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BEWARE OF FALSE PASTORS
FRIDAY, JUNE 20
Matthew 16:5-12

Jerremiah 23:1-8

 

“…beware of the leaven

of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”

 

BEWARE OF FALSE PASTORS
 
Jesus warned the disciples against the leaven (or yeast) of the Pharisees and Sadducees. “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (1 Cor 5:6). What was this leaven of which Jesus spoke? Was Jesus speaking literally or figuratively? The disciples apparently thought Jesus was referring to literal physical bread. They thought Jesus was angry with them for not buying enough bread for the journey. The Lord had to chide His disciples for thinking so carnally. They were truly babes in their understanding of the spiritual words that came from their Master’s mouth.
 
Jesus had to rebuke them for being preoccupied with physical bread. They were very anxious about their next meal. Jesus had to remind them about the two feeding miracles they had just witnessed. Did He not feed the 5,000 and the 4,000 with just a few loaves and fishes? “Am I not able to satisfy all twelve of you with a good meal with just one loaf seeing that I have miraculously fed the thousands with just a few loaves and fishes of which you were witnesses? Why are you so lacking in faith?” The disciples at this point were spiritually dense indeed.
 
Jesus when He spoke of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, was referring to their “doctrine.” It was the false teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees that they should be careful of. The leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees was poisonous because their doctrine was characterised by unbelief. They could clearly see that Jesus is the Messiah promised in their sacred Scripture. Both the words and the works of Jesus unmistakably pointed to that fact, and yet they blatantly denied the truth.
 
Who are the modern-day Pharisees and Sadducees? They are all so-called biblical scholars who deny the full inspiration of the Holy Sciptures, and the full deity of Jesus Christ. Beware of the leaven of such false teachers who blatantly attack the Living and the Written Word.
 
THOUGHT: “Pride is always the companion of unbelief.” (Calvin)
PRAYER: Father, I believe that every jot and tittle in the Bible is Thy Word inerrant, infallible.

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