& THE DANGER IN RELYING ON COMMENTARIES
We are continuing our discussion on HOW to study the Bible. I mentioned in my previous post regarding Bible translations and Bible study tools, that one principle to follow is that words keep the same definition throughout the Bible.
Let’s take, for example, the word “leaven”.
Matthew, Mark and Luke record Jesus telling his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees and Herod. The disciples reasoned amongst themselves thinking that Jesus meant actual bread. Jesus rebuked them for their lack of understanding and proceeded to explain that by leaven he meant hypocrisy and the doctrines of the Sadducees and Pharisees. (Matthew 16:6, 11,12; Mark 8:15, Luke 12:1).
Furthermore, Paul takes up the discussion about leaven in his epistles. He equates leaven with malice and wickedness.
Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
I Corinthians 5:6-8
And this:
Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.
Galatians 5:7-9
To the Corinthians he was addressing fornication that was rampant in the church, and to the Galatians he was addressing the doctrine of circumcision that some were trying to enforce on the church.
So we may conclude that leaven is false doctrine, lies and hypocrisy and malice and wickedness.
Now let’s look at the parable of the woman who hid leaven in three measure of meal. This parable is recorded in both Matthew 13:33 and Luke 13:20-21:
Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
And again he said, Whereunto shall I liken the kingdom of God?
Matthew 13:33 & Luke 13:20-21:
It is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.
Now if we use the Bible to interpret itself, it would seem that the woman’s leaven is ALSO false doctrine, lies and hypocrisy. However, we have some pastors, teachers and commentators who at this point, CHANGE the meaning of leaven. They claim that the leaven represents the spread of the gospel and the Kingdom growing larger and larger. There is no place that indicates this definition. The problem comes from their understanding of the Kingdom of God (or the Kingdom of Heaven, same thing).1 Sure commentaries are a very useful tool, but when one commentary parrots what another one says the definition or interpretation simple gets accepted (we trust the answer because it has the appearance of having authority in numbers) that is how wrong doctrines can get started.
To get a clearer understanding of the Kingdom of God, let’s look at some OTHER parables where Jesus likened to Kingdom to something. Though there are several we can compare, I’ll choose two: the parable of the wheat and the tares and the parable of the fishing net.
The parable of the wheat and the tares from Matthew 13:24-30:
Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way. But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up? But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.
Matthew 13:24-30
So it sounds as if there are both good and bad people in the Kingdom. Let’s continue.
The parable of the fishing net from Matthew 13:47-50:
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a net, that was cast into the sea, and gathered of every kind: Which, when it was full, they drew to shore, and sat down, and gathered the good into vessels, but cast the bad away. So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just, And shall cast them into the furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
Matthew 13:47-50
Again, it sounds like there are both good and bad (citizens) in the Kingdom of God.
I think that is where people get off track, thinking that the Kingdom of God is only made up of saints. However, Christ purchased the entire field of humanity to get the hidden treasure or the pearl of great price—to allude to two more parables about the Kingdom. Jesus paid the price for all mankind 2(Calvinists notwithstanding. They believe that Christ died for the elect only). At the end of the age, he will purge out the evil element.
Getting back to the parable of the leaven, leaven retains its meaning of lies, hypocrisy, false doctrine, malice and wickedness. Though Jesus seems to cut this parable short, we may conclude that like the parable of the tares and the bad fish, that at the end of the world, He will send the angels to purge out the leaven. 3Lest the reader think that I am alone in my interpretation of the parable of the leaven, I am pleased to have found this by Martin G Collins: Physically, leaven is a lump of old dough in a high state of fermentation, or a substance that causes dough to rise (yeast). A natural reason for leaven’s negative symbolism is the idea that fermentation implies a process of corruption. In the Old Testament, it is generally symbolic of sin and evil. In every instance that leaven appears in the Bible, it represents evil; the only exception, some say, is Jesus’ use of leaven in this parable. Knowing its Old Testament significance, however, He would have used the symbol in the same way. While some commentaries interpret this parable as depicting the spreading influence of the gospel, such explanations go against Jesus’ use of this symbol. He uses it to refer to the evil doctrine of the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and Herod (Matthew 16:6-12; Mark 8:15), and this could easily apply to later corruptions of doctrine by those who place more importance on the traditions of men than on the Word of God. https://www.cgg.org/index.cfm/library/biblestudy/id/1133/parable-of-leaven.htm
But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
Rev. 21:8
There is much more to discuss regarding this subject, but my objective is to be brief and to get a principal established. Hopefully the reader will be inspired to delve into the depths of the scriptures.
