Sermons on Selected Lessons of the New Testament

² For all these things it is easy to understand as touching the Jews. But we must beware, lest, when we give too much attention to them, we withdraw our eyes from ourselves. For the Lord was speaking to His disciples; and assuredly what He spoke to them, He spoke to us too their posterity. Nor to them only does what He said, “Lo, I am with you always even unto the end of the world,” apply, but even to all Christians that should be after them, and succeed them even unto the end of the world.

Speaking then to them He said, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees.” They at that time thought that the Lord had said this, because they had brought no bread; they did not understand that “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees” meant, “beware of the doctrine of the Pharisees.” What was the doctrine of the Pharisees, but that which you have now heard? “Seeking glory one of another, looking for glory one from another, and not seeking the glory which is of God only.” Of these the Apostle Paul thus speaks; “I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” “They have,” he says, “a zeal of God;” I know it, I am sure of it; I was once among them, I was such as they.

“They have,” he says, “a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge.” What is this, O Apostle, “not according to knowledge”? Explain to us what the knowledge is you set forth, which you grieve is not in them, and would should be in us? He went on and subjoined and developed what he had set forth closed. What is, “They have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge? For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and wishing to establish their own, have not submitted themselves into the righteousness of God.” To be ignorant then of God's righteousness, and to wish to establish one's own, this is to “look for glory one from another, and not to seek the glory which is of God only.”

This is the leaven of the Pharisees. Of this the Lord bids beware. If it is servants that He bids, and the Lord that bids, let us beware; lest we hear, “Why say ye to Me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?”