Notes on Matthew 16:6 16:12, 15:26, 15:28, 13:33, and 7:15.
These Are Notes From The Companion Bible.

Matthew 16:6

   6.  Then Jesus said unto them, °"Take heed and °beware °of the °leaven of the °Pharisees and of the °Sadducees."

   6. Take heed = Look well. Greek horao. Appendix 133. I. 8.

   beware of the leaven. Figure of Speech, Hypocatastasis (Appendix 6), leaven put by implication for "doctrine" (verse 12), because of its evil effects. Compare notes on 15:26, and 13:33.

   beware = pay attention to, so as to be careful of.

   of = from. Here, away from: that is to say, beware [and keep] away from, or keep clear of, as in 7:15. Greek apo. Appendix 104. iv.

   leaven. See note on 13:33 below.

   Pharisees ... Sadducees. See Appendix 120. II.



Matthew 16:12

   12.  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.

   12. not. Greek ou Appendix 105. I.

   beware of the leaven. Figure of Speech, Hypocatastasis (Appendix 6), leaven put by implication for "doctrine", because of its evil effects. Compare notes on 15:26, and 13:33.

   beware = pay attention to, so as to be careful of.

   of = from. Here, away from: that is to say, beware [and keep] away from, or keep clear of, as in 7:15. Greek apo. Appendix 104. iv.

      leaven. See note on 13:33 below.

   doctrine = teaching. This was the word which the Lord had been implying in vesre 6, using the Figure of Speech, Hypocatastasis. Appendix 6. The woman of Canaan saw what was implied in the word "dog"; and her faith was called "great" (15:28); the disciples did not understand what the Lord implied by the word "leaven", and their faith was "little".

   Pharisees ... Sadducees. See Appendix 120. II.



Matthew 15:26

   26.  But He answered and said, "It is °not °meet to take °the °children's °bread, and to cast it to °dogs."

   26. not. Greek ou Appendix 105. I.

   meet = fair.

   the children's bread = the bread of the children, with emphasis on children. Figure of Speech, Enallage. Appendix 6.

   children's. See Appendix 108. i.

   bread. Put by Figure of Speech, Synecdoche (of Species), Appendix 6, for all kinds of food.

   dogs = puppies, or little household dogs ; this is true only of such. Dogs are not cared for (in the East) when grown. The Lord used the Figure of Speech, Hypocatastasis (Appendix 6), implying that she was only a Gentile, and thus had still no claim even on that ground. Gentiles were known as "dogs" by the Jews, and despised as such (7:6. 1 Samuel 17:43. 2 Samuel 3:8; 9:8. 2 Kings 8:13. Philippians 3:2).



Matthew 15:28

   28.  Then °Jesus °answered and said unto her, °"O woman, °great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt." And her daughter was made whole °from that very hour.

   28. Jesus. See Appendix 98. X.

   answered and said = exclaimed and said. A Hebraism. Idiom Appendix 6. In this idiom the word "answered" receives its meaning from the context. Here it = confessed, or repented and said.

   O woman. Figure of Speech, Ecphonesis. Appendix 6.

   great is thy faith. Contrast the disciples (16:8), where the same Figure of Speech, Hypocatastasis (Appendix 6), is used, and ought to have been understood.

   from = away from. Greek apo Appendix 104. iv.



Matthew 13:33

   33.  Another parable spake He unto them ; °"The kingdom of °heaven is like unto °leaven, which °a woman took, and °hid °in three °measures of meal, till the whole was °leavened.

   33. The Kingdom of heaven. See Appendix 114.

   heaven = the heavens.

   leaven = sour dough. Always used in a bad sense, as meal is in a good sense : therefore the common interpretation as to the Gospel's improving the world is the exact contrary of the leaven corrupting the whole of the meal. The same is true of the symbol of the "woman", see below. The Lord mentions three kinds of leaven, all of which were evil in their working: the leaven (1) of the Pharisees = hypocrisy of formalism (Luke 12:1); (2) of the Pharisees and Sadducees = evil doctrine or teaching (Matthew 16:11, 12); (3) of Herod = political religion, or worldliness (Mark 8:15). Compare also Genesis 19:3. 1 Corinthians 5:6 - 8. Matthew 23:14, 16, 23 - 28.

   a woman. A common symbol of evil in the moral or religious spheres. See Zechariah 5:7, 8. Revelation 2:20; 17:1 - 6. hid. Compare verse 44, and see the Structure. Appendix 145.

   measures. Greek saton. See Appendix 51. III. 3 (ii) (9).

   leavened = corrupted.



Matthew 7:15

   15.  °Beware °of false prophets, which come °to you °in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

   15. Beware = Take heed, as in 6:1.

   of = from, or away from. Greek apo. Appendix 104. iv.: that is to say, Beware [and keep] away from.

   to. Greek pros Appendix 104. xv. 3.

   in. Greek en. Appendix 104. viii.


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