The FEAST OF UNLEAVENED BREAD
What to Know
• A Separate and Significant Feast: The Feast of Unleavened Bread — distinct from Passover— is a seven-day biblical observance (Leviticus 23) that highlights a different stage of God’s redemptive plan for humanity.
• Symbolism of Leaven: In Exodus 12:15–20, the removal of leaven (representing sin and false doctrine) teaches believers to pursue purity, rooting out anything that corrupts our lives or doctrine.
• Continued Relevance in Christ: Paul’s exhortation in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8 (“clean out the old leaven… let us keep the feast”) shows that these Days remain meaningful for believers, pointing us to ongoing spiritual growth after accepting Christ’s sacrifice (Passover).
• Spiritual Renewal and Righteous Living: Observing this Feast is more than a ritual — physically removing leaven mirrors our commitment to removing sin and false doctrine from our lives, thus honoring God’s call to “be holy” (1 Peter 1:16).
• Early Church Practice: Acts 20:6 confirms that New Testament believers kept these days, seeing in them a time to reflect on Jesus Christ’s sinless life (unleavened bread) and their own sanctification process.
• A Deeper Walk with God: Through the Days of Unleavened Bread, believers acknowledge Christ’s ongoing work in their lives, embracing the humility and sincerity needed to live in step with His perfect example.
The Feast (or Days) of Unleavened Bread, a seven-day Feast commanded by God in the Bible (Leviticus 23), stands as a distinct and significant observance separate from Passover. While the two are often combined into a single "Passover festival," doing so diminishes the unique spiritual meanings of both. Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread highlight different aspects of God’s redemptive plan. For believers today, the Feast of Unleavened Bread holds profound spiritual relevance, teaching that living a righteous life and removing sin is an ongoing and transformative process. Far from being mere ceremonial practices, these days serve as a vital part of the believer’s spiritual journey, pointing to the deeper significance of Jesus Christ's sacrifice.
The foundation of the Feast of Unleavened Bread is rooted in the Old Testament account of God delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. In Exodus 12:15-20, God commanded the Israelites to eat unleavened bread for seven days and to remove all leaven from their homes. Leaven, or yeast, symbolized corruption, sin, and false doctrine, illustrating how quickly these can spread and permeate lives if left unchecked. The act of removing leaven was a physical exercise that mirrored a spiritual reality: God was not only liberating His people from physical bondage, but also calling them to leave behind the spiritual corruption, sin, and false doctrines of Egypt.
The unleavened bread, described in Deuteronomy 16:3 as the “bread of affliction,” served as a reminder of the Israelites’ dependence on God for deliverance and the urgency with which they left Egypt. It symbolized purity, humility, and the necessity of living without sin, pointing forward to The Way that believers are called to walk today. For believers today, the Days of Unleavened Bread remind us that following Christ involves continually examining our lives, purging sin and wrong ways, and striving for righteousness in an enduring relationship with God.
In the New Testament, the Days of Unleavened Bread, like all of God’s biblical holy days, find their ultimate fulfillment and deeper meaning in Jesus Christ. Just as the Israelites physically removed leaven from their homes, believers are called to remove spiritual leaven — sin and false doctrine — from their lives. The apostle Paul makes this connection explicit when addressing Gentile believers in 1 Corinthians 5:7, exhorting them to “clean out the old leaven” so that they may be a “new lump,” reflecting their new life in Jesus Christ. He continues in 1 Corinthians 5:8, “Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” Paul’s imagery ties directly to the Feast of Unleavened Bread, underscoring its continued relevance for followers of Jesus as a time to reflect on their spiritual condition and recommit to living a life of holiness.
Notably, Paul highlights the distinct roles of Passover and the Days of Unleavened Bread in these verses. In 1 Corinthians 5:7, he connects Jesus Christ to the Passover, the ultimate sacrifice for sin. But in 1 Corinthians 5:8, he calls believers to “keep the feast”—a reference to the Days of Unleavened Bread, separate from Passover. This distinction emphasizes the unique significance of the Feast of Unleavened Bread as an opportunity for believers to examine their relationship with God and align themselves with His redemptive plan.
