Week 12: Thursday Leaven of the Kingdom

Context! Context!! Context!!!Despite the negative spiritual connotation of leaven—as a symbol of sinand something to be removed from nearly every grain offering and feast—there were a few exceptions. In the very short parable recorded inMatthew 13:33, found in a chapter full of parables using similes andmetaphors for the kingdom of Heaven, Jesus says, “The kingdom ofHeaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures offlour, till it was all leavened” (ESV). Luke records the same in Luke13:20-21 with a few small differences: “And again He said, ‘To what shall Icompare the kingdom of God? It is like leaven that a woman took and hidin three measures of flour, until it was all leavened’” (ESV).