Bible Study series: Matthew 16:5-12. Yeast is a metaphor for …. What?
A warm welcome to this Bible study! I write to learn, so let’s learn together. I also translate to learn. The translations are mine, unless otherwise noted. If you would like to see many others, please click on this link:
In the next link to the original chapter, I comment more and offer the Greek text. At the bottom you will find a “Summary and Conclusion” section geared toward discipleship. Check it out!
In this post, links are provided for further study.
Let’s begin.
Scripture: Matthew 12:5-12
5 And after the disciples went to the other side of the lake, they forgot to take the bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Watch out for and beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7 They discussed among themselves, saying, “We didn’t take the bread.” 8 Perceiving this, Jesus said, “Why are you discussing among yourselves, you of little faith, that you have no bread? 9 Are you no longer mindful or do you forget the five loaves for the five thousand and how many baskets which you got? 10 And the seven loaves for the four thousand and the number of baskets which you got? 11 How are you not mindful of what I told you? Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of bread yeast, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. (Matt. 16:5-12)
Comments:
For a discussion about why it is important not to slink away from a verbal sparring match, see the comments on v. 1.
5:
This verse sets up the scene. No doubt Jesus saw what they forgot to do, and now he was about to find out if they could look beyond the natural world and perceive the spiritual meaning of yeast and bread.
“lake”: It is the Lake of Galilee. it is most often translated as “sea,” because of the Greek word, but the Shorter Lexicon offers the option of “lake.” And since the body of water in Galilee is a lake, I chose this term. The old traditional title, “The Sea of Galilee,” to modern readers, makes no sense when they see it on an online map; the term is inaccurate.
Also noted, the disciples did the practical things for Jesus. The twelve (and Judas’s replacement Matthias) will apply this lesson when it is their turn to lead. They will appoint seven deacons, while the twelve will devote themselves to teaching the word and prayer alone (Acts 6). Nowadays, pastors do it all: they are corporate managers and oversee many departments. But they are not following Scripture, which says to devote themselves only to Scripture and prayer. Now the teaching behind the pulpit is shallow because the pastors don’t have the time to study the Bible. No, one day of study is not enough.
“disciples”:
6-7:
Jesus works with the literal word yeast or leaven, but he adds to the physical object (tiny yeast) a spiritual or metaphorical meaning. Can the disciples catch on? Blomberg points out a wordplay in Aramaic (Jesus spoke this language). “There may be an underlying Aramaic play on words in v. 12b, given the similarity between “teaching” (ʾamîrʾā) and “yeast” (hămîrʾa). (comment on 16:8-12). I don’t know Aramaic, so I will take his word for it.
They did not catch on to the nonliteral meaning. I feel for them. I wonder whether I catch on to deeper truths.
“discussing”: “reasoning” is also a valid translation. They were using their intellects that were tied down to the literal meaning of yeast. They could not transition from the physical (yeast) to the metaphorical or spiritual (doctrine or teaching).
Osborne translates: “They began discussing this among themselves.” “Began” is implied in the tense of the verb (imperfect tense). He may be right.
8:
Jesus perceived what they were discussing. Did he perceive this by a supernatural knowledge? The Greek word is a very common verb to know, so that answer cannot be settled by that. My hunch: he overheard them.
9-10:
“mindful”: it more formally means (1) “perceive, understand, gain an insight into”; (2) consider, take note of, think over”; (3) “think, imagine” (Eph. 3:20) (the Shorter Lexicon). So I decided to translate it as “mindful.” They were not mindful of who their Lord was and his miracle-working power and with whom he just finished dialoging in a verbal sparring match. He is now exposing their teaching.
11-12:
He must have gestured or used a tone of voice in such a way that the twelve caught on. Or they simply got an insight. “Eureka! Now we catch on!”
“teaching”: it could be translated as “doctrine.” It is the Greek noun didachē (pronounced dee-dah-khay). BDAG is considered by many to be the authoritative lexicon of the Greek NT, and it defines the noun as follows: (1) “The activity of teaching, teaching, instruction”; (2) “the content of teaching, teaching.” Yes, the word is also used of Jesus’s teaching: Matt. 7:28; 22:33; Mark 1:22, 27; 4:2; 11:18; 12:38; Luke 4:32; John 7:16, 17; 18:19. And it is used of the apostolic teaching: Acts 2:42; 5:28; 13:12; 17:19; Rom. 6:17; 16:17; 1 Cor. 14:6, 26; 2 Tim. 4:2; Ti. 1:9; Heb. 6:2; 2 John 9 (twice), 10; Rev. 2:14, 15, 24.
Renewalists need much more instruction and doctrine than they are getting. Inspirational preaching about God fulfilling their hopes and dreams is insufficient. We need to discern the signs of the times or seasons (Matt. 16:3). We live in the time or season of the worldwide web. The people are getting bombarded with strange doctrines, on youtube (and other such platforms). These youtube “teachers” know how to edit things and put in clever colors and special effects, but they have not been appointed by God. They do not know how to do even basic research. They run roughshod over basic hermeneutical (interpretational) principles. These “teachers” do not seem to realize that they will be judged more severely (Jas. 3:1) and will have to render an account of their (self-appointed) “leadership” (Heb. 13:17). If they destroy God’s temple, God will (eventually) destroy them (1 Cor. 3:17).
Further, my impression is that the main platform speakers on TV whose budgets are big enough to put them on TV every day don’t even know the basics about doctrine, if they were asked (I admit I’m still learning basic doctrine). Why not? They are too busy being corporate managers and even Chief Executive Officers of large churches. They are not turning over the practical side of church leadership to their elders and deacons. They do not spend hours a day—all day, every day—studying nothing but Scriptures, with good ol’ commentaries. (Maybe this one can help.) They do not spend much time reading up on theology and doctrine. (Maybe my website can help, a little.)
A better translation of Eph. 4:11 reads: “Apostles, prophets, evangelists, and teaching pastors,” not pastors and teachers. Do we have teaching pastors or management or corporate pastors who specialize in organizational leadership? Or do we have psychology pastors? These areas should be turned over to a team. The teaching pastors should do nothing but study Scripture and should have the bulk of the teaching time on Sunday morning and in other services.
We need to change our ways and follow Scripture, or else much of the church will spiritually diminish and be swept away by strange teachings. Yes, good ol’ fashioned theology and even a little apologetics about difficult passages is what the global Church needs. They need the basics—even on Sunday morning, delivered by teaching pastors, not corporate, inspirational pastors.
In Jesus’s day it was the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees, who represented Judaism. In our day, some Christ followers are pushing old Judaism too hard and too far into the church. Other strange doctrines are circulating around the church. The best antidote is sound teaching.
“Pharisees and Sadducees”: see v. 1 for more comments. Go here to learn more about them:
Quick Reference to Jewish Groups in Gospels and Acts
GrowApp for Matt. 16:5-12
1. In Jesus’s day yeast (bad doctrine) was old Judaism, represented by the Pharisees and Sadducees. What are some strange teachings that you hear about today?
2.. Were you tempted to get caught up in them? If so, how did God set you free?
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SOURCES AND MORE
To see the bibliography, please click on this link and scroll down to the bottom. You will also find a “Summary and Conclusion” for discipleship.
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