Genesis 48-49 / Matthew 15:29-16:12 / Psalm 20 / Proverbs 4:20-27
Later, after they crossed to the other side of the lake, the disciples discovered they had forgotten to bring any bread. “Watch out!” Jesus warned them. “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
I can understand the disciples being confused at this statement. I also would have jumped straight to thoughts of baking bread!
What is Jesus warning the disciples about? He’s warning about religious, empty teachings. But teachings about what?
From a Bible history online document – the main downfall of the Pharisees was in not following the principles that they themselves taught but they made the Law a burden with their oral traditions.
As for the Sadducees, well they were “sad, you see”. Sorry, I couldn’t resist lol!
Seriously, what did they teach that we should avoid? They taught men’s traditions and justification by the Law (we are instead justified by our faith in Jesus Christ). They taught that there was no resurrection from the dead (which totally negates Jesus’s death, burial and resurrection).
There is more, which you could study and find on your own. The bottom line is the truth of the Gospel of Grace is proper doctrine. We must not put rules on ourselves or others: we must allow God’s Grace the ability, and His Holy Spirit to speak and change us into the image of Jesus. And if we take a look at who Jesus was, we’ll see that He was a man of great love and compassion.
Let’s be people of great love and compassion.
