In another parable, Jesus compared the “kingdom of the heavens” or the “kingdom of God” to leaven that a woman added to three seahs of dough. Once added or “hidden,” the leaven would not be visible but would start the fermenting process. It was common for women to use leaven, and there is no reason to think that any of Jesus’ listeners would have imagined that he was portraying something sinister when referring to the woman as “hiding” it in the dough. Three seahs would have been a large quantity, amounting to about 20 dry quarts. Although the amount of leaven or fermented dough was relatively small, it served to ferment the entire batch into which it was mixed. (Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20, 21)

The parable suggests a quiet and imperceptible working of a seemingly insignificant nature and which produces remarkable observable results. This fits how the message about God’s kingdom spread far and wide and led to dramatic changes in the lives of those who responded to it in faith, becoming part of God’s realm.