The term "leaveneth" is derived from the verb "leaven," which refers to the process of fermentation that causes dough to rise. In biblical contexts, leaven is often used metaphorically to represent influence, whether good or bad, that permeates and transforms. The concept of leaven is mentioned in both the Old and New Testaments, carrying significant theological implications.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, leaven is primarily associated with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a festival instituted by God to commemorate the Israelites' exodus from Egypt. During this feast, the Israelites were commanded to remove all leaven from their homes and eat unleavened bread for seven days. This practice symbolized purity and separation from sin. Exodus 12:15 states, "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses, for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh must be cut off from Israel."

Leaven, in this context, represents corruption and sin, which must be purged to maintain holiness before God. The removal of leaven is a physical act that signifies a spiritual truth: the need for God's people to be set apart and free from the corrupting influences of sin.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, Jesus and the apostles use leaven metaphorically to illustrate both positive and negative spiritual truths. Jesus warns His disciples about the "leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees," which refers to their hypocritical and false teachings. Matthew 16:6 records Jesus saying, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Here, leaven symbolizes the pervasive and corrupting nature of false doctrine and hypocrisy.

Conversely, Jesus also uses leaven in a positive sense to describe the Kingdom of Heaven. In the Parable of the Leaven, found in Matthew 13:33 , Jesus says, "The kingdom of heaven is like leaven that a woman took and mixed into three measures of flour until all of it was leavened." In this parable, leaven represents the transformative power of the Kingdom of God, which starts small but grows to influence the entire world.

The Apostle Paul also employs the metaphor of leaven in his epistles. In 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 , Paul admonishes the Corinthian church, saying, "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed." Here, Paul uses leaven to illustrate how sin, if left unchecked, can spread throughout the community, urging believers to live in the purity that Christ's sacrifice has made possible.

Theological Implications

The concept of leaven in Scripture serves as a powerful metaphor for influence and transformation. It underscores the importance of vigilance against sin and false teachings while also highlighting the expansive and transformative nature of God's Kingdom. Believers are called to be discerning, ensuring that the influences they allow into their lives and communities align with the truth of God's Word. The dual use of leaven as both a negative and positive metaphor reflects the complex nature of influence and the believer's responsibility to cultivate holiness and truth.

Easter Sunday
... 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole
lump? ... "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?". ...
//christianbookshelf.org/luther/epistle sermons vol ii/easter sunday.htm

The Sixth Book
... that the blessed apostle Paul ordered a noxious sinner cast out of the church and
showed why he gave this order, saying: "A little leaven leaveneth the whole ...
//christianbookshelf.org/salvian/on the government of god/the sixth book.htm

Hebrews xii. 14
... "Lest any root of bitterness," he says; which he said also in another place when
he writes, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump." ( 1 Corinthians 5:6 ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homily xxxi hebrews xii 14.htm

Of Justice and Prudence.
... 121] and He says, "Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you."
[122] And then it is said, "Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole ...
/.../chapter 24 name justice and.htm

September 3 Morning
... defiled. If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. Know
ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/september 3 morning.htm

December 17 Evening
... Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners. Know ye not that a little
leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven. ...
/.../anonymous/daily light on the daily path/december 17 evening.htm

2 Cor. I. 23
... For as when he sinned, he alarmed their minds, except they should cut him off, saying,
"A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump," (1 Corinthians 5:6.) and ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily iv 2 cor i.htm

Galatians Chapter V.
... things present but future in these words: Ver.9. "A little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump.". And thus this slight error, he says ...
/.../galatians chapter v.htm

Of the Distribution of the Keys, and their Power, or of the ...
... excommunication of the incestuous Corinth, 1 Cor.5.6). A little leaven leaveneth
the whole lump. vers.9. 2. He presumeth the Church will be ...
/.../chap ii of the distribution.htm

A Message of Warning and Entreaty
... apostle pleaded with the church to put away from among them "that wicked person."
"Know ye not," he admonished them, "that a little leaven leaveneth the whole ...
/.../white/the acts of the apostles/lesson 29 a message of.htm

Leaveneth (2 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Leaveneth (2 Occurrences). 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying
is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? ...
/l/leaveneth.htm - 6k

Leaven (24 Occurrences)
... and corrupting," in parts at least, eg Matthew 16:6 parallel, and especially the
proverbial saying twice quoted by Paul, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole ...
/l/leaven.htm - 21k

Leavened (16 Occurrences)

/l/leavened.htm - 12k

Leavening (1 Occurrence)

/l/leavening.htm - 7k

Glorying (27 Occurrences)
... glory.' (YLT). 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that
a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? (KJV ASV YLT). 1 ...
/g/glorying.htm - 14k

Bible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus