The Unleavened – The Context of Matzah

The Significance of Passover and Unleavened Bread

As Passover, also known as the season of Unleavened Bread, approaches, it is crucial to reflect on its significance and the actions believers should undertake during this time. Matthew Vander Els from Founded in Truth Fellowship highlights that God chose Passover for Yeshua (Jesus) to begin the revolution of the kingdom because it is a festival of freedom. Passover commences on Monday evening and marks the start of the week of unleavened bread, a tradition observed for many years by some. It is beneficial to revisit the meaning behind the week of unleavened bread.

Why Unleavened Bread?

The commandment to eat unleavened bread and remove leavened bread from one’s home might initially seem perplexing. Leviticus 23 mentions Passover and the covenantal meal involving unleavened bread, followed by seven days of consuming unleavened bread. God commanded that no leavened bread should be eaten during the week of Passover, with the severe consequence of being cut off from Israel for those caught eating it. Deuteronomy 16 provides insight into this command, stating that the unleavened bread serves as a reminder of the hasty departure from Egypt. Exodus 13 also emphasizes the commemoration of the day of leaving Egypt, a land of slavery, through eating nothing containing leavening. This observance was to be maintained upon entering the promised land, with seven days of unleavened bread and a festival to the Lord on the seventh day. It was also commanded that no yeast should be visible within their borders during these seven days.

The Symbolism of Leavening

The reason behind the removal of leavening from our lives holds significant context. While leavening might be associated with concepts like pride or sin, it is important to understand the specific context of this command. Professor David Kramer from the Jewish Theological Seminary suggests that the Torah’s command to eliminate leavening was a demand to leave behind Egyptian culture. The Israelites carried dough without yeast when they left Egypt because they were driven out and had no time to prepare leavened food. However, the deeper concern was to avoid bringing the cultural identity of Egypt with them into their new life as God’s people. They were not to rely on the flawed and corrupt culture of their past but to begin anew, freshly influenced by God’s word, the Torah, revealed at Sinai. Therefore, the unleavened bread represented a break from their former identity and a commitment to a new one in God’s kingdom.

Passover and the New Covenant

In the New Testament, Paul references unleavened bread in 1 Corinthians 5-6, drawing a parallel between the removal of leaven and the need to get rid of old ways and sin. Just as a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough, so can sin impact the entire community. Paul urges believers to remove the “old yeast” of malice and wickedness to become a “new batch” of sincerity and truth, because Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore, believers are called to keep the festival of unleavened bread not with the old ways but with sincerity and truth. This signifies a freedom from the slavery of sin through the blood of Christ, leading to a new life in Him. While the historical feasts applied to Israel, their deeper meaning and fulfillment are found in the lives of believers.

Practical Application for Everyday Life

• During the week of Passover, believers are encouraged to remove all leavened products from their homes, including cakes, cookies, and bread, as a physical reminder of leaving behind the old ways.
• This practice serves as a time to remember and meditate on God’s deliverance from bondage, both physically out of Egypt and spiritually from sin.
• Passover provides an opportunity to teach children about the Exodus story and the significance of God’s commandments and promises.
• It is a season to reflect on one’s past life before Christ and to embrace the new creation that believers become through faith in Him.
• In the context of the Christian community, removing leaven can also symbolize the need to address and purge sin and negativity that can affect the fellowship.

The Cultural Context of Bread

Bread has held significant cultural importance throughout history, with various cultures developing their unique bread-making traditions. Some scholars believe the original bread-making process originated in Egypt. In ancient Mediterranean cultures, bread, along with wine and olive oil, formed a food triad that signified a cultured citizen. The production of bread was a cultural act, with the knowledge passed down through generations. In ancient Egypt, bread was not merely food but the basis of the entire economy, used as a standard of weight, commerce, payment, and offerings to gods. The Egyptians had diverse methods of making bread, as illustrated in ancient depictions, even creating loaves in various shapes. Herodotus, a Greek historian, noted that Egyptians were specifically “bread eaters” due to its prominence in their diet. Abraham’s promptness in instructing Sarah to bake unleavened bread for their visitors demonstrates the common practice of making this type of bread quickly.

Observing Passover Today

The speaker explains that to observe Passover fully according to biblical law, the temple in Jerusalem would need to be rebuilt, as certain sacrifices, like the Pesach offering, were to be offered there and eaten within Jerusalem. Since the temple is not currently standing, no one can biblically observe Passover with these sacrifices. However, this does not prevent believers from memorializing Passover and, more importantly, teaching their children about its meaning and significance. Just as with other feasts and commandments, even if they cannot be fully enacted, the effort to teach them to the next generation is crucial. The communal meal or Seder observed during Passover serves as a memorial of God’s deliverance.

The Promise in Christ

Galatians 3:29 states that if one belongs to Christ, then they are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to the promise. Abraham is seen as the one called to begin repairing the world and bringing heaven back to earth. The promise made to Abraham was that through his lineage, the Messiah would come. Therefore, for believers in Christ, Passover signifies being part of that lineage, heirs to God’s promises of redemption and a new kingdom. In Christ, believers become a new creation; the old has passed away, and the new has come. This reconciliation with God through Messiah means not counting their past transgressions against them and entrusting them with the message of reconciliation. The week of unleavened bread, as Deuteronomy 16:3 reminds, is a time to remember the departure from Egypt in haste, so that one may remember the time of their leaving their “Egypt” all the days of their life.

Conclusion

Observing the week of unleavened bread is a meaningful practice for believers to remember God’s act of deliverance and their new identity in Christ. It is a time to intentionally remove the “leaven” of the old life and embrace the new creation they have become. By participating in a memorial meal and living unleavened for a week, believers can deepen their understanding of freedom from bondage and their participation in God’s kingdom. This observance is not just about physical bread but about a spiritual transformation and a renewed commitment to living according to God’s word.

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