Jesus and The Feast of Unleavened Bread
The connection between Jesus and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is a profound and symbolic one, bridging the Old Testament and the New Testament, illustrating both the continuity and fulfillment of God's promises in Christ. The Feast of Unleavened Bread, an essential festival in the Jewish calendar, begins immediately after the Passover meal and lasts for seven days. It commemorates the haste with which the Israelites had to leave Egypt, as they did not have time to let their bread rise. Instead, they baked unleavened bread, a symbol of their swift departure from slavery to freedom. In the New Testament, this feast takes on new layers of meaning when viewed through the lens of Jesus Christ, who is revealed as the fulfillment of the types and shadows of the Old Testament festivals.
Historical and Biblical Context of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
In the Book of Exodus, God commands the Israelites to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread as a way of remembering their deliverance from slavery in Egypt. This feast follows the Passover meal, which commemorates the night when the Lord "passed over" the homes of the Israelites, sparing their firstborns from the final plague. The Israelites were instructed to eat unleavened bread for seven days, to remove all leaven from their homes, and to offer sacrifices to God. This removal of leaven symbolized purity, as leaven often represented sin and corruption in Jewish thought. By consuming unleavened bread, the Israelites remembered God's holiness, His deliverance, and the need for purity in their relationship with Him.
Jesus and the Fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread
The connection between Jesus and the Feast of Unleavened Bread is rich with symbolism. Jesus, the "Lamb of God," fulfills the Passover symbolism, which is inextricably tied to the Feast of Unleavened Bread. In the New Testament, particularly in the Gospels, the Last Supper that Jesus shares with His disciples is a Passover meal, which He transforms into the institution of the Eucharist, or Holy Communion. This meal, taken during the Feast of Unleavened Bread, marks a pivotal moment where Jesus reinterprets the meaning of the bread and the wine.
In the Gospel of John, Jesus is depicted as the "true Passover Lamb" whose sacrifice delivers believers from the bondage of sin and death. Jesus' death on the cross occurs during the time of Passover, linking Him directly to the sacrificial lambs that were slain in the Old Testament. Just as the blood of the lamb on the doorposts protected the Israelites from judgment, the blood of Christ protects all who believe in Him from the ultimate judgment of God.
Jesus also connects to the theme of unleavened bread when He speaks of Himself as the "bread of life" in John 6:35. This statement directly contrasts with the manna that the Israelites ate in the wilderness, which was a type pointing forward to Christ. Unlike the bread that sustained them temporarily, Jesus, as the true Bread from heaven, gives eternal life to all who partake in Him. This declaration aligns with the spiritual significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, as the bread eaten during the feast was a reminder of God's provision, purity, and holiness. Jesus, being sinless, is the ultimate fulfillment of this purity and holiness.
Leaven as a Symbol of Sin and Jesus' Sinless Nature
The connection deepens when considering the symbolic role of leaven in the Bible. Leaven, or yeast, is often associated with sin, corruption, and moral decay. In 1 Corinthians 5:7-8, Paul urges Christians to "cleanse out the old leaven," referring to sin, and to celebrate the festival of Unleavened Bread with sincerity and truth. Paul highlights that Jesus, the sacrificial Lamb, has removed the leaven of sin from believers' lives. In Christ, the leaven of sin is eradicated, making believers pure and holy before God.
Thus, Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. His sinless life, His death on the cross as the Lamb of God, and His resurrection all converge with the meaning of this ancient feast. In His body, broken for humanity, Jesus offers Himself as the perfect, unleavened bread — the true Bread of Life that sustains and purifies believers, offering them freedom from sin and death.
Conclusion
The Feast of Unleavened Bread and its connection to Jesus provides a deep theological and spiritual understanding of the person and work of Christ. Just as the Israelites ate unleavened bread in remembrance of God's deliverance from Egypt, Christians partake in the broken body of Jesus, the sinless and unleavened Bread of Life, who delivers them from the slavery of sin. Jesus, through His sacrificial death and resurrection, fulfills the symbolism of both the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, offering true freedom, purity, and eternal life to all who believe in Him. In this way, Jesus not only fulfills the Old Testament feasts but also transforms them, giving them new life and meaning for the followers of Christ.
