Matthew 16:12

 Matthew 16:12

Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

a. NASB 2020: Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [NASB20 New American Standard Bible. Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation; All Rights Reserved]

b. YLT: Then they understood that he did not say to take heed of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching, of the Pharisees and Sadducees. [The Young's Literal Translation was translated by Robert Young, who believed in a strictly literal translation of God's word. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.]

c. Classic Amplified: Then they discerned that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.   [Amplified Bible, Classic Edition (AMPC) Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation]

d. Peshitta Eastern Text: Then they understood, that he did not say that they should beware of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.  [HOLY BIBLE FROM THE ANCIENT EASTERN TEXT. Copyright  Ⓒ 1933 by A.J. Holmon Co.; copyright  Ⓒ renewed 1968 by A.J. Holmon Co.; All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. HarperCollins Publishers, 195 Broadway, New York, NY 10007.]

e. ESV: Then they understood that he did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  [Scripture quotations are from the Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright © 2001, 2007, 2011, 2016 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved."]

1. “Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread…”

a. Then [Strong: 5119 tóte, tot'-eh; from (the neuter of) G3588 and G3753; the when, i.e. at the time that (of the past or future, also in consecution):—that time, then.]

b. understood [they] [Strong: 4920 syníēmi, soon-ee'-ay-mee; from G4862 and ἵημι híēmi (to send); to put together, i.e. (mentally) to comprehend; by implication, to act piously:—consider, understand, be wise.]

c. how that [Strong: 3754 hóti, hot'-ee; neuter of G3748 as conjunction; demonstrative, that (sometimes redundant); causative, because:—as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.]

d. [he] bade [them] [Strong: 2036 épō, ep'-o; a primary verb (used only in the definite past tense, the others being borrowed from G2046, G4483, and G5346); to speak or say (by word or writing):—answer, bid, bring word, call, command, grant, say (on), speak, tell.]

e. not [Strong: 3756 ou, oo; a primary word; the absolute negative (compare G3361) adverb; no or not:—+ long, nay, neither, never, no (X man), none, (can-)not, + nothing, + special, un(-worthy), when, + without, + yet but.]

f. beware [Strong: 4337 proséchō, pros-ekh'-o; from G4314 and G2192; (figuratively) to hold the mind (3563 implied) towards, i.e. pay attention to, be cautious about, apply oneself to, adhere to:—(give) attend(-ance, -ance at, -ance to, unto), beware, be given to, give (take) heed (to unto); have regard.]

g. of [Strong: 575 apó, apo'; a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):—(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with.]

h. the [Strong: 3588. [tēs] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tēs] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

i. leaven [Strong: 2219 zýmē, dzoo'-may; probably from G2204; ferment (as if boiling up):—leaven.]

j. [of] bread [Strong: 740 ártos, ar'-tos; from G142; bread (as raised) or a loaf:—(shew-)bread, loaf.]

2. “...but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.”

a. but [Strong: 235 allá, al-lah'; neuter plural of G243; properly, other things, i.e. (adverbially) contrariwise (in many relations):—and, but (even), howbeit, indeed, nay, nevertheless, no, notwithstanding, save, therefore, yea, yet.]

b. of [Strong: 575 apó, apo'; a primary particle; "off," i.e. away (from something near), in various senses (of place, time, or relation; literal or figurative):—(X here-)after, ago, at, because of, before, by (the space of), for(-th), from, in, (out) of, off, (up-)on(-ce), since, with.]

c. the [Strong: 3588. [tēs] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tēs] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

d. doctrine [Strong: 1322 didachḗ, did-akh-ay'; from G1321; instruction (the act or the matter):—doctrine, hath been taught.]

e. [of] the [Strong: 3588. [tōn] ὁ ho ho, including the feminine he hay, and the neuter to to in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom):--the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.] [Thayer: [tōn] ὁ, ἡ, τό, originally τος, τῇ, τό (as is evident from the forms τοι, ται for οἱ, αἱ in Homer and the Ionic writings), corresponds to our definite article the (German der, die, das), which is properly a demonstrative pronoun, which we see in its full force in Homer, and of which we find certain indubitable traces also in all kinds of Greek prose, and hence also in the N. T.] [Additional variants: tē, hoi, oi, tēn, ta, tēs, tois, tais, tō, tōn, tou, hé, Hē, hē, hai, tas.]

f. Pharisees [Strong: 5330 Pharisaîos, far-is-ah'-yos; of Hebrew origin (compare H6567); a separatist, i.e. exclusively religious; a Pharisean, i.e. Jewish sectary:—Pharisee.]