While the physical removal of leaven during this Feast is important, it is not the primary focus. Instead, it serves as a practical exercise in self-examination and repentance. Leaven, symbolizing sin and false doctrine, reminds believers how easily corruption can infiltrate their lives — often subtly and without notice. By physically removing leaven from their homes, believers engage in an act of obedience that mirrors the spiritual process of rooting out sin and falsehood from their hearts and minds. This aligns with God’s ongoing work of sanctification and redemption, as Paul describes in Romans 6:22: “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.”
The Days of Unleavened Bread, therefore, provide an essential time for spiritual growth and renewal. As believers reflect on God’s call to “be holy, because I am holy” (1 Peter 1:16) and Paul’s admonition to “Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ,” they should be reminded of the continuous journey toward righteousness and the transformative power of Jesus Christ in their lives. This Feast is not merely an ancient tradition, but a meaningful observance that encourages believers to draw closer to God and align their lives with His will.
The unleavened bread used during the Days of Unleavened Bread carries profound symbolism, pointing to Jesus Christ as the “bread of life” (John 6:35). Unlike leavened bread, which rises and puffs up, unleavened bread remains flat, reflecting humility and purity. Spiritually, it mirrors the sinless life of Jesus, who lived without pride or corruption. By eating unleavened bread daily during this Feast (Exodus 13:6), followers of Jesus Christ are reminded of their continual dependence on Him for spiritual sustenance and renewal. It is through Him alone that believers can overcome sin and live in righteousness. This connection between unleavened bread and Christ’s sinless life underscores that the Days of Unleavened Bread are not merely about abstaining from physical leaven, but about internalizing the character of Christ and striving to live as He lived.
Historically, the Bible shows that the early Church continued to observe the Days of Unleavened Bread, even after Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. In Acts 20:6, Paul and those accompanying him were described as observing this Feast during their travels, demonstrating its continued relevance to the apostles and early Christians. This continuity affirms that the Feast was not abolished with Christ’s death, but was seen as a meaningful and necessary practice. The early Church used these days as an opportunity to reflect on Christ’s sacrifice and to recommit to living in the newness of life.
Moreover, New Testament Scriptures reveal that the apostles understood the Feast of Unleavened Bread, along with God’s other biblical feasts, as part of His appointed times established for all His people. These Feasts served as an everlasting reminder of God’s redemptive work and His call for His followers to live in righteousness and holiness. The Days of Unleavened Bread remain a powerful symbol of spiritual renewal, challenging believers to examine their lives, remove sin and falsehoods, and draw closer to Christ’s perfect example.
The Days of Unleavened Bread are theologically central to God’s redemptive plan because they symbolize the process of sanctification that follows redemption. While Passover represents deliverance through the blood of the Lamb — Christ’s sacrifice that justifies believers — the Days of Unleavened Bread focus on the believer’s response to that justification. This response involves a commitment to living a holy and righteous life by removing sin and false doctrine while embracing sincerity and truth. This progression mirrors the broader narrative of salvation, in which God delivers His people not only from the penalty of sin, but also from its power. Paul emphasizes this in Romans 6:1-2, asking, “Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer?”
Contrary to the belief that the Days of Unleavened Bread are obsolete, their fulfillment in Christ enhances their significance rather than nullifying their observance. Jesus Himself affirms this in Matthew 5:17, declaring, “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.” The Greek word for fulfill (plērōsai) means "to complete, fill up, or bring to its intended goal or perfection." Jesus’ purpose was to reveal the deeper spiritual principles behind God’s redemptive plan, demonstrating that they remain relevant and were not abolished.
The Days of Unleavened Bread, in particular, highlight the ongoing work of Christ in the lives of believers. Through the help of God’s Holy Spirit, believers are transformed into His image and are prepared for His Kingdom. Observing this Feast allows believers to actively engage in God’s sanctifying work, aligning their lives with His purposes and demonstrating their commitment to live as His holy people. Far from being a relic of the past, the Days of Unleavened Bread provide a powerful reminder of the believer's continual journey toward righteousness and their dependence on Christ’s transformative power.
Curious about why leavening is such a powerful symbol in Scripture?
Please check out our article “What does Leaven Represent in the Bible?” to understand what Scriptures say on how this simple ingredient carries a deeper spiritual message about sin, purity, and our walk with God.