Don’t Forget the Bread
6. Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.”
7. And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.”
8. When Jesus perceived it, He said to them, “O ye of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves, because you have brought no bread?”
9. “Do you not yet understand, neither remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets you took up?”
10. “Neither the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many baskets you took up?”
11. “How is it that you do not understand that I spoke not to you concerning bread, that you should beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees?”
12. Then they understood how He spoke to them not to beware of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Matthew 16:6-12
Those Bad Biscuits
Growing up in the country was special because there was always plenty of food. You could always expect some good potatoes, whether fried or mashed. The same is true for biscuits that were served hot from the oven. We would cut the biscuit open and spread butter, jam, or even some hot apples as filling. That made for some good eating.
Not all biscuits are the same nor are they created equal. If you happened to get a bag of bad flour, the biscuit would not be good no matter how you cooked it. Bad flour can come from an expired shelf life. In other words, flour must be used within a couple of months, or it will taste old. The second problem that causes flour be bad is when other ingredients are added to enhance the flour. Some will add flavor enhancements that may taste fine for a few but not for everyone. Then you have the flour with yeast added to cause it to be self-rising versus the plain bread. In general, be very careful with adding things to the flour because it will not only affect the taste but also the nutritional value.
People have been known to get sick from eating bread that has been tampered or altered. For years we have been told that whole wheat bread is good for you; that claim is now being challenged by some in the medical community. According to cardiologist, Dr. William Davis, wheat has a higher correlation to being overweight and developing heart disease than the consumption of animal protein. Dr. Davis lists four risks directly linked to eating whole wheat bread. It is addictive because it attaches to the narcotic receptors of the brain; it causes inflammation in the body’s digestive system, which indicates it also raises cholesterol levels; it is high in sugar (2 slices of whole wheat = 2 tablespoons of sugar); and thus it increases the diabetic risks. So there you have it, a persuasive case against whole wheat bread.
Before you jump to the conclusion that all bread is bad for you, the warning of this message has little to do with natural bread. While there are risks with natural bread, spiritual bread involves even greater threats to your wellbeing. The Disciples were so concerned that they had forgotten to visit the market and pick up some fresh loaves that they totally misunderstood Jesus’ message. While they argued about who was responsible and perhaps whose turn it was to buy food, our Lord interrupted their dispute with these profound words. “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.” Jesus shared with the Disciples a concern that the Pharisees and Sadducees were adding to the teachings of Scripture in order to give it their taste. Well that really set them in the worry mode because they thought that now Jesus knew about their oversight to buy the daily food supply. Jesus knew but He was not referring to natural loaves.
They totally missed the point. The same thing happens with us spiritually as we are more oriented to physical things rather than paying attention to the things that happen to our soul. Jesus corrected their thinking to focus on doctrine or the teachings of those who alter the Word of God to achieve their manmade goals.
Be careful what you hear.
How does Jesus’ warning apply to our generation? Since we don’t have Pharisees and Sadducees influencing our western culture as it did the Jewish culture, does this passage really apply to “us” today? The answer is yes and yes. Doctrines or teachings referred to as “bread” does apply to believers. We must be careful what we hear from those who are in positions of authority or influence. All bread (teachings and doctrines) is not good bread. As a matter of fact, there is a lot of bad bread circulating.
Bad doctrine comes from three primary sources. People can be self-indoctrinated and follow their own beliefs. People can listen to the teachings of other people that may have influence, such as a parent, teacher, or even preacher. Then people can listen to the teachings of Satan, the prince of darkness. The point is clear and concise, if you are not remembering the Word of Jesus, you will eventually follow the teachings of someone else. For that reason, we must not forget the bread.
Sometimes we forget that not all information is good information. Online media and entertainment venues are filled with information about who they are, what they believe, and what they do. Their goal is not to help you with eternal things but seize the moment and go for all the gusto in this life. The bread they serve nurtures the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life. For that reason, we must avoid that bread. In another setting Jesus warned His followers, take heed what you hear: with what measure you use to measure out, it will be used to measure you back and more besides. Mark 4:24.
It is not only a warning to be careful with the information, but we must also consider how the information is applied. Sometimes we forget that not all instruction leads to good outcomes. Interpretation of information becomes as important as the information itself. I must admit, today’s society is one of the most skeptical, cynical, and mistrusting generations that I have ever witnessed. People not only have trust issues they have hate issues. Even if the truth were spoken by certain groups, some folk would not believe it. Jesus gave another warning in Luke 8:18, take heed how you hear, for whoever has shall more be given, but whoever does not have, it shall be taken away, even that which he has. When you apply this to doctrine (bread of information), there are some doctrines that you must listen closely for truth, or you stand in jeopardy of losing your way in this crazy, delusional world in which we live.
When you consider the times, we are facing as believers in Christ, this passage takes on a critical meaning. All kinds of bread of information are circulating these days. Jesus is speaking a Word of warning to us, to beware of such doctrines. His solution is not to stop hearing the doctrines, but to weigh those teachings by the truth. Our Lord said, you shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free. John 8:32. Truth does not come from the mass of information, but from information that leads to God. If the doctrine does not lead to the God we serve, then it is nothing more than bad bread.
Lord, Help me remember
Here is the good news, our discernment of truth is not left to us. We have the guidance of the Holy Spirit to lead us into all truth. The Lord knows how fickled and forgetful we are and even our best efforts will never lead us into the fullness that God has planned for our life. We must therefore pray that God would guide us and then allow Him to do just that. We must seek for His will to be revealed and then follow Him. We must seek to serve Him and not ourselves and then get out of God’s way as He performs great things for His Glory.
For the Disciples, bread was not an unusual topic. As a matter of fact, it was deeply embedded into their culture. From an historical perspective, God’s bread (manna) had sustained the Israelites in the wilderness. They knew that the bread represented more than nourishment; it represented a covenant relationship between God and His people.
Also, from a perspective of future hope, bread represented God’s promise of the Messiah who would be that Leader that would sustain Israel. This promised King would give victory over all Israel’s enemies and would sustain them with bread for all eternity. The bread represented not only God’s provisions but also God’s presence. There was no mistake that the bread was given by God, for God would make His presence known. The Bible states that Jesus declared, I AM the Bread of Life: the one who comes to Me shall never hunger; and the one who believes on Me shall never thirst. John 6:35.Jesus is our Bread of Life and for that reason we should never forget.
We can remember the bread by maintaining a grateful heart. The more gratitude we express, the more we will recognize the Grace that has been lavished upon us through Christ. We can remember the bread by hungering for more of God’s righteousness. God’s bread is given to strengthen us in God’s righteousness. Please note, we should be called to action in righteousness versus trying to be right before others. The Pharisees and Sadducees wanted to appear righteous versus doing what was right. Lastly, we can remember the bread by sharing the True Bread with others. Tell them where you got your bread and what the bread can do for them. God bless.