1). The Outline of Biblical Usage was created by Larry Pierce, creator of the Online Bible, and is used with permission. [Blue Letter Bible]: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile. In addition to OT books the Pharisees recognised in oral tradition a standard of belief and life. They sought for distinction and praise by outward observance of external rites and by outward forms of piety, and such as ceremonial washings, fastings, prayers, and alms giving; and, comparatively negligent of genuine piety, they prided themselves on their fancied good works. They held strenuously to a belief in the existence of good and evil angels, and to the expectation of a Messiah; and they cherished the hope that the dead, after a preliminary experience either of reward or of penalty in Hades, would be recalled to life by him, and be requited each according to his individual deeds. In opposition to the usurped dominion of the Herods and the rule of the Romans, they stoutly upheld the theocracy and their country's cause, and possessed great influence with the common people. According to Josephus they numbered more than 6000. They were bitter enemies of Jesus and his cause; and were in turn severely rebuked by him for their avarice, ambition, hollow reliance on outward works, and affection of piety in order to gain popularity.

f. and [Strong: 2532 kaí, kahee; apparently, a primary particle, having a copulative and sometimes also a cumulative force; and, also, even, so then, too, etc.; often used in connection (or composition) with other particles or small words:—and, also, both, but, even, for, if, or, so, that, then, therefore, when, yet.]

g. [of the] Saducees [Strong: 4523 Saddoukaîos, sad-doo-kah'-yos; probably from G4524; a Sadducæan (i.e. Tsadokian), or follower of a certain heretical Israelite:—Sadducee.]

1). The Outline of Biblical Usage was created by Larry Pierce, creator of the Online Bible, and is used with permission. [Blue Letter Bible]: Sadducees = "the righteous" 

a religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews, who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites, and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation, as the divine authority. They denied the following doctrines: resurrection of the body, immortality of the soul, existence of spirits and angels, divine predestination, affirmed free will.

2). Unger’s Bible Dictionary: Leaven…is symbolic or typical of evil, always having this implication in the Old Testament. In the New Testament its symbolic meaning is also clear. It is “malice and wickedness” as contrasted with “sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:6-8). It represents evil doctrine (Matthew 16:12) in its three fold manifestations of Phariseeism, Sadduceeism and Herodianism (Matthew 16:6; Mark 8:15). Religious externalism constituted the leaven of the Pharisees (Matthew 23:14, 16, 28). A skeptical attitude toward the supernatural was the leaven of the Sadducees (Matthew 22:23, 29). The spirit of worldly compromise was the leaven of the Herodians (Matthew 22:16-21; Mark 3:6). The parable of the leaven “which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal until the whole was leavened.”

3). The leaven of the Pharisees was also teaching the commandments of men as doctrine, (Matthew 15:1-9).

4). C.I. Scofield: “Leaven is the principle of corruption working subtly; is invariably used in a bad sense..”

5). The parable in Matthew 13:33 is concerning corruption in the kingdom of heaven and it is a woman hiding the leaven in the meal until the whole is corrupted. Leaven is identified as “malice and wickedness” by Paul and false doctrine by Jesus.

a). 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?

1 Corinthians 5:7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:

1 Corinthians 5:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

b). Matthew 16:6-12 Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

Matthew 16:7 And they reasoned among themselves, saying, It is because we have taken no bread.

Matthew 16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?

Matthew 16:9 Do ye not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Matthew 16:10 Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets ye took up?

Matthew 16:11 How is it that ye do not understand that I spake it not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees?

Matthew 16:12 Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

6). Finis Jennings Dake: “All false teachings…seek to hide behind the Word of God.