Yeast

A primary reason why I started this blog revolved around exploring the fact that when Jesus was asked by people to give them a miraculous sign that he was who he said he was, he replied that the only sign he would give them was the ‘Sign of Jonah’. We have looked at the story of Jonah in the Old Testament and seen aspects of what it reveals. I turn now to focus on the Gospel accounts of this and look at them in context.

There are two references to the sign of Jonah in the Gospel of Matthew. The second one is found in Mt 16: 1-4.  To paraphrase this, the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven. He replied that they knew how to interpret the weather from the appearance of the sky but were unable to interpret the sign of the times. He continued by saying that it was a wicked and adulterous generation which looked for a miraculous sign, but none would be given it except the sign of Jonah.

A short time later Jesus told his disciples to be careful and be on their guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees.  At first they thought he was referring to the fact they had not taken any bread with them. He reminded them about two previous incidents. In the first he had miraculously fed five thousand people from five loaves of bread after breaking them into pieces and then handing them out. There were basketfuls of scraps left over. Likewise, in the second incident four thousand people were fed from seven loaves, with basketfuls of scraps. He chided them for not having faith that he could repeat this; but also for failing to recognizing that he was not talking about bread. They then understood that he was instead referring to the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

My previous blog post was about having our eyes open and being spiritually awake. This is exactly what Jesus is talking about. The Pharisees and Sadducees knew the religious Law by heart and could quote any passage you wanted, yet they could not recognize the spiritual reality that was in their midst. They were asking Jesus for a definitive miraculous sign but as can be seen from what has been said above, many miraculous signs had already been given. What more proof did they need?

They had a legalistic interpretation of the Law but could not grasp the ‘spirit’ of the Law. Their eyes were blinded so that they could not perceive the true meaning of the Law and its ultimate intention. It was not giving them true understanding or bringing ‘life’ to them. They were instead trapped in a legalistic perception which kept them in bondage and spiritual darkness.

 It’s not that the Law in itself was bad. Jesus had said that he did not come to abolish the Law, but to fulfill it. What mattered was how the Law was interpreted and acted upon. This was something which needed to be learnt. It also needed the guidance of the Holy Spirit. In order to take on a new understanding the old understanding needed to be discarded. Old patterns of thinking and acting are not easily let go of. They become very entrenched within our consciousness.

It is clear from what we have seen above that the disciples of Jesus also had to be taught to see in a new way. The difference between them and the Pharisees and Sadducees was that they were willing and open to both learn and change their perception of reality.

We need to consider the image of ‘yeast’ that is given by Jesus. It was spoken about in the context of bread. What does yeast do when it is put into bread dough? It makes the rise i.e. it puffs the dough up. If we consider my last post where we looked at the character and attributes of Satan, is that not an apt description of him? He was beautiful, wise and powerful, so he became puffed up with pride. He was rich; and so became violent in order to both protect what he thought was his; as well as to try and get more. Ultimately it is about having power and control.

 That provides a good picture of what yeast does. This was the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees. They wanted to have power and control. If they acknowledged Jesus for who he clearly was then they would have to surrender their power and control to him. It was the last thing they wanted to do. No matter how many ‘signs’ he gave them, it would have no effect on them. As Jesus declared, the only sign that mattered was the sign of Jonah. What happened to Jonah? He was swallowed by the great fish and through that experienced transformation. The only way the Pharisees and Sadducees would accept Jesus as Lord was if they too were swallowed by a figurative great fish (in whatever guise it came). This would bring them to a place where they lost their power and control and were forced to recognize their dependence on the Lord. They would no longer be puffed up, but flattened and deflated.

The concept of ‘ego’ has only recently emerged in Western thinking, and was not around in the time of Jesus. Today we would more likely talk about the Pharisees and Sadducees needing to have their egos deflated. Whatever language we use, the reality is the same. That is what the sign of Jonah is all about.

It is the reality that I face in my own life. I have to constantly ask myself whether I am being puffed up; and am seeing myself in terms of my ego identity. This is to see myself in terms of what I have in a material sense; and what I have achieved; and my social status in my community. The healthier alternative is to see myself in terms of my relationship with my True Father. To recognize that I am an adopted son of the Living God. My place in his family gives me my position and true identity. It is unconditional and has nothing to do with how hard I work or what I achieve. All is gift and grace. I just have to accept it by faith and receive it with grace; acknowledging the generosity with which it is given.  

Questions for reflection:

·         Do you recognize Jesus for who he is, or are you waiting for a miraculous sign?

·         Are you able to accept that miracles do take place today?

·         Are you living in the reality of your true identity in relation to your true Father?