Matthew 13:33 (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.
J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): It is thought by many, that “leaven” in this parable was intended by our Lord to mean an evil and corrupt principle, and that the object of the parable was to describe the silent entrance and rapid growth of corruption and false doctrine in the Church of Christ. I am quite unable to see the correctness of this view.
A. W. PINK (1886-1952): In Exodus 12:14-20, Jehovah commanded the Israelites to purge their houses of all “leaven’’ at the Passover season. Why was this, if “leaven” is a type of something good? Exodus 34:25 tells us that God prohibited “leaven” from accompanying offerings of blood. Leviticus 2:11 informs us “leaven” was also excluded from every offering of the Lord made by fire…In Matthew 6:11, our Lord Jesus says to the disciples, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” There it is plainly a figure of evil. Would He then deliberately confuse His disciples by using it as the figure of good in Matthew 13?
J. C. RYLE: I can see no force in the objection that “leaven” is generally used as an emblem of evil, and therefore it must be so used here. I don’t see why the word is to be rigorously tied down to be only an emblem of evil; and why it may not be in this case an emblem of good.
A. W. PINK: What then, is the meaning of the parable of the leaven?
J. C. RYLE: The parable of the leaven is intended to show the progress of the Gospel in the heart of a believer.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): This parable is much the same with that of the foregoing parable of the mustard seed, to show that the gospel should prevail and be successful by degrees, but silently and insensibly; the preaching of the gospel is like leaven, and works like leaven in the hearts of those who receive it.
ADAM CLARKE (1760-1832): Both those parables were prophetic, and intended to show, principally, how from very small beginnings, the Gospel of Christ should pervade all the nations of the world, and fill them with righteousness and true holiness.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): Leaven changes not the substance of the meal in which it is hid, but materially alters its qualities: it impregnates the meal as to transform it, as it were, into its own likeness. Thus does the Gospel affect those who receive it: it makes us partakers of a Divine nature, 1 Peter 1:4. It does not indeed essentially change either the faculties of the soul, or the members of the body; but it communicates to them a new life and power, a new direction and tendency.
A. W. PINK: When leaven is placed into meal it causes it to swell—it puffs it up! Is that what the Gospel does when it enters human hearts? No indeed. It produces the very opposite effect. It humbles, it abases. In 1 Corinthians 5:6,7, we read, “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump.” Would they be told to “purge out” that which was good?
G. CAMPBELL MORGAN (1863-1945): That which produces fermentation issues in disintegration, and leaven is the very principle of decay in active condition. The figure of leaven is uniformly used in Scripture to typify evil. This is no exception to the rule.
JOHN GILL (1697-1771): But it seems to be taken in a good sense here, and the Gospel to be compared unto it—not for its disagreeable qualities, but on account of its small quantity; “it is a little leaven that leavens the whole lump,” and may express, as the grain of mustard seed does, the small beginnings of the Gospel, and its meanness in the eyes of men; and on account of its piercing, penetrating, and spreading nature. The Gospel reaches the conscience, pierces the heart, enlightens the understanding, informs the judgment, raises and sets the affections on right objects, subdues the will, and brings down all towering thoughts, to the obedience of Christ, in particular persons; and has penetrated and made its way, under divine influence, through towns, cities, kingdoms, and nations.
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): Some read this as a parable to set forth the power of evil, and I do not doubt that it does set it forth. At the same time, it sets forth the power of good, too, for it is put side by side with the other as the likeness of the Kingdom of God. And the Truth of God in the soul does work, ferment and permeate the entire nature if it is placed there!
THE EDITOR: What! Leaven here is both evil and good? But exactly what does the leaven represent? The truth of God? The preaching of the Gospel? The Gospel itself? Is it Grace?—or the Spirit’s work in the soul? Be specific.
C. H. SPURGEON: Although leaven is usually the symbol of evil, yet it may be here a fair representation of the Kingdom of Heaven itself, for it operates mysteriously and secretly, yet powerfully, till it permeates the whole of man’s nature. And the Gospel will keep on winning its way till the whole world shall yet be leavened by it.
H. A. IRONSIDE (1876-1951): Let me suggest a word of caution: Do not say the kingdom itself is like leaven. Many have the idea that leaven is a symbol of the kingdom, and as a housewife puts yeast in dough, so the Gospel has been committed to Christ’s servants to be carried to the end of the world; and it will go on working until everybody will be converted, and this whole universe will be brought to the feet of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now that would be a wonderful thing if it were true, but many scriptures show it is not. Jesus put the question: “When the Son of Man cometh, shall He find faith on the earth?” He told of ever-increasing apostasy as the end draws near.
C. H. MACKINTOSH (1820-1896): It is surprising that this parable is so repeatedly explained as the “invisible working of grace.” It must be because Christians, who look for universal progress, improvement, and a converted world, are loathe to see that our Lord, instead of this bright prospect, foretold evil first—evil in the kingdom of heaven, or the professing church which now answers to it. There will, indeed, be a time of universal blessing, Isaiah 11:9; but not until the Lord Himself comes, and purges out of His kingdom all things that offend, as is taught in Matthew 13:41, and other passages.
C. H. SPURGEON: If Jesus had meant to represent the power of evil, He would have given us some intimation of that, but He has given us none. He means to describe exactly what He had described before, for He says, “Unto what shall I liken the Kingdom of God?” The leaven is buried—“hid in three measures of meal.” By the force within itself, it begins to work its way in the meal and leavens all around it until, at last, the whole three measures of meal are permeated by it.
THE EDITOR: Well, that begs another question: What does the “three measures of meal” signify?
