Matthew 16:1-12: Guard against Who?

The Demand for a Sign//The Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees

I don't think we realize how high the Pharisees and Sadducees were in the minds of the people.  I was talking to a modern-day Rabbinic Jew and he spoke of the Pharisees with such great awe and respect.  That's how they were seen at the time and even now by modern-day Jews.  They knew the Bible inside and out, upside and down.  They sent out missionaries to far lands and held important positions in leadership.  They were the ideal.

Earlier when Jesus said some strong words about them, "the disciples came to him and said, "Do you know that the pharisees were offended when they heard this?" (Mat 15:12).  The Pharisees commanded/demanded respected, even though they didn't rightfully deserve it.

So it's no wonder that when Jesus said "be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees," that they were thinking bread.  With Jesus' help, they finally understood it.

It's interesting with all the paganism of the day from the Roman influence, we never hear Jesus say 'be on you guard' against these false teachers.  (Although we know in the Pauline epistles the Apostle Paul has strong words for these teachers).  Rather, we hear Jesus say be on your guard against the Pharisees and Sadducees, people who are leaders, who know the Bible and who are the "teachers" of the day.  Their teachings were but "rules taught by men" (Mt 15:9) and therefore worthless.  The Word of God was to them about rules, and not about relationship.  Love and truth must always be interdependent and that wasn't the case here.

Another question I have is, "what if we are not 'on guard' against people like this?  I think if we don't have a degree of discernment in matters of false teaching, we can easily become like them because it is so subtle.

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Memorized:  Matthew 16:1-12 (Feb 10)