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NASB | Matthew 16:6 And Jesus said to them, "Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 16:6 Jesus said to them, "Watch out and be on your guard against the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." |
Subject: Matt 16:6 explained |
Bible Note: I agree that when we recognize ungodliness in our lives we need to get rid of it, to experience the fullness that God has for us. However, that being said, I believe Jesus was really hitting hard on something else here. The Pharisees were FANATICAL in their approach to living out the exact letter of the law. They tithed right down to the seeds of plants! They made LONG prayers, they did everything they could to follow the law of God. The problem is that they trusted in THEIR ability to fulfill the law to save them.. rather than trusting GOD to save them. They searched the scriptures thinking in them they would find salvation, and yet they would NOT come to the LIVING WORD.. the very person of Jesus. Legalism.. trusting our performance rather than God's performance of redemption.. was the leaven that they had added to the pure laws of God. Jesus illustrated that very clearly in his parable of the tax collector smiting his chest before the Lord going away justified, whereas the Pharisee was thankful that he was walkiing the "straight and narrow". There is a warning that infuriated the Pharisees here. That their strict adherance that started at a very young age was NOT SUFFICIENT to enter the Kingdom of God. The pharisees would be right at home in many our our churches today.. I fear. Another way it has been stated is the Jesus-Plus doctrines. That something more than genuined faith in the person and work of Jesus is required for salvation. This at the very simplest term is teh yeast to which Jesus refers. The greatest danger for SINCERE Christians is not so much being trapped into sin as it is to trust in our level of obediance to save us. This is an affront to God leading to having our hearts empty of forgivenss, grace, and mercy. Which Jesus again said was the downfall when he said to learn what mercy and compassion was all about. They were keeping people from entering into the place of worship because those people did not measure up to the Pharisees standards of holiness and purity. Not understanding that LOVE was the fulfillment of the law. The Pharisees... instead of helping to lift the burden of sin from people.. were actually piling heavy loads upon the very people that God wanted to save. Thus Jesus warned of the YOKE of the Pharisees, and that His yoke was light. Now... as it is written.. we do not turn the grace of God into license to commit sin. That would be a perversion of the truth Jesus is revealing here. But rather, we understand that GRACE has been given us through faith in Jesus. That is our confidence and worthy trust. Our obediance will bring us into the fullness of God's riches, and will spare us from much unpleasantness. So my words are NOT to be confused that we can eat, drink, and be merry, but rather we can have life, and life abundantly.. as we sit at the feet of Jesus and learn of Him. We can REST in his work, and show obediance to Him out of a glad and grateful heart! Be blessed in the name of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ! |