Jesus taught his followers to be wary of living a double life, that is, appearing outwardly as something that is not true within the heart.

He said it with these words: “Beware of the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy.”

The Pharisees were the dominant religious group. They were known for making long prayers in public and giving alms with witnesses, to earn the admiration of others.

However, within their hearts, they hated Jesus and sought to kill him. How is it possible for a person to be split in two, saying they love God while hating their fellow humans at the same time?

The Lord compared hypocrisy to yeast, which causes the dough to rise and look larger, concealing the emptiness within.

The religious hypocrite focuses on externals: They speak, dress, walk, and judge with spiritual arrogance, to disguise their internal deficiencies. Their desire for approval is so strong that they sacrifice order and place changes within the heart as a secondary concern.

Hypocrisy, or living a double life, turns Christianity into a theatrical performance; it sees the Church as a grand stage for costumes and applause.

The opposite of hypocrisy is integrity: “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you? Unless, of course, you fail the test!” (2 Corinthians 13:5).