Leaven is yeast and can refer to the agent used in making bread that causes the dough to rise or can refer to a pervasive influence that modifies something for the better or the worse. In the Bible, leaven usually refers to the corrupting influence that deviates God’s people from pure devotion and worship of God. In the Old Testament, the use of leaven was strictly forbidden in all the burnt offerings presented to God. Jesus saw the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees as having a detrimental affect on the people of Israel and called it leaven. (Matthew 16:6-12) Paul picks up on this interpretation of leaven when warning the Corinthians of how important it was to remove sin from their midst. He said: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6)
In making an application to our own lives, it is first important to study the nature of leaven. First, leaven is an outside agent of influence. Secondly, it spreads by contact of particle with particle. Thirdly, leaven changes the particles it comes into contact with, and fourthly, it can multiply and affect a large number of other particles. When Jesus referred to leaven as the teaching of the Pharisees, He was warning of the power of the words that these religious influencers had on the people. Just a little attitude, just a little misinformation or suspicion, can go a long way to change the way a person, or persons, think. We see this happening all the time in the arena of politics and the media. For this reason, we must be careful to think on that which edifies and is founded on the Word of God.
I have found the leaven of offense is used by the enemy to separate close friends. It can start with something that is very insignificant and yet can grow into a major disagreement and division. An example of this is found in the book of Judges. Jephthah was an outcast from his people of the city of Gilead. He moved to the land of Tod and there gathered to himself a gang of like undesirables. When the Ammonites persecuted Gilead, the elders of the city sought Jephthah’s help. An agreement was made, and Jephthah led an army of Israelites to battle the Ammonites. Upon returning in victory, the tribe of Ephraim, meet Jephthah and asked why they weren’t invited to join him in the battle. Jephthah responded by saying that when he had asked for their help before, they denied him, so this time he didn’t even bother to ask. Ephraim got so offended that he attacked Jephthah’s army. 45,000 Ephraimites died on the battlefield that day. What a tragic outcome of a little unchecked offense.
Just a little leaven can turn brother against brother. Just a little leaven and one’s love can grow cold. Just a little leaven and a person who began in the Spirit can change into a legalistic hypocrite. Paul confronted the Galatian church by saying: “Who has bewitched you?” (Galatians 3:1) The leaven of religious legalism had entered in the church and they had lost their liberty in the Spirit. Works were replacing grace as their basis for salvation and the enemy was blinding them by the works of the flesh. Leaven makes you think you are bigger or better than you actually are. It puffs up, but does not build up. To check leaven, you must be grounded on the Rock; the Word of God. Be careful of what and who you listen to. Judge it by what God has said in His Word. The Bible is your plumb line. It will keep you from the subtleties of leaven’s influence.
Scriptures to meditate on:
Judges 12:1-6; Galatians 5:7-10; Proverbs 17:9; 18:19; Matthew 16:6, 12; 1 Corinthians 5:6-7