5 Jesus’ followers went across the lake, but they had forgotten to bring bread. 6 Jesus said to them, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7 His followers discussed the meaning of this, saying, “He said this because we forgot to bring bread.”
8 Knowing what they were talking about, Jesus asked them, “Why are you talking about not having bread? Your faith is small. 9 Do you still not understand? Remember the five loaves of bread that fed the five thousand? And remember that you filled many baskets with the leftovers? 10 Or the seven loaves of bread that fed the four thousand and the many baskets you filled then also? 11 I was not talking to you about bread. Why don’t you understand that? I am telling you to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” 12 Then the followers understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
Read Matthew 16:5-12 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!
During one of the times Jesus and His disciples crossed the lake, Jesus thought it would be a good time to share a statement to help warn His followers about the subtle influences of the two key religions of the time. While the Pharisees and Sadducees often had people listening to Jesus’ every word to try to trap Him, while on the boat crossing the lake, Jesus had some alone time where He could talk more directly with the disciples.
But while the illustration was shared as a simple metaphor, the disciples completely misunderstood it. Jesus tells them in verse 6, “Be careful! Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” However, Jesus’ timing was right next to the disciples discussing how they had forgotten bread. They then concluded Jesus must have been talking about them forgetting bread as well.
But after reminding them about some miracles in the past that dealt with a lack of bread, Jesus helps refocus their attention onto what He really meant. He tells them, “‘I was not talking to you about bread. Why don’t you understand that? I am telling you to beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.’ Then the followers understood that Jesus was not telling them to beware of the yeast used in bread but to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” (v. 11-12)
In many ways, the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees is alive and well today. The Pharisees are best known for their legalism and for thinking less of others based upon obedience to a certain set of rules. While the Pharisees may technically be correct with what they believe, they communicate truth with no love. Pharisee thinking and teaching is anything that raises or lowers someone from being equally loved by God.
However, the Sadducees are not any better. While they were most famous for not believing in the resurrection, they also believed that inspiration is more exclusive and limited. The Sadducees only drew from the books of Moses. They felt that while the other writings may have historical relevance, they were not inspired as equally as Moses was. The Sadducees were “experts in the law” because that is all they focused on. Sadducee thinking and teaching says that God can reach a point where He will not share anymore with us and it will be up to us to draw conclusions based upon past evidence.
Jesus warns us about both of these teachings. Jesus wants us to be equally loving to others, and He wants us to trust that He will always be here for us, and that God is willing, able, and may send messengers to help redirect us back to Him. While a prophet living before Jesus had something to look forward to, those who are spokespeople for God who live after Jesus have the perfect thing to point us back to!
The Pharisee and Sadducee beliefs and teachings stop us from who God wants us to be in Jesus. We are to be like Jesus, who loved without exception and who pointed us to the hope of a future, “eternal life” with God our Creator and Redeemer.
This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!
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