The answer is: Three

Matt 13:33

In Matthew 13:33, when Jesus refers to the leaven hid in the three measures of flour, He touches on a beautiful metaphor about the Kingdom of Heaven. First, let’s reflect on why three measures of flour are significant. In biblical times, three measures would equal about a bushel—enough to bake a significant amount of bread for a community.

Now consider this: leaven, while sometimes thought of negatively in a Jewish context concerning purity laws, is shown by Jesus in a positive light here. It acts quietly and invisibly, spreading through the entire batch and transforming it. This echoes God’s working in the world—often unnoticed at first but ultimately profound.

In this parable, the interaction between small agents (the leaven, or yeast) and vast consequences is quite relevant. Just like the impact of kindness can ripple through communities unexpectedly, this suggests that the Kingdom of Heaven, while seemingly small in its beginnings, can lead to giant shifts in human hearts and lives.

Did you know that leaven reminds us of the Old Testament as well? The cakes and leading sacrifices involved precise measurements and the relationship with purity. Jesus takes something familiar and spins it upside down, highlighting how genuine transformation in one's spiritual walk can come through small yet mighty actions.

It might surprise you that leaven was also associated with humility. It symbolizes how my youth and early faith might seem minor, but there's divine potential next to that, detected even if it’s just a sprinkle in the larger dough!