“Take heed, beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the leaven of Herod.” Mk 8:15

Leaven is an invisible, virtually unstoppable, insidious, and pervasive kind of influence. Once it’s worked into dough, how does one extract it? What can possibly be done to stop this natural process from leavening the whole lump?
No wonder Jesus doubles His warning to the disciples. Even after they’re admonished to “take heed,” He still exhorts them: “beware”. Be on guard and vigilant, my friends. Once this stuff gets into the system there are going to be major problems. So, what exactly was this red flag Jesus was waving? What was this deadly poison?
Actually there are two corrupting forces here of which we must be ever watchful. And they are as real in 2022 as they were in the dusty streets of first century Palestine. Beloved, the Pharisees and Herod are still very much alive today.

The Leaven of the Pharisees: Legalism doesn’t always wear a robe and turban. It can also be dressed in a T-shirt and sandals. Religious spirits are loosed from pulpits, and backyards too. The subtle tactics of the Pharisees’ leaven are as numerous as the stars; but the malignant effects it has on the believer are not difficult to spot.

Legalism brings you into bondage. Religious spirits constantly accuse and leave you feeling guilty and tired. The standards raised are always too high. The rulebook keeps getting thicker and heavier. “Believing” gets complicated. Detailed roadmaps are carefully crafted then diligently followed. What a contrast with Jesus, who simply invited people to “Follow me”. This leaven introduces other “ingredients” into your dough as well: criticism, envy, pride, hypocrisy…Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees!

The Leaven of Herod: Herod the Great was the King of Judah at the time of Jesus’ birth. He was a powerful ruler who built roads, theaters, aqueducts, and, most importantly, the Second Temple in Jerusalem. This, plus the prosperity he brought, endeared him to many Jews. His son ruled the region where Jesus grew up and was involved in the trials at which Jesus was ultimately sentenced to death. He also was infamously responsible for the beheading of John the Baptist. So, what was Herod’s leaven? Political power.

Political yeast is perhaps more subtle yet every bit as pernicious as the yeast of the Pharisees. It offers manmade solutions to problems we face every day. Because it doesn’t bear the stigma of being spiritual, when its tentacles invade our world and subjugate us, we are easily caught unaware. When the goals of politics line up with our faith aspirations, our allegiance to God alone becomes muddled. The greyness that results leaves us vulnerable to deception. What starts out as a hope that our political leaders and systems will help us enact policies to benefit people of faith becomes a marriage of convenience, giving birth to compromise, syncretism, and conformity.

Jesus knew that religion and politics are forces which believers from every tribe, nation, and generation would have to exercise extreme vigilance against. While Jews of his time may have faced a greater impact from religious leaders, Jesus warned his followers about both because He knew the weakness of man. In our generation, we may be more easily duped by the political forces around us. In reality, the devil will use all kinds of tools to distract us or cause us to direct our energies, resources, and affections to anything else other than to God and God alone. In Mark 8:15 Jesus shows us two of Satan’s favorites, then issues us this emphatic, perennial command: “Take heed, Beware”!