Posted by Chris on 4/13/2007, 5:39 am What do you think of when you hear 'The leaven of the Pharisees' mentioned? You may, as myself, think of leaven as hypocracy only, but it is not. This morning I picked up the book 'Figures of Speech' by Dr Bullinger, which I am fortunate to own, which although sounding dry and unteresting by title, is in fact a joy. I looked at a section of the book concerning a figure called 'Hypocatastases'...... ['Hypocatastases' (meaning: a putting down underneath) or 'Implication' (a declaration that implies the Resemblance or Representation; or Comparison by Implication. - As a figure, it differs from 'Metaphor', because in a metaphor the two nouns are 'both' named and given; while, in 'Hypocatastasis', only 'one' is named and the other is implied, or as it were, is (put down underneath) out of sight. Hence 'Hypocatastasis' is implied resemblance or representation: ie., an implied 'simile' or 'Metaphor'. If metaphor is more forcible that Simile, then Hypocatastasis is more forcible than Metaphor, and expresses as it were the superlative degree of resemblance] 'OK (take a breath!)' (cont) ....... And read what was said concerning Matt.16:6, which was an example of the use of this figure, The explanation (please bear with me):- (Quote) 'There the word 'doctrine' is implied. Had the Lord said, "the doctrine of the Pharisees is like leaven," that would have been 'simile', and a cold, bare statement of fact; but He did not say so. Had He said "the doctrine of the Phariseesis leaven." that would have been 'Metaphor'; much bolder, much more forcible, but not so true to fact - though much truer to truth. But He did not say so. He took the word 'doctrine' and 'put it down underneath,' and did not mention it at all. He only 'implied' it: and this was 'hypocatastasis. No wonder then that the attention of the disciples was excited and attracted. No wonder their interest was aroused: for this was the Lord's object. "They reasoned among themseles, saying, It is because we have taken no bread. Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread? Do ye not yet understand? ... How is it that ye do not understand that I spake not to you concerning bread, that ye should beware of the leaven of the pharisees and of the Saducees? 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" (verses 6-12). This example is remarkable when we compare it with another, in the previous chapter, which we give next; and out of its textual order for the purpose of contrast.' [I stop here to explain, that the reason I quote this is because into my mind came something of this doctrine that the Lord was telling them to beware of, namely that of 'The Rich Man and Lazarus' which the whole of Christendom has fallen foul of and taken on board as evidence of the existence of a concious torment taking place, after death, in a place called 'Hell', which has caused havok and incredible pain to many, apart from the damage to God's Word of Truth.) How we should take heed ourselves to the Lord's words and take note of the use of this word 'beware' that is used by the Spirit to make us vigilant.] Although making this rather longer that I would wish, I would like to continue the quotation from where it left off (above), in order to make that 'contrast' that is spoken of - again please be patient with me) (Quote) - 'Matt.15:26 - 'But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs.' Here, the Lord Jesus, did not say to the woman of Canaan, 'Thou art a dog of the Gentiles' (which would habe been Metaphor) but He left out all reference to her, and only referred to her by 'implication', substituting a 'dog' for herself. The woman, unlike the disciples (in chapter 16), at once saw and understood what the Lord 'implied', viz., that it was not meet to take that which belonged to Israel and give it to a Gentile (or a dog of a Gentile as they were called by the Jews). "And she said, Truth , Lord." What she felt is clear: "It is quite true; Thou art perfectly right; I called Thee 'the Son of David,' and deserved no answer; I pleaded for 'help' and said: 'Lord, help me'; but I made no confession as to who the 'me' was: no acknowledgment of my unworthiness and unmeetness as 'a dog of the Gentiles.'" "Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their master's table. Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith." So, it is "great faith" to understand what the Lord 'implied' by the use of this beautiful figure, and it is "little faith" (16:8) not to understand it! even though the former was spoken of a Gentile woman, and the latter of the apostles of the Lord.' (end of quote) Sorry this turned out to be so long, but I hope that you appreciated it as I did. In Christ
81.156.111.94
Dear forum,
(Mat 16:6) Then Jesus said unto them, Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees.
Chris
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