The leaven placed in the meal works imperceptibly, changing the whole mass to its own nature. So if hypocrisy is allowed to exist in the heart, it permeates the character and the life. A striking example of the hypocrisy of the Pharisees, Christ had already rebuked in denouncing the practice of "Corban," by which a neglect of filial duty was concealed under a pretense of liberality to the temple. The scribes and Pharisees were insinuating deceptive principles. They concealed the real tendency of their doctrines, and improved every occasion to instill them artfully into the minds of their hearers. These false principles, when once accepted, worked like leaven in the meal, permeating and transforming the character. It was this deceptive teaching that made it so hard for the people to receive the words of Christ.

Når surdejen kommer i melet, arbejder den umærkeligt og forandrer hele dejen efter sin egen beskaffenhed. Sådan vil hykleriet, hvis det får lov at bo i hjertet, gennemsyre karakteren og livet. Kristus havde allerede dadlet et slående eksempel på farisæernes hykleri ved at fordømme udøvelsen af "korban", hvorved undladelse af sønlige pligter skjulte sig under påskud af gavmildhed over for templet. De skriftkloge og farisæerne indførte bedrageriske principper. De skjulte deres læresætningers virkelige hensigt og benyttede enhver lejlighed til snedigt at indpode dem i deres tilhøreres sind. Når disse falske principper en gang var godkendt, virkede de som surdej i melet og gennemsyrede og forvandlede karakteren. Det var denne bedrageriske lærdom, som gjorde det så vanskeligt for folket at tage mod Jesu ord.