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Gospel of Mark
Part 43: Beware of Leaven
By Rev. Bruce A. Shields
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SERMON TIMELINE
1. Introduction
5. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus I
6. The Preaching Ministry of Jesus II
9. At the Home of Simon and Andrew
12. Jesus and the Tax Collector
13. Jesus Questioned About Fasting
15. Jesus, Lord of the Sabbath & Resurrection Sunday 2025
16. Hard Hearts and Hard Thoughts
18. Jesus Appoints the Apostles
24. Parable of the Growing Seed
25. Parable of the Mustard Seed
26. Benefits of Private Teaching
30. When Familiarity Breeds Contempt
32. Weakness in the Seat of Power
34. Feeding 5000
38. The Source of True Defilement
39. Gentile Blessed for Her Faith
40. He Has Done All Things Well
41. Jesus Feeds 4000
42. Jesus Sighs
43. Beware of Leaven
Today is Sunday. November 16th, 2025
INTRODUCTION
Last week, we saw Jesus and the disciples leaving after Jesus fed the 4,000, and the Pharisees argued with Jesus afterwards for Him to show them a sign.
Scripture says Jesus sighed deeply because of this, and responded that the only sign this generation will get is the sign of Jonah, which we know is Jesus dying on the cross, and three days later being raised by God.
After leaving this argument with the Pharisees, Jesus and the disciples returned to the Sea of Galilee to sail to Bethsaida. Jesus then warned the disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Herod.
We know leaven to be the metaphor in the New Testament for the corrupting influence of sin and false teaching.
Remember, Paul wrote in I Corinthians 5:6 “Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?”
Paul was addressing the fact that the church was tolerating sexual sin instead of correcting and mourning it. In fact, they even boasted of it. Perhaps in the way some churches today boast about their “love” of accepting sin within the church as a sign of God and His forgiveness.
Sin does not “go away.”
Tolerated sin only grows, like yeast, eventually ruining the entire body.
Now, at first, the disciples misunderstood Jesus and thought it was because they had forgotten to bring the bread, and only had one loaf. Jesus, seeing this, corrected them and reminded them of His miracles.
Matthew 16:11-12 of the same account reveals exactly what Jesus meant by leaven.
“11 How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven [yeast] of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12 Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.”
So we know Jesus is speaking of doctrine, using the metaphor Leaven (or yeast).
Both operate with subtlety.
Both, though slow-acting, are very potent.
Both gradually spread their influence.
There are many doctrines, teachings, and characteristics of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians that Jesus was warning about. And they have parallels today that we should also be aware of.
SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Mark 8:14-21
“And they had forgotten to take bread, and
did not have more than one loaf in the boat with them.
15 And He was giving orders to them, saying, “Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.”
16 And they began to discuss with one another the fact that they had no bread. 17 And Jesus, aware of this, *said to them, “Why do you discuss the fact that you have no bread? Do you not yet perceive or understand? Do you have a hardened heart? 18 Having eyes, do you not see? And having ears, do you not hear? And do you not remember, 19 when I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces you picked up?”
They *said to Him, “Twelve.”
20 “When I broke the seven for the four thousand, how many large baskets full of broken pieces did you pick up?”
And they *said to Him, “Seven.”
21 And He was saying to them, “Do you not yet understand?”
I. THE LEAVEN OF THE PHARISEES
a. The Pharisees in Jesus’ day
i. They were a conservative, religious, and political group
1. They were strict observers of the Law of Moses
2. They also adopted “the traditions of the elders,” which were interpretations of the Law that had been handed down (Mark 7:1-5)
ii. Jesus described them as “the blind leading the blind” (Matthew 15:12-14)
1. They made the commandments of God “void,” or “null,” and of no effect by their traditions (Matthew 15:3-6)
2. They were hypocrites (stage actors in the day of Jesus. Someone who wore a mask, performed a role). They taught one thing and practiced another (Matthew 15:7-8; Matthew 16:3;23:27-28; Luke 12:2)
Matthew 23:5 says they “do their works to be seen by men”
a. Two people doing the same thing, one is blessed, the other sins.
b. The difference? The intention of their heart.
Matthew 23:6-7 “they love the attention and special treatment by others.”
c. They want to be honored, praised, thanked, commended, and noticed; they want special treatment.
d. In other words, they think more highly of themselves than they ought.
e. They are prideful, arrogant, and narcissistic.
f. There’s a reason they wear the great robes, tall hats, large staffs, and adorn themselves with fancy garb…they believe they are something, and they want you to believe it as well.
3. Matthew 23:8-10 tells us they give themselves religious titles.
a. We see them all the time…
I’m pope cardinal archbishop priest vicar father prophet apostle deliverance intercessor, Coach Primate coach the most reverend doctor, so and so
b. Look at how great I am…
4. Matthew 23 reveals
a. These people actually prevented others from finding the kingdom of heaven with all their nonsense.
b. They used religion to make money and impress others
c. They didn’t make anyone better; they made them worse
5. In fact, Matthew 23:16-22 tells us they make distinctions where God does not!
6. They were sticklers for some commandments while completely ignoring others.
These were the conservative religious group of Jesus’ day.
b. Who are the Pharisees today?
i. The ones who teach traditions of men instead of the commands of God
ii. Those who teach one thing but do another
iii. Those who do things to be seen by men, wearing special garments and dog collars with tall hats so the ones in the back can still see their glory
iv. The ones using religious titles who do not truly show people the way to the kingdom of heaven
v. They use religion to make money and impress others
vi. They make distinctions where God does not
vii. They pick and choose which commands of Jesus are to be obeyed while completely ignoring others.
