Unleavened bread in scripture has significance in two special ways; first of all its usage in connection with the feast of unleavened bread in the Old Testament. Secondly we see its usage in the New Testament as a type. Both are very important, but so often believers confuse their meaning. It is now proposed to study these two aspects of unleavened bread in the scriptures, and see what meaning it has for us today.

Leaven is simply the word for yeast, an ingredient put into bread to make it rise. So unleavened bread would be like the Australian damper or the American biscuit. What does leaven typify in scripture? It is always a type for evil, 1 Cor 5:7-8. It is never used to show good, the pure, or holy, but always and ever evil.

Unleavened bread is mentioned in the Old Testament 42 times of which 24 are in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers where the references are to the feast of Unleavened Bread together with the Passover. These two feasts are always connected. In the record of Exodus 12, we find that God is about to deliver His people from slavery in Egypt. The lamb was to be slain, the Passover feast, and the feast of Unleavened Bread was to be instituted and kept. Now the importance of rightly dividing the Word of Truth, and an understanding of the Old Testament is stressed in the two passages, Rom 15:4, "for whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning", and 1 Cor 10:11, "now all these things happened unto them for ensamples; and they were written for our admonition". We are commanded to study the Old Testament for our profit.

Because all the first born in Egypt were to be slain by God that night, the lamb without blemish was to be slain, and the blood sprinkled on the door posts and the lintel. This was in response to the commandment of God which stated, "when I see the blood I will pass over". No one, inside the house marked by the blood of the Lamb, would be touched. The blood made them safe. On the other hand, where there was no blood, the first born must die.

The lamb was slain, its blood sprinkled on the door posts, and it was to be roasted whole with fire and eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Any residue was to be burnt the next morning. It was to be the start of a new year, Ex 12:1-9. Before closing this very brief mention of the Passover please note it was an action of all Israel, "the whole assembly of the congregation shall kill IT in the evening", Ex.12:6. There was one assembly and one sacrifice. Each household was an expression of the whole. This is significant when we look at the Breaking of Bread in a New Testament assembly where the assembly breaks the bread, and each individual is an expression of the whole.

First: Exodus the Passover feast was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. It was to be eaten in haste, ready to depart from Egypt, which speaks of separation from the world immediately on salvation. Bitter herbs reminds us that He suffered for our sin. We thus commence the wilderness journey in company with, and in the power of the Lord.

Second: Leviticus chapter 23 the feast of unleavened bread is connected with "no servile work", and "an offering made by fire". No servile work suggests to us that there was, is, and never will be anything we can do to earn our salvation, nor our holiness.

It is all the work of Christ and His alone. The offering made by fire first of all speaks of the sweet savour of Christ the perfect sacrifice ascending to His Father on high. We remember He was the true burnt offering wholly acceptable to God, the one whose sacrifice meets all our needs, and is the Father's greatest delight.

Numbers 28:2, "My offering, My bread for My sacrifices...for a sweet savour unto me". In this section we are not concerned with Christ meeting our needs, but with what Christ is to God. It is God's sacrifice, God's bread. Everything was for God and showing how He satisfied and glorified the Father.

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Deuteronomy chapter 16 has a different setting. The passage clearly commands that the feast should be kept, "in the place which the Lord shall choose to place His name there", and we further read that it is called the "bread of affliction". These two statements should bring to mind, firstly the breaking of bread is commemorated in the place where the Lord places His name, Math 18:20; and secondly the great cost of our salvation.

He suffered for the sin the just for the unjust. The pains of hell took hold of Him. We were brought out of the bondage of sin at a terrible cost to Him who loved us. How can we ever forget this? We might add that the book of Exodus is the book of "salvation", Leviticus the "priest's handbook", Numbers the wