The Parables of Jesus - The Leaven in the Flour

Introduction

Today we are going to see another parable of Jesus, illustrating the time at the beginning of His ministry in this world. Once again, He gives a concrete example taken from everyday life to teach a deep spiritual truth. Through this simple image, He shows His audience that the power of the Kingdom of Heaven does not advance by human strength or visible force, but by the action of God Himself.

The Kingdom of Heaven, or the Kingdom of God, grows in His time and according to His will. What may appear small and hidden is, in reality, living and active under the sovereign hand of God. Its beginning may seem insignificant, but its effect is powerful and certain.

Just as leaven works quietly within the dough, in a way that man cannot produce by his own power, so the work of God unfolds from within. When the leaven is incorporated into the flour, it begins to spread until the whole dough is affected. In the same way, the Kingdom of God, through His Word, works in the human heart. It may not always be visible to human eyes, but it is active, and it will accomplish the purpose of God.

As representatives of the Kingdom of God, following the example of Jesus, His disciples, and His Church, we are called to be like leaven, active members participating in the expansion of His Kingdom. God uses the preaching of His Word, the witness of His Church, and the obedience of His people to reach and to save the souls. Yet the growth itself belongs to God alone.

When the Word of God falls into a heart opened by His grace, it does not remain without effect. It transforms and produces growth in our way of being, thinking, speaking, and walking by faith with Christ. Thus, we understand that the Kingdom has a real spiritual impact both in the world and in our own lives, through our obedience and by the action of the Holy Spirit within us.

So let us now read the passage in order to understand what Jesus truly reveals through this image of the leaven in the context of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Reading of the passage of the day.

“He told them another parable. “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and hid in three measures of flour, till it was all leavened.” Matt. 13:33 ESV

Context of the passage.

The Gospel of Matthew demonstrates important theological truths and historical facts about Jesus’s ministry. First and foremost, it bears witness to the coming of the promised Messiah, the Son of David, the Son of God, and the Son of Man, attesting to the fulfillment of God’s promises. Secondly, it shows that the religious leaders could not understand that Jesus was their Anointed One.

The term “Kingdom of Heaven” is mainly found in the Gospel of Matthew. But in fact it means the same as the “Kingdom of God” in the other Gospels. This idea is central to Jesus’ teaching and is an important theme in the New Testament. Because the Kingdom of Heaven speaks of God’s rule through Christ over all, and it is both a present reality and a future hope. As it is written in the Lord’s prayer: « Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. »

This parable comes immediately after the parable of the mustard seed, the smallest of seeds which becomes the greatest of plants. If we follow the same theme that Jesus intends His hearers to understand, it speaks of a powerful and supernatural action of God.

Even if the beginnings are small, the consequences will be great. For just as a very small quantity of leaven makes the dough rise, so the Kingdom of God, through the Word, works progressively and surely. At the same time, the expansion of the Kingdom of God throughout the world, through His faithful servants and disciples, cannot be stopped.

The first to hear these teachings are His disciples, who are with Him for their formation, a formation that is progressive and unfolds throughout His ministry.

What is leaven?

Leaven is a natural leavening agent, a microscopic fungus used to make bread or cakes. It is generally composed of a portion of dough kept aside and used to initiate the fermentation process throughout the whole batch.

Once the leaven is incorporated into the flour and water, after kneading and allowing it to rest so that it may rise, or rather expand, the process of fermentation begins. In this process, yeast transforms sugars into alcohol and carbon dioxide, producing a gas that causes the dough to rise. 

This phenomenon was already known in ancient cultures. It may sound a bit technical, but as we can see, this is only possible through the addition of microorganisms that are not controllable by humans, but ultimately under the sovereign hand of God.

What is leaven in the biblical context?

In Scripture, leaven often symbolizes something impure or negative. It gives the impression of an external addition, an agent introduced into something holy, like an active corruption that alters what stands in opposition to the ways of God.

We see this, for example, in the Jewish feast called the Feast of Unleavened Bread, where God commands that bread be prepared without leaven, without any external substance added, so that it remains pure and free from anything that could “corrupt” it. The absence of leaven at Passover also reminded Israel of the haste with which they left Egypt, having no time to let their dough rise.

In other passages, especially in the New Testament, leaven is used to describe corruption introduced through false teaching, such as that of the Pharisees and Sadducees. 

Jesus says in Matthew 16:11–12 to His disciples: “How is it that you fail to understand that I did not speak about bread? Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Likewise, the apostle Paul reminds us: “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?” (1 Corinthians 5:6, ESV). Thus, in Scripture, leaven often represents an invisible influence capable of producing total corruption. Yes, a wrong teaching can destroy the entire gospel and lead people astray from the truth. 

Paul says it even more explicitly in Galatians 1 from verse 6 to 9 «am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel, not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. »  

This is a clear negative statement concerning leaven. Yet in Scripture, symbols derive their meaning from their context, and the same image may be used by the Lord to teach a different truth.

Back to the main verse - What is leaven in the context of this parable?

In this parable, the symbolism is positive. Although leaven is often associated with corruption or sin in other passages, here it illustrates the beneficial effect of something hidden within the dough, essential and powerful at the same time.

Like the mustard seed, though seemingly insignificant, the leaven teaches that despite its small quantity, its natural action, used by Jesus to illustrate a supernatural reality, reveals the transformation brought by the proclaimed Word of the Kingdom and the expansion of the Kingdom of God manifested in Jesus Christ. It is to be understood as liberating, proclaimed to the ends of the earth by those who have been saved and called to announce the gospel of the Kingdom.

Why the woman?

We will not undertake a full study of the role or calling of women in Scripture; however, we observe that Jesus presents an ordinary scene from daily life. A woman is used in this parable because she is the one who would naturally prepare bread, making the image immediately understandable to His audience. In that cultural context, bread preparation was a common domestic task performed by women. This simple and familiar scene reinforces the meaning of the illustration.

We observe that the Lord does not look at outward appearances to accomplish His purposes, but acts through ordinary, humble, and devoted instruments at every level of society. In this example, He uses a simple and humble woman, working quietly by herself for the benefit of others who will later delight in what she prepares. She may not hold great positions or responsibilities, yet she faithfully accomplishes small tasks with perseverance. Thus, the Kingdom advances not by human glory, but by the power of God manifested through humble obedience.

The process of kneading and baking bread required effort and care. Bread was a necessary food, symbolizing daily sustenance and often associated with fellowship and sharing. Hospitality is an important theme in biblical teaching and is considered a vital virtue in the Christian life. Yet Jesus does not directly teach about hospitality here; rather, He uses this familiar scene to illustrate the action of leaven in the dough.

Even if the image evokes relational and communal dimensions found elsewhere in Scripture, the central point remains the transformative power of the Kingdom of God through His Word: something simple and small in appearance, yet capable of working through and transforming the whole mass, acting invisibly and progressively until the dough is fully leavened.

The measure of flour

In the ancient Near Eastern context, “three measures of flour” represented a considerable amount, approximately fifty pounds, or about twenty-two kilograms. This quantity was sufficient to feed a large group and suggests abundance.

The use of three measures also recalls the hospitality of Sarah, when she prepared three measures of fine flour for the divine visitors who came to Abraham: “So Abraham went quickly into the tent to Sarah and said, ‘Quick! Three seahs of fine flour! Knead it, and make cakes.’” (Genesis 18:6, ESV).

However, the primary message does not focus on this aspect. The leaven is hidden within these three measures of flour, meaning that a very small quantity is introduced so that the entire large mass may rise and produce abundant bread.

This reflects the faithful bringing of the Kingdom through the Word into hearts, even in what appears to be a small measure, so that people may be touched and transformed by that Word and the Kingdom established with power.

Matthew Henry, a Welsh pastor and Bible teacher best known for writing a clear and practical commentary on the whole Bible, says beautifully: “The leaven was hid in three measures of meal. The heart is, as the meal, soft and pliable; it is the tender heart that is likely to profit by the word: leaven among corn unground does not work, nor does the gospel in souls unhumbled and unbroken for sin: the law grinds the heart, and then the gospel leavens it.”

« Until it was all leavened »

If we summarize this final phrase of the verse, we could say: The Gospel of the Kingdom of Heaven acts like leaven; introduced discreetly into hearts, it transforms in depth the reality in which it is placed, until the whole is leavened.

Nothing is left untouched, nothing is superficial, for the work of God progresses over time, in hearts and in history, until its complete fulfillment, according to the sovereign plan of God. And just as the leaven spreads through the whole mass, so the Kingdom of God continues to extend its influence in the world, reaching hearts across generations and nations, until Christ returns.

The apostle Paul says, “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ” (Philippians 1:6, ESV). He writes this to encourage the brothers and sisters to persevere by faith in God’s promises, holding fast to His Word. 

For Jesus Himself suffered as no one else in the world in order to save us from darkness. As it is written, “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (Hebrews 12:2, ESV).

Conclusion

To conclude this message on the leaven in the flour, we see how Jesus shows His disciples the divine factor in the proclamation of the Gospel to the greatest number. We are called to share the Kingdom of God with faith and conviction, not by our own strength, but by the divine action of the Holy Spirit who lives in us and who gives us the desire to follow Christ and to obey His commandments. However, it is indeed God, in His sovereignty, who knows the hearts of each and every one, who searches their depths and who knows the gifts of each one so that His work may be accomplished.

Therefore, let us always keep in our minds that it is the living Word that works in us. When it is worked into our hearts, it produces love for the truth, faith, and conviction of who Christ is. It also gives us the sanctification necessary to grow in the image of Christ and to be a good testimony, so that this Gospel of grace may not only be preached, but lived, to the glory of God.