

When worrying and doubting, recall past times when God provided.

Trust that God is always aware of our needs.

   A.W. Tozer penned, “Faith is the lens through which we perceive God’s provision in all circumstances.”

4. Miracle Bread – Matthew 16:9–10

   “Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up?”

   In Mark 8:18 we read,

   And do you not remember?

   Are you aware that one of the biggest issues we face as people is a lack of remembrance? We forget all that God has already done for us. The many times that He has provided for our needs.

      One author penned, “A lack of food isn’t a problem when you’re with the Son of God.”

   Jesus reminded them about feeding the 5,000, and later the 4,000.  The multiplication of five loaves and two fish and the seven loaves and a few fish were supernatural miracles. How did they forget these two miracles? They were eyewitnesses – they were a part of the events! How could you forget seeing such a large amount of bread being supplied to thousands of people? I mean the disciples were handling the bread themselves – they were handling the as it was being multiplied!

   How can we understand and remember all that JESUS has done for us? I would suggest the following ideas:

Meditate on God’s past provisions.

Share the God’s stories with others to encourage them in their faith.

Rely on God rather than human resources. Tell God your needs and then trust Him.

   Warren Wiersbe wrote, “God’s past faithfulness is the foundation for our present trust.”

5. Deceptive Bread – Matthew 16:11

   “How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? —but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

      The word for “understand” means “to perceive with the mind, to think deeply.” Jesus was urging them to move beyond surface-level concerns and grasp the deeper spiritual truth.

   Keep in mind that the disciples were only thinking with their natural minds, they were not thinking with a spiritual mind – they were missing the essential truth that Jesus was teaching. The words “Take heed and beware” are important in the text (v.6)

  What is the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees? It was their DOCTRINE, their teachings. It was everything they taught their followers.

   The word Pharisee means, separated ones – they were legalists. So, what was the leaven (doctrine) of the Pharisees?

· Hypocrisy – Luke 12:1

· Outward Religion and Inward Corruption – Matthew 23:27

· Legalism – Matthew 23:23

· Self-righteousness and Pride – Luke 18:9-14

· Spiritual blindness – John 9:39-41

· Corrupting others – Matthew 23:15

· The love of money – Luke 16:14

   The word Sadducee means “righteous ones”. They were liberal. What was the Leaven of the Sadducees?

· Denial of the Supernatural – Matthew 22:23-33

· Denial of an afterlife and resurrection – Acts 23:8

· Denial of angels and spirits – Acts 23:8

· Denial of all books except the Pentateuch (the first five books of the Bible).

· Focused on wealth and political status – John 11:47-48

   How would we recognize the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees in the lives of individuals today?

   Modern "Leaven of the Pharisees" (Hypocrisy & Legalism)

Religious rules over relationship with God.

Self-righteousness instead of grace through faith.

Focusing on outward appearance instead of inward transformation.

   Modern "Leaven of the Sadducees" (Skepticism & Worldliness)

Denying God's power (miracles, resurrection, spiritual gifts).

Prioritizing money, power, and success over holiness

Treating Christianity as a social or political system rather than a relationship with Christ.

   Jesus had to be direct with His disciples and tell them that He was not speaking to them about earthly bread, but about the danger of false teachings.  

   How can we become more discerning? We can…

Read the Bible.

Talk with God (Prayer).

Use spiritual discernment.

Walk in the Spirit.

Rely on godly teachers who uphold biblical doctrine.

   R.C. Sproul wrote, “A half-truth presented as the whole truth is a complete lie.”

6. Corrupt Bread – Matthew 16:12

   “Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

   This verse tells us that the disciples finally got what Jesus was teaching them – they had their “A-ha” moment. It took them a while, but they finally got what Jesus wasn’t talking about the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  

   Jesus was warning His disciples about false doctrine, and by way of application, you and I who are reading this today are also being warned about religious groups that can lead us astray. Folks, we need to have a handle on Biblical Christianity. It is vital to our spiritual well-being.

   How can we avoid being entrapped by false teachers and false doctrine? I suggest that we take the following three steps:

Study doctrine diligently – 2 Timothy 2:15

Test every teaching – 1 John 4:1

Watch for bad fruit – Matthew 7:15-16

Stay rooted in a Biblically Sound Church – Hebrews 10:25

Rely on the Holy Spirit for Discernment – John 16:13

   Dr. Martyn Lloyd Jones wrote, “Sound doctrine is the backbone of spiritual growth and the safeguard against deception.”

Conclusion: As we have seen throughout this passage, Jesus’ warning about the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees is not just a historical lesson—it is a call for spiritual discernment in our own lives today. False doctrine, like leaven, spreads subtly but powerfully, and if left unchecked, it can lead believers away from the truth of God’s Word.

   The disciples initially misunderstood Jesus, thinking He was speaking of physical bread, but He was pointing them to a greater reality—our need for spiritual nourishment and the danger of corrupt teachings. Today, we must take this warning seriously.

 So, what can we do? We can…

Be in the Word daily.

Beware of False Teachers. Wolves in sheep's clothing.

Salvation by grace through faith alone.

Use your Spiritual discernment – test all things through God’s Word.

   Eating earthly bread will not protect you from the leaven of religious groups. But, eating up God’s Word will. We need earthly bread to sustain life, but we need the Word of God to protect us against false doctrine.

· Error leads people to hell.

· Truth leads people to heaven.

   Know God’s TRUTH and you’ll be able to spot leaven.