Of Parties and Philosophies

A new section of the life of Christ is covered in Matt.16:5-12 and Mark 8:13-26. Jesus crosses over the lake on the reverse route from his walking-on-the-water trip after feeding the 5000, the trip when Peter walked on the water. On this occasion he used the opportunity to teach the disciples. His admonition was simple: "Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees (Matt or) and the leaven of Herod (Mark)." Between Matthew and Mark we have warnings about three groups, all who have one thing in common, i.e. they did not like the fourth group, the Jesus group. We have three political parties lined up against Jesus. He is the odd man out. Any other time, they would not be caught in the same room together, but they now perceive a common threat, a man from Nazareth. Funny how enemies can agree when they think their existence and power is threatened. How could the Prince of Peace engender such opposition? This is the question for the ages. The fact is He does. Since He is often the odd man out, so will be those who follow Him. Christians are not odd because they are Christians, but because they do not think like those of other parties who are organized around the principle of Power.

The three groups are comprised of the Conservative Pharisees, the Liberal Sadducees, and the Political Herodians. Each has a philosophy. Each has a view. Each has a goal. This goal is to create through their own means a way of life that is utopic and free for those like themselves. Their way of thinking was distorted and dangerous because it was powered by human motives, human sources, human ends. Jesus was most definitely a threat to their systems. Jesus calls their teachings "leaven." Leaven spreads and permeates dough and makes it rise. Leaven is influence. This is what all parties want, influence to affect change so that they can order society the way they see fit. They are not focused on "getting to heaven." They are focused on here and now. The Conservatives are usually the most religious and cloak their agendas in religious language, even quoting the Bible. These may be the most dangerous because they appear so much like God-fearers. The Liberals are usually the elite who think they are smarter than others. They scoff at miracles and the supernatural, and put forth a more "rational" point of view. (Jefferson would have made a good Sadducee.) The Herodians were purely political in nature, and would have been alright with a strict separation of church and state. They believed all problems of society can be solved by government. Does this sound familiar, and it doesn't matter which party you belong to?

Whose mind? Life and its problems and needs will be filtered through someone's mind. Certain minds will gain influence and persuade others to look at the world the way they do. When enough do this you will have a party and perhaps a movement that will effect change within the culture. So which mind? Pharisee, Sadducee, Herod, or Jesus? Please, please stop listening so intensely to the parties, the opinion leaders of this world no matter if they are conservative or liberal or presidential! There is only ONE we must listen to intensely. There is ONLY ONE who has correct thinking about how this world should be ordered. Beware of all others.