The Leaven of the Pharisees

January 1, 2024

Hypocritical Holiness “He spake also this parable unto certain who trusted in themselves that they were righteous,and set all others at nought” (Luke 18:9, from the ASV unless otherwise noted). Jesus said to his disciples first, “Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy” (Luke 12:1). Thus, this lesson is especially for us. Jesus warned us also against the leavens of the Sadducees (Zadokites) and Herodians (Matthew 16:6‑12, Mark 8:15) but each time emphasized the leaven of the Pharisees. […]

Beware the Leaven of Herod

January 1, 2024

Politics and the Church “There came certain Pharisees, saying to him, Get thee out, and go hence; for Herod would fain kill thee. And he said unto them, Go and say to that fox, Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I am perfected” (Luke 13:31‑32 ASV). — Kome Ajise The leaven of Herod is not a common phrase compared to the more familiar leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. In Matthew 16, our […]

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

January 1, 2024

The Leaven of Character Jewish and Christian Perspectives (Exodus 12, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8). “For seven days you are to eat bread made without yeast. On the first day remove the yeast from your houses, for whoever eats anything with yeast in it from the first day through the seventh must be cut off from Israel” (Exodus 12:15, quotations from BibleGateway NIV, except as noted). — Ken Osterman The “Feast of Unleavened Bread” is intimately associated with the Passover. In the ancient custom, […]

News and Views

January 1, 2024

Religious U.S. President Joe Biden’s administration is developing a national strategy to combat Islam fear as the White House faces skepticism from many Muslim Americans for its staunch support of Israel’s military assault on Hamas in Gaza. The White House originally was expected to announce its plans to develop the strategy when Biden met with Muslim leaders, but that was delayed, according to three people familiar with the matter. — AP, 10/31/2023 A spokesperson for Russia’s Chief Rabbinate in Dagestan said that […]

Today in Prophecy

January 1, 2024

Decline of the Work Ethic? “We did not eat any one’s bread without paying, but with toil and labor we worked night and day,that we might not burden any of you” (2 Thessalonians 3:8, RSV). The U.S. labor force participation rate — the proportion of working-age citizens either working or actively looking for work — has declined from a high of 67.5% at the turn of the century to 62.3%, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. A 2022 article published […]