Representing the THYATIRA Period (Matthew 13:33) (Compare Luke 13:20.)

This is one of the three shortest parables — all only one verse in length. It is to the point. During the fourth period of the Church, the elevated Papacy held such complete sway as to control and corrupt all teachings.

This parable builds on The Mustard Seed. That parable showed corrupted faith. This one shows its inevitable results: corrupted doctrine. In the fourth “seal” (Revelation 6:7), the horse (doctrine) has turned green (Greek = chloros). This is a deadly color for a mammal! And its rider (the Papacy) has no lifegiving information to offer for food — only spiritual death. The food is poisoned.

13:33. Jesus again uses “Kingdom of Heaven” to show Church history. Leaven, of course, symbolizes sin and hypocrisy. (Compare Matthew 16:6-12.) We see clearly that “Kingdom of Heaven” can refer to something other than good things. The “Kingdom of Heaven” is like sin, hypocrisy, and erroneous doctrine!

There are three kinds of women in prophecy:

1. Virgins who represent the spirit- begotten ones who have not abandoned Christ;
2. Harlots who represent those who claim Christ but have illicit liaisons with this world and its ways;
3. Women with children who represent covenants. (For some examples: Revelation 12:1; Galatians 4:24.)

The woman of this parable is the apostate Church — a harlot. She had the three basic foundations of good Christian food: Faith, Hope, and Love (I Corinthians 13:13). She corrupted them all. This period was the very core of what is called “The Dark Ages.” “Leaven” was endemic.

The Luke Account — (Luke 13:20)

There is no significant difference. Luke does have in common with Matthew that The Leaven parable follows The Mustard Seed parable.

Connections to Thyatira

We have noted the historical connection of parable to Church period in that clean doctrine was not available.

In Revelation 2:18-29 we find the Lord’s words to the Thyatira “angel” (Peter Waldo). Within these verses we find the following three “hints” that connect the Thyatira Church to the parable:

1. In 2:19 we have “faith and service and perseverance.” These are possibly another expression of “faith, love, and hope” — the elements spoiled by “the woman.”
2. In 2:20 the saints “tolerate the woman”— the woman of the parable: Jezebel. (There is yet no revolution against her. The Reformation’s small beginnings don’t come until the fifth stage of the Church.)
3. In 2:20 this woman causes the saints to eat poisoned (or leavened) food.

The “fourth seal” (Revelation 6:7, 8), as mentioned, also describes that the rider kills with famine — no good food to eat.