In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.” (Luke 12:1, NKJV)
The hypocrisy of the Pharisees was regularly exposed by Jesus (Matthew 23). It was hypocritical of them to claim allegiance to God while in practice they elevated their religious traditions above the commands of God, binding them upon others as essential (Matt. 15:1-9). They considered people to be unholy if they did not follow their binding traditions – even viewing Jesus a Sabbath breaker (Matt. 15:1-2; Jno. 5:18). Disciples of Jesus must continue to beware of this sort of hypocrisy. Attempting to honor God with religious traditions that are formulated, advocated and popularized by men as if they were from God, is just as hypocritical today as it was in the first century. Genuine faith does not claim faithfulness to God while laying aside His word for man’s will. Yet, the temptation to do so is great. We see it everywhere; from worship liturgies unknown in Scripture, to denominational churches, doctrines and works that are foreign to the word of God. We see it in the liberal attitudes of inclusion that reject Bible authority for all we say and do (Col. 3:17). Jesus said, “Beware.” Pretending allegiance to God while rejecting His commands in favor of human doctrines is a leaven of destruction (Matt. 15:9).
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