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In the N.T. leaven consistently typifies evil. Matt. 16: 6-12:--
"Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and of the Sadducees . . . . .
Then understood they how that He bade them beware . . . . . of the doctrine of the
Pharisees and of the Sadducees."
Luke 12: 1 adds the words:--
"Beware ye of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."
I Cor. 5: 8 speaks of "the leaven of malice and wickedness", contrasting it with the
"unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". Summing up the evil that had corrupted the
simple faith of the Galatians, the apostle says, "A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump"
(verse 6). Leaven therefore represents evil in doctrine and practice. It is the purpose of
God that His children should be "without blemish". As a result of the great offering of
Christ they shall one day be presented "holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His
sight" (Col. 1: 22).
Notice the basis of the exhortation of I Cor. 5: 7:--
"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened."
In Christ the Corinthians were "unleavened". They are addressed as "saints", but their
walk was far from being "as becometh saints". They could not make themselves holy,
but being sanctified in Christ they can be urged to walk worthy.
Another associated meaning which Scripture attaches to the feast of unleavened bread
is connected with the pilgrim character of those who first partook of it:--
"Thus shall ye eat it (the lamb, the bread and the herbs), with your loins girded, your
shoes on your feet, and your staff in your hand; and ye shall eat it in haste" (12: 11).
"And the people took their dough before it was leavened, their kneading troughs being
bound up in their clothes upon their shoulders" (12: 34).
"And they baked unleavened cakes of the dough which they brought forth out of
Egypt, for it was not leavened; because they were thrust out of Egypt and could not tarry"
(12: 39).
The feast of unleavened bread speaks of separation from Egypt, of a people who are
not at home, whose hopes are beyond and above.
It is evident that the observance of the feast of the Passover lamb alone was not a
sufficient memorial:--
"Ye shall observe the feast of unleavened bread; FOR in this selfsame day have I
brought your armies out of the land of Egypt: THEREFORE shall ye observe this day in
your generations for an ordinance for ever" (12: 17).
Redemptions saves from and saves to. The Passover not only saved Israel from the
destroyer, but from further contamination with or service to Egypt. The Passover
naturally led to the Red Sea and the wilderness. The lives of the people had been made
"bitter with hard bondage". This is easily forgotten, as can be seen in the case of Israel in