Religious conservatives are susceptible to being like the Pharisees today if they are not mindful!
II. THE LEAVEN OF THE SADDUCEES
a. The Sadducees in Jesus’ day were
i. A liberal religious and political group
1. Acts 5:7 reveals that many were powerful members of the priesthood
2. They only adhered to the Laws in the Pentateuch (which are the first five books of the Old Testament, also called the Books of Moses)
3. They did reject the traditions of the elders
4. Acts 23:8; Matthew 22:23 reveal they did not believe in the resurrection, spirits, or angels
5. Matthew 22:23-29 reveals they did not believe in rewards or punishment after death, nor heaven or hell
ii. Jesus charged them with two faults in Matthew 22:23-29
1. They did not know the scriptures
a. Even those they held to be true!
b. Jesus even used the Pentateuch to reveal their error in Matthew 22:31-32; Exodus 3:6
2. They did not know the power of God
a. Like many liberals, they were influenced by “rationalism”
b. They assumed that if they could not comprehend something, it could not be true
c. They failed to believe what Gabriel and Jesus both knew: that with God, nothing is impossible
i. Luke 1:37
ii. Matthew 19:26
They were the liberal religious group in Jesus’ day.
b. Who are the Sadducees today?
i. Those who take portions of God’s word but reject the rest
1. They may accept Jesus’ words, but reject the apostles
a. John 13:10
b. Acts 2:42
c. 1 Corinthians 14:37
2. Or, they hold on to the apostles' teachings and state that everything Jesus taught was for the Old Testament
a. Matthew 28:20
b. Acts 20:35
c. 1 Timothy 5:18
d. Luke 10:7
ii. Or, they accept “human reason” over divine revelation
1. Not accepting biblical doctrine unless it makes sense to them
2. Don’t forget…God has chosen to confound the “wise” and arrogant with the “foolishness” of the gospel message! (1 Corinthians 1:18-31)
3. Some revealed doctrines may contain elements beyond man’s ability to fully comprehend (such as the mystery of godliness: God manifested in the flesh, 1 Timothy 3:16; or the nature of the Trinity itself!)
4. A child-like trust of the gospel is more becoming of a Christian than understanding all knowledge and wisdom (Matthew 18:3; Psalm 131:1-3)
iii. The Sadducees of today, the liberal religious groups, rule out the true power of God.
1. Rejecting doctrine, promises of scripture if they don’t think it could be possible
2. Such as the virgin birth, the miracles of Jesus, the resurrection of the dead, etc.
This was George M. Lamsa…the scholar who stated that scripture is nothing more than idioms and most never took place, including the virgin birth, Jesus’ death on the cross, resurrection, he was rejected by all his peers, yet some still believe his “leaven” today!
Many Jesus-loving Christians have been persuaded by this antichrist’s teachings.
I have an entire chapter of my upcoming book devoted to this fraud!
3. If we accept the truth of scripture, the premise that all things are possible with God, we will not reject biblical testimony just because it does not fit our preconceived ideas of what is possible.
Religious liberals are susceptible to being like the Sadducees today.
III. THE LEAVEN OF THE HERODIANS
a. The Herodians supported the dynasty of Herod
i. Though it was nothing more than a puppet of Rome
ii. Like the Sanhedrin
iii. They were not a religious sect, but a political party
iv. Secular minded
v. They would align themselves with the Pharisees when it was convenient (Mark 3:6; Mark 12:13)
b. Who are the Herodians today?
i. Those who believe the solution to all our problems lies in politics, not the gospel
ii. They are more interested in worldly matters than in the kingdom of God
1. Matthew 6:33 and Philippians 3:20 tell us to seek the kingdom of God FIRST, because our citizenship is in heaven!
2. We are exiles and travelers (1 Peter 2:11-12), this is not our home!
3. This is why 2 Corinthians 6:14-7:1 tells us
a. To avoid worldly attachments
b. Live separate from the world, in it, but not part of it
iii. The political Herodians of today use religion when its convenient to get support for the masses.
1. How many times have you seen the godless politicians quote bible verses, or mentions their “catholic” or church background as a basis to support their ungodly legislation?
Political activists and politicians are susceptible to being like the Herodians today.
CONCLUSION
So we see that the problems in the time of Jesus are still plaguing the people today. The religious fundamentalism of the Pharisees, the religious liberalism of the Sadducees, and the political activism of the Herodians.
Jesus warns us of these extremes. “Take heed, beware of false doctrines.”
It is far easier to become like those who opposed Jesus than one believe.
How can we ensure that we do not become like the Pharisees, Sadducees, or Herodians?
Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, with the teachings of Jesus as our guide. The Word of God establishes the Truth and true doctrines of our Lord. Not tradition, teaching of men, or special revelation that falls outside the written word of God.
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