Down to Earth But Heavenly Minded

Question:

“T. S., Crewe.” ― In reply to your question on Matthew 13:33: ―

Answer:

You will find it a rule in Scripture, that leaven is generally used as typical of evil, whether in doctrine or practice. For instance, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees… Then understood they how that he bade them, not to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees” (Matthew 16:6, 11, 12). See also Mark 8:15; Luke 12:1. In the last verse we read, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

Paul writes to the Corinthians, with regard to evil practice, “know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6.) And to the Galatians, with regard to evil doctrine, subversive of Christianity, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Galatians 5:9).

In Matthew 13:33, we are taught in one of six parables which follow that of the sower, a similitude of the kingdom of heaven, in its new mysterious form, which was about to be introduced on the rejection of the King. For one ρeculiar and striking characteristic of the kingdom of heaven in mystery is that the King is not here. It begins at the ascension of Christ. This was some of the “things new” which a scribe, instructed in the matter, would now bring out of his treasures, added to the “things old” which the prophets had aforetime written about the kingdom of heaven (verse 52). It had been said that it would be “as the days of heaven upon earth” (Deuteronomy 11:21), and of the throne of the King, a His throne (should be) as the days of heaven” (Psalm 89:29); again, the Gentiles should know that “the heavens do rule” (Daniel 4:26).

Now all this state of things was entirely set aside for the time, because of the rejection of the King ― of Christ. And instead of all the blessings consequent upon His reception, a far different state of things would be introduced. The enemy would come and sow tares amongst the wheat in the world, or, as it is called, “the field” (verse 38). The outward appearance the kingdom of heaven would then assume, would be that of a vast sheltering power, given under the figure of a tree, which would shelter the birds of the air; or, as they are interpreted to be, the emissaries of the wicked one (see verses 4, 19, 32). And again, as our parable tells us, doctrine or profession would spread through the three measures of meal, or the sphere of the nominal profession of Christianity till the whole should be leavened. One has only to lift up his eyes, with but a small amount of spiritual intelligence, on the state of things in Christendom around him and see what has come to pass.