Meaning of Luke 13:20

This verse, Luke 13:20, marks the second of Jesus' parables about the Kingdom of God in this chapter, following the parable of the mustard seed. Having just described the Kingdom's initial smallness and explosive growth, Jesus now shifts to illustrate its pervasive and transformative influence, even when introduced subtly. The question, "What shall I compare the kingdom of God to?" functions as a rhetorical device, signaling to his listeners that he is about to offer another analogy to help them grasp the nature of God's reign, which is both present and yet to be fully realized.

Context and Background

Jesus is teaching in Galilee, likely in a synagogue or a public place where a crowd has gathered. The preceding verses (Luke 13:10-17) describe Jesus healing a woman who had been bound by a spirit for eighteen years. This act of liberation and healing, performed on the Sabbath, drew the indignation of the synagogue ruler but the admiration of the crowds. Immediately following this, Jesus poses two parables about the Kingdom of God, suggesting that the Kingdom's nature is demonstrated both in powerful acts of divine intervention and in its gradual, internal growth and influence. The parables serve to counter the common expectation of a politically or militarily triumphant kingdom, pointing instead to a spiritual reality that operates through different means.

Key Themes and Messages

The primary message conveyed through this parable, which immediately follows in Luke 13:21, is the pervasive and transformative power of the Kingdom of God. Just as leaven permeates an entire batch of dough, the Kingdom of God, though perhaps introduced in a small way or by few, will ultimately influence and transform everything it touches. It speaks to an inevitable spiritual growth and expansion that cannot be contained or resisted indefinitely. The leaven, though hidden, is a powerful agent of change, subtly altering the substance of the dough. This highlights that the Kingdom's influence is not always overt or dramatic, but it is nonetheless potent and far-reaching.

Spiritual Significance and Application

Spiritually, this parable encourages believers to understand that their faith, and the Kingdom it represents, is not meant to be a private or isolated experience. It is a dynamic force designed to permeate and transform individuals, communities, and ultimately, the world. For the individual, it means allowing the principles of God's reign – love, justice, mercy, righteousness – to permeate every aspect of their life. For the community of faith, it signifies the responsibility to be a leavening influence in society, bringing God's transformative power into their spheres of influence. The parable also offers a message of hope: even when the church or the spread of the Gospel seems small or insignificant, its inherent nature is to grow and permeate.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This parable aligns with the overarching biblical narrative of God's persistent work to redeem and restore creation. From the initial promise to Abraham to bring blessing to all nations, to the coming of Christ, and the ongoing work of the Holy Spirit through the church, God's Kingdom is a reality that is both inaugurated and progressively realized. It echoes the Old Testament prophecies of a future kingdom that would encompass all peoples and lands, and it finds its ultimate fulfillment in the eschatological vision of a new heaven and a new earth where God's reign is complete.

Analogies

The parable of the leaven is a common and powerful analogy used to describe growth and influence.

• Yeast in Baking: The most direct analogy is the baker using a small amount of yeast (leaven) to make a large batch of dough rise. The yeast itself is not the bulk of the food, but its action is essential for its texture, volume, and digestibility.
• A Seed Growing: Similar to the mustard seed parable, it illustrates a small beginning leading to a large outcome, but here the emphasis is on the permeating rather than just the growing.
• A Small Act of Kindness: A single act of compassion or justice, though seemingly small, can have ripple effects, influencing others and gradually changing the atmosphere of a community.

Relation to Other Verses

This parable complements and is complemented by several other biblical passages:

• Luke 13:18-19 (The Mustard Seed): This immediately preceding parable also speaks of the Kingdom's growth from small beginnings to great expansiveness, but the leaven parable emphasizes the internal, pervasive quality of this growth.
• Matthew 13:33: This parable is repeated in Matthew's Gospel, demonstrating its importance and consistent teaching by Jesus.
• 1 Corinthians 5:6-8: Paul uses the imagery of leaven to warn the Corinthian church against the spread of sin, illustrating how a little sin can corrupt the whole community, thus highlighting the powerful, permeating nature of leaven, whether for good or ill.
• Acts 2:42-47: The early church's devotion to teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer, and the Lord adding to their number daily, illustrates the Kingdom's permeating influence on believers and its growth.
• Romans 12:2: This verse calls believers to be transformed by the renewing of their minds, a process of internal permeation by God's truth and Spirit, which then enables them to "discern what is the will of God," reflecting the Kingdom's transformative impact.