Christian Art | The Leaven Of The Pharisees | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Luke 12: 1-7 – Week 28 Ordinary Time, Friday (King James Audio Bible KJV, Spoken Word)
1 IN the mean time, when there were gathered together an innumerable multitude of people, insomuch that they trode one upon another, he began to say unto his disciples first of all, Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.
2 For there is nothing covered, that shall not be revealed; neither hid, that shall not be known.
3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops.
4 And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do.
5 But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.
We can almost feel the crush of people pressing in upon Jesus, treading on each other’s toes and clamouring for a glimpse of him. This great tide of popularity is extraordinary. We are made aware of just how much so many people need something other than what they have – of how many unanswered questions they must have and of the spiritual longing they must experience. They are sheep in want of a shepherd. There is a great vacuum which Jesus comes to fill.
It is in the context of this great crowd of people who need Jesus so much that Jesus tells his disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, leaven being the yeast bearing piece of dough from a previous bake that can be used to start new dough fermenting. Whereas that little piece of leaven should bring about a good, wished for transformation to the new dough, the leaven of the Pharisees is, instead, corrupting. It is hypocrisy. The way the Pharisees live is, we are told, vicious, and contrary to what they preach.
Here, before Jesus and his disciples, are a people in need of good leaven.
Jesus tells us that that which is hidden will be revealed. Hypocrisy will be exposed, elabourate concealments of vice stripped away. Conversely, good will also come to light – the inner truth of each one of us, known to God, will be revealed to all. The image Jesus presents is of discussion on the rooftops, where people would gather to chat and while away the hottest part of the day. It is in such a familiar, everyday milieu, hardly apocalyptic in character, that truth will be known.
We are warned to respect the judgement at our end time. We are known to God in every detail and there are evils in this life we must resist. Jesus’ teaching arms us to counter such evils – such as the threat posed by the temple authorities – because they cannot really harm us; they can only get to our flesh; in spirit, we can be immune. Jesus teaches us also that God our Father loves us. We are of immense importance in God’s eyes. God’s watching over us is paternalistic in character; He is not some sinister figure demanding craven servility. Our fear flows from our wish not to displease God, because He is our Father and He is wholly good. We are in the hands of providence.
Concluding Prayer | Love Revealed By Jesus Christ
Lord God, bestow a full measure of your grace on us. As you work within us to keep us in the path of your commandments, may we receive consolation in this present life and eternal joys in the next.
King James Audio Bible | Endnotes
What Is Leaven?
In baking, leaven refers to a small piece of dough that is saved from one batch and used to start the next batch. This is known as a sourdough starter, and it contains wild yeast and bacteria that ferment the dough and cause it to rise. The process of making bread with a sourdough starter can take several days, as the starter needs time to ferment and develop the desired flavor and texture.
In the Bible, leaven is used both as a metaphor for the good that Jesus’ disciples might promulgate, and in negative aspect as a sign of sin, corruption, or false teachings – this being the leaven of the Pharisees.
In Matthew 16:6, Jesus warns his disciples: ‘Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.’ Here, Jesus is referring to the corrupt teachings of these religious leaders, which could lead his followers astray.
The Apostle Saint Paul uses the metaphor of leaven in his letters to the Corinthians and the Galatians. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-8, Saint Paul writes: ‘Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.’ Here, Saint Paul is warning the Corinthians to avoid the corrupting influence of sin and to strive for sincerity and truth in their faith.
Similarly, in Galatians 5:9, Saint Paul writes: ‘A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump.’ Saint Paul is warning the Galatians against false teachings that could corrupt their faith and lead them away from the true Gospel.
Leo begins by asserting that the forty days following the Resurrection were not idle or incidental. Rather, they were filled with ‘great mysteries’ and ‘deep truths’ revealed by Christ. This aligns with Luke’s account (Acts 1:3), where Jesus ‘presented himself alive… by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God’. The period is thus both transitional and transformational: it bridges the historical mission of Christ with the future mission of the Church, mediated by the Apostles [ … ]
Padre Pio, also known as Saint Pio of Pietrelcina, was an Italian Capuchin friar who lived from 1887 to 1968. He is renowned for his piety, his stigmata, and his gift of healing, and has become a beloved figure in the Christian world. Born into a devout Catholic family in Pietrelcina, Italy, Padre Pio felt a calling to the priesthood from a young age. He entered the Capuchin order in 1903 and was ordained a priest in 1910. He spent much of his life as a humble friar, dedicated to prayer, the sacraments, and the service of others. Padre Pio’s most famous spiritual gift was the stigmata, the visible wounds of Christ that he bore on his hands, feet, and side. He experienced this phenomenon for over 50 years, from 1918 until his death in 1968. While some were skeptical of his wounds, many believed them to be a sign of his profound union with Christ and his participation in the suffering of the crucified Christ. In addition to his stigmata, Padre Pio was also known for his gift of healing. Many people came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing, and he prayed over them, sometimes prescribing special devotions or treatments. While some were healed miraculously, others did not experience a physical cure, but nonetheless found comfort and peace through his intercession. Padre Pio’s life was marked by his devotion to God and his love for others. He spent long hours in prayer, often in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, and had a deep appreciation for the power of the Eucharist. He also had a special love for the Virgin Mary, whom he called his ‘Heavenly Mother’, and encouraged others to pray the Rosary. Today, Padre Pio is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his influence has spread far beyond Italy. He is remembered for his holiness, his humility, and his profound union with Christ, as well as for his compassion and concern for the sick and suffering. Christians of all denominations continue to look to him as a model of faith and devotion to God. Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Healing Saint Padre Pio is renowned for his gift of healing, which he used to help countless people throughout his life. He believed in the power of prayer and the importance of placing our trust in God, even in the face of illness and suffering. In James 5:16, we are reminded that ‘the prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective’. Padre Pio’s life was a testament to the truth of this verse, as he interceded for those who came to him seeking physical, emotional, and spiritual healing. One of the most striking examples of Padre Pio’s healing ministry was the case of Gemma Di Giorgi, a young girl who had been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness. Her parents brought her to Padre Pio, who prayed over her and blessed her with the sign of the cross. To the amazement of her doctors, Gemma’s condition began to improve, and she was eventually healed completely. In addition to physical healing, Padre Pio also believed in the importance of emotional and spiritual healing. He often spoke of the need for repentance and conversion, and encouraged his followers to turn to God with contrite hearts. In Luke 5:31-32, Jesus tells the Pharisees, ‘It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance.’ Padre Pio understood that true healing involves not only the body, but also the soul. For those who are in need of healing, whether physical, emotional, or spiritual, Saint Padre Pio can serve as a powerful intercessor. He believed in the importance of prayer and the power of God’s grace to heal even the most difficult of cases. Through his intercession, we can ask God for the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles, knowing that we are never alone and that God’s healing love is always with us. So let us pray: ‘Saint Padre Pio, you who had a deep faith in God and a profound love for your fellow human beings, we turn to you in our time of need. We ask for your intercession on behalf of all those who are sick and suffering, that they may be healed in body, mind, and spirit. We ask that you pray for us, that we may have the strength and courage to face our illnesses and our struggles with faith and hope, knowing that God is with us always. We trust in God’s love and mercy, and in the power of prayer to bring healing and wholeness to all who seek it. Saint Padre Pio, pray for us, and lead us to the healing grace of God. Amen.’ Prayer To Saint Padre Pio | A Prayer For Peace Saint Padre Pio was a man of peace, who lived his life in the service of God and his fellow human beings. He believed that peace was not merely the absence of conflict, but a state of inner harmony that could only be achieved through a deep and abiding relationship with God. In John 14:27, Jesus tells his disciples, ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.’ Padre Pio understood the importance of this peace, and dedicated his life to helping others find it. One of the ways that Padre Pio fostered peace was through his ministry of reconciliation. He encouraged those who came to him to confess their sins and seek God’s forgiveness, knowing that this was the first step towards inner peace. In Matthew 5:9, Jesus says, ‘Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.’ Padre Pio believed that this was not just a call to be a mediator in conflicts between […]
The world into which Jesus was born was not just one of imperial power—it was a world of cruelty, excess, and moral depravity beyond modern comprehension. The Caesars were not merely rulers; they were demigods in their own eyes, demanding worship, reveling in debauchery, and enforcing their will through brutality. Rome was a world where the strong crushed the weak, where spectacles of torture and death entertained the masses, and where mercy was seen as weakness [ … ]
