The Kingdom of Heaven is Like Leaven: An Explanation of Matthew 13:33

2-20-26

A Meditation

Matthew 13:33

The Kingdom of Heaven is Like Leaven

“Another parable He spoke to them: ‘The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.’” Praise God that we should labor with the Bread of Life, little by little add the leaven of our Lords teaching to our souls that as our lamps grow dim and our earthly tent parish, we will be raised in glory and see our Savior face to face. Leaven according to Webster’s 2 New Riverside University Dictionary is of course a substance as yeast added to batters and doughs to produce fermentation. But Jesus speaks in parables for a reason, so the meaning we are looking for is, an element or influence that works subtly to enliven or lighten a whole. A parable is a simple story illustrating a moral or religious lesson. This particular parable is one sentence, alone it is a meal to be sure, there are books written on it, but to better understand it we read around it, that is before and after. This approach will take us from Genesis to Revelation and do as only the Word of God can do and that is to enliven us, to lighten us, to raise us up on eagles wings, that we might run and not grow weary, that we might walk and not grow faint. Now a bird’s eye view shows us first off, that the kingdom of heaven is “like” leaven, it is not leaven, it is “like” leaven. The kingdom of heaven, that is the “Word” of God, by the grace of God, through the Son of God, with the Advocate and Helper, the Holy Spirit is planted within our hearts, minds and souls, and grows over time. Though it is concealed and hidden for a time, by its grace and mercy, it grows, finding its home in the Tree of Life. It’s a process wherein God’s timing it manifest itself in our life as light.

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“The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took…” This was her work. Those called by God to go out into the world are employed in leavening places, hearts and souls with the gospel. “…and hid in three measures of meal…” Throughout scripture there is a hidden, concealing by 3’s if you will. Two of God’s greatest prophets experienced this and both involved women. Exodus 2:2 “So the women conceived and bore a son. And when she saw that he was a beautiful child, she hid him three months.” Genesis 18:6 “So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quickly, make ready three measures of fine meal; knead it and make cakes.” Of course we have Jesus in Matthew 27:63 “…after three days I will rise.”  Jesus the true bread from heaven was hidden in the grave for 3 days. First He had to be planted in the ground before He became the Tree of Life. The leaven thus is hidden in the dough, the “meal”. The meal is the heart. Corn unground does not work, nor does the gospel in souls unhumbled and unbroken. The law grinds the heart and then the gospel leavens it.  The leaven must be hidden in the heart, Psalm 119:11 “Your word I have hidden in my heart that I might not sin against You.” Once the leaven quietly, without fanfare, is hidden in the meal, it works a change. The dough does not rise without the leaven, nor can we without the Word. The Word changes everything. Romans 6:4,13 “…even so we…should walk in newness of life…present yourself to God as being alive from the dead…as instruments of righteousness.” Once the dough rises, it is put into the oven. Isaiah 48:10 “Behold, I have refined thee…I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.” As the leaven is to the dough, so it is with God’s Word, its very nature enlivens us, it lightens us. Though trials and afflictions are part of this change, we consider it all joy, for we are being fitted to be bread in the kingdom of heaven.  Amen!