The Meaning of Matthew 16:12 Explained

Matthew 16:12

KJV: Then understood they how that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.

YLT: Then they understood that he did not say to take heed of the leaven of the bread, but of the teaching, of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

Darby: Then they comprehended that he did not speak of being beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

ASV: Then understood they that he bade them not beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Then  understood they  how that  he bade  [them] not  beware  of  the leaven  of bread,  but  of  the doctrine  of the Pharisees  and  of the Sadducees. 

What does Matthew 16:12 Mean?

Context Summary

Matthew 16:1-12 - Beware Of Evil Influences
The signs of the times in our own day are much as they were in that. Still men are lovers of pleasure rather than of God. Still they who will live a godly life must be prepared to suffer persecution. The forms of hatred and dislike of the gospel change, but the hatred of the Cross is as inveterate as ever. The sign of Jonah was his resurrection to take up his cry against Nineveh; the resurrection of Jesus is the Father's seal of endorsement. See to it that He shall rise, not only in Joseph's garden, but in thy heart! That is the best evidence of the truth of our holy faith.
There is abroad today much teaching which may be compared to leaven. The germs of hurtful and false doctrine are as thick as microbes. Propagated by the agencies of the spoken address and the written page, they produce fermentation and unrest in the young and unstable. We must judge these pernicious teachings, not by their pleasant and innocent appearance, but by their effect on heart and character. [source]

Chapter Summary: Matthew 16

1  The Pharisees require a sign
5  Jesus warns his disciples of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees
13  The people's opinion of Jesus,
16  and Peter's confession of him
21  Jesus foretells his death;
23  reproves Peter for dissuading him from it;
24  and admonishes those who will follow him, to bear the cross

Greek Commentary for Matthew 16:12

Then understood they [τοτε συνηκαν]
First aorist active indicative of συνιημι — suniēmi to grasp, to comprehend. They saw the point after this elaborate rebuke and explanation that by “leaven” Jesus meant “teaching.” [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Matthew 16:12

Mark 8:21 Do ye not yet understand? [ουπω συνιετε]
After all this rebuke and explanation. The greatest of all teachers had the greatest of all classes, but he struck a snag here. Matthew 16:12 gives the result: “Then they understood how that he bade them not beware of the loaves of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” They had once said that they understood the parables of Jesus (Matthew 13:51). But that was a long time ago. The teacher must have patience if his pupils are to understand. [source]

What do the individual words in Matthew 16:12 mean?

Then they understood that not He said to beware of the leaven of bread but teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees
Τότε συνῆκαν ὅτι οὐκ εἶπεν προσέχειν ἀπὸ τῆς ζύμης τῶν ἄρτων ἀλλὰ διδαχῆς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων

συνῆκαν  they  understood 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Plural
Root: συνίημι 
Sense: to set or bring together.
ὅτι  that 
Parse: Conjunction
Root: ὅτι  
Sense: that, because, since.
εἶπεν  He  said 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λέγω  
Sense: to speak, say.
προσέχειν  to  beware 
Parse: Verb, Present Infinitive Active
Root: προσέχω  
Sense: to bring to, bring near.
ζύμης  leaven 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ζύμη  
Sense: leaven.
ἄρτων  bread 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: ἄρτος  
Sense: food composed of flour mixed with water and baked.
διδαχῆς  teaching 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: διδαχή  
Sense: teaching.
τῶν  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Φαρισαίων  Pharisees 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Φαρισαῖος  
Sense: A sect that seems to have started after the Jewish exile.
Σαδδουκαίων  Sadducees 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Plural
Root: Σαδδουκαῖος  
Sense: a religious party at the time of Christ among the Jews, who denied that the oral law was a revelation of God to the Israelites, and who deemed the written law alone to be obligatory on the nation, as the divine authority. They denied the following doctrines:.

What are the major concepts related to Matthew 16:12?

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