Leavened bread, in biblical terms, refers to bread that has been made with a leavening agent, typically yeast, which causes the dough to rise and become light and airy. This type of bread is contrasted with unleavened bread, which is made without leaven and remains flat and dense. The use and symbolism of leavened bread in the Bible are significant and multifaceted, appearing in various contexts throughout the Scriptures.

Old Testament Context

In the Old Testament, leavened bread is often associated with everyday life and regular meals. However, during specific religious observances, such as the Feast of Unleavened Bread, leaven was strictly prohibited. This feast, which immediately follows Passover, commemorates the Israelites' hasty departure from Egypt, during which they did not have time to let their bread rise. As recorded in Exodus 12:15 , "For seven days you must eat unleavened bread. On the first day, you are to remove the leaven from your houses, for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day must be cut off from Israel."

Leaven, in this context, symbolizes sin and corruption, which must be purged to maintain purity and holiness. The removal of leaven from the home during this feast serves as a physical representation of spiritual cleansing and readiness to follow God's commands.

New Testament Context

In the New Testament, leaven continues to hold symbolic meaning. Jesus uses leaven metaphorically in His teachings. In Matthew 16:6 , He warns His disciples, "Watch out! Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Here, leaven represents the corrupting influence of false teachings and hypocrisy. The Apostle Paul also employs this metaphor in 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 , where he writes, "Your boasting is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth."

Symbolism and Application

Leavened bread, while a staple in daily life, serves as a powerful symbol in biblical teachings. It represents the pervasive nature of sin and the importance of vigilance against spiritual corruption. The contrast between leavened and unleavened bread underscores the call to holiness and the need for believers to live lives marked by sincerity and truth.

In the broader biblical narrative, leavened bread also highlights the grace and provision of God. While unleavened bread is associated with the urgency and deliverance of the Exodus, leavened bread is part of the abundance and blessing in the Promised Land, where the Israelites could once again enjoy the fruits of their labor and the fullness of God's provision.