Luke 12 - Where is the Yeast of the Pharisees in the Church Today!

Luke 12 -NIV 

Luke 12 - Enduring Word Commentary

Verses for the Day

Warnings and Encouragements

12 Meanwhile, when a crowd of many thousands had gathered, so that they were trampling on one another, Jesus began to speak first to his disciples, saying: “Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy. 2 There is nothing concealed that will not be disclosed, or hidden that will not be made known. 3 What you have said in the dark will be heard in the daylight, and what you have whispered in the ear in the inner rooms will be proclaimed from the roofs.

Commentary

Jesus' biggest enemies were the Pharisees. The Pharisees were in charge of overseeing the keeping of the Law of Moses for the people of Israel. The term "Pharisee" means "separated ones". What did this means?

They sought to distinguish themselves through high standards of personal piety and strict interpretation of the Torah, applying purity laws to daily life, not just the Temple. - Google AI

In its purest form this was a good thing, as God's Law given to the Israelites is pure and holy and never changes. If the Israelites kept the law, God promised to bless them in everything they did. On the flipside, if they disobeyed the Law, they would be punished. They would face the consequences of not trusting God. The Pharisees took the basic Law of Moses, as summarized by the Ten Commandments, and added over 400 of their own laws. 

In doing they became legalistic, and this led to pride and hypocrisy.  

"Yeast" was a term which was very well known because the baking of bread was at the heart of every Jewish home and also in the temple. It is a similar to the term "leaven". The main thing about yeast is that just a little bit is needed which can be worked through the whole batch of dough. 

Jesus equated the Pharisees to yeast in that a little bit of their legalism, pride and hypocrisy could affect the whole people of God. As you have seen throughout the gospels, instead of celebrating that Jesus was doing as the Messiah, as promised in the Prophets, they were threatened by him. They were so enamored with their pride and authority, that they became false shepherds. 

We see their true heart, as when people are healed on the Sabbath, they called Jesus a lawbreaker. They criticized him for eating with "sinners, drunkards, and prostitutes". They called him out on purity laws, which they had added to by their own traditions. They accused Jesus of being Satan, when he cast out demons. Finally, they killed him for claiming to be God, the Messiah. 

The yeast of the Pharisees is alive and well today in the church. How? 

People in the church love to get upset about things that have nothing to do with what Jesus has called the church to do. They get caught up in the color of carpet in the sanctuary, what political side are you on, and legalistic interpretations of the bible. They become divisive in churches and feel powerful when people start listening to them. 

You can also see this come up with the "moralists". Of course there is right and wrong, as defined the bible. But the "moralist" is always pointing out other's sins. They are so busy looking at the speck of sawdust in someone else's eye, yst they don't see the plank in their own eyes. Jesus had something to say about that too. 

They tend to focus on one moral issue and beat the drum on how the church needs to stand up against this. They are more passionate about the Law, then the Gopsel. Again, the church needs to speak prophetically about what is happening in the world and in the church in regard to sin, but if it is not accompanied with a proclamation of the gospel it is legalism. 

Often the Pharisees in the church are well meaning and think they are doing a good thing for the church. Although they may be correct in principle on some matters, the way they handle it is not usually, "speaking the truth in love". It is "speaking the truth to be right". 

The effect of the yeast of the Pharisees in our churches is that it sucks the joy out of them. Pastors and leaders get focused on dealing with the problems that result from the Pharisees, rather than reaching lost peole who matter to God. When a church is focused on all kind of internal matters which deal with external things like the color of the carpet, people will smell that when they come into their churches.

When people walk into a church they can tell if is a safe place or full of tension and conflict. I believe this is one of the primary ways that Satan tries to get his claws into the church. The yeast of the Pharisees in the church always cause division and threatens the unity we have in Christ, which is based on the Gospl. 

Finally, there is a little bit of Pharisee in all of us. We all like being right. In our pride we like to point out other's sins, so we don't have to look in the mirror. Gossip in the church is accepted, while loving the least among us gets put on the back burner. We know we are drifting toward being a Pharisee when being right is more important than loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.

When you see a Pharisee in the church ask them how they are doing to actually help grow rather than pontificate on their platform what is wrong with the church.  

While we need to speak the truth in love, we often speak the truth in judgment, something that is reserved for God alone. 

Application for Today

1. How legalistic or Pharisaical is your church?

2. How does the yeast of the Pharisees seep into your life? 

3. What is the opposite of being a Pharisee in your church, and how can you be an example of it?

 I.e. Loving those who are judged. Speaking out when someone is gossiping about someone. 

Prayer

Jesus, make us be aware when we are starting to be like the yeast of the Pharisees. Help us to guard the unity of the church and the integrity of the gospel. When legalism yields its ugly head in the church, help us to speak the truth in love to this member of the body of Christ who is causing it. Amen.