Matthew Poole and continuators on Matthew 16:12

12 Then understood they, how that he bad them not beware of the leave[illegible: 1 letter] of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and of the Sadduces.

Mark giving us an account of this passage, Chap, 8.17, 18, 19. useth some harsher Expre[illegible: 2 letters]ions. And when Iesus knew it, he said unto them, Why Reason ye, because ye have no Bread? Perceive ye not yet, neither understand, have ye your Eyes yet hardened? Having Eyes, see you not, and having Ears, hear you not? And do you not yet remember? When I brake the five Loaves, amongst the five Thousand, how many Baskets full took you up? They say unto him twelve. And when the seven amongst four Thousand, how many Baskets full of Fragments took you up? and they said seven. And he said unto them, how is it that you do not understand? Our Saviour here Chargeth them, with three things, Ignorance, Vnbelief, Forgetfulness. Ignorance in that they did not understand, that his usu[illegible: 1 letter]l way was to Discourse spiritual things to them, under Earthly Similitudes, and so by Leaven he must understand something else than Leaven, with which Men use to Leaven their Bread. Vnbelief, That they having seen the Power, and Goodness of the Lord and Master, to feed four Thousand, with seven Loves, and five Thousand with five Loves, leaving a great remainder, and that he did this for a mixed multitude, out of a meer Compassion to the Wants, and Cravings of humane Nature, should not judge, that he was able to provide for them, altho they had brought no Bread: Or, doubt whether he would do it or no for them, who were much dearer to him. 3. Forgetfulness, which is often in Scripture made the Mother of Unbelief and Disobedience, Deut. 4.9.23. & 25. v. 19. Psal. 78.11. There is nothing of Difficulty in the terms, only from this History we may learn these things. 1. That God expecteth that we should, not only hear and see, but understand. 2. That he looks we should not only hear for the present time, but for the time to come; Christ expected that his Disciple[illegible: 1 letter] should have learned from his Doctrine, about washing of Hands, that he could not mean the Leaven of Bread, but something else, which might defile them. 3. That he is much displeased with his own People, when he discerns Blindness, and Ignorance in them, after their more than ordinary means of Knowledge. 4. That former Experiences, of Gods Power and Goodness manifested for us, or to us, ought to strengthen our Faith in him, when we come under the like Circumstances, and a disputing, or doubting after such Experiences argueth but a little, and very weak Faith, and an hardness of Heart, that the Mercies of God have not made a just impression on our Souls. Then understood they that he bid them not beware of the Leaven of Bread, but of the Doctrine of the Pharisees, and of the Sadduces. Mark instead of, and of the Sadduces, hath, and of the Leaven of Herod, [illegible: 1 letter]hich hath made some think, that Herod was a Sadduce. The Doctrine of the Pharisees is reducible to two Heads, Iustification by the works of the Law, and those Works too according to that imperfect Sense of the Law they gave. 2. The Obligation of the Tradition of the Elders: Whose Traditions were also (as we have heard) some of them of that Nature, that they made the Law of God of no Effect. The Doctrine of the Sadduces, we are in part told, Acts 23.8. They said, there was no Resurrection, nor Angel, nor Spirit: These were Principles excellently suted to Men of Atheistical Hearts and Lives, and it is more than probable, that Herod and his Courtiers, and some of his Lords, and great Captains, had suckt in some of these Principles, and these were the Herodians mentioned, Mat. 22.16. & Mar. 3.6. These Doctrines are by our Saviour compared to Leaven, not only because of the sower Nature of it, but also, because Hereticks words (as the Apostle saith) Eat as doth a Canker, and are of a Contagious Nature; as Leaven doth diffuse its Quality into the whole Mass of Meat. Our Saviour Ch. 13.33. had upon this Account compared the Gospel to Leaven, because by his Blessing upon it, it should influence the World as we heard, Ch. 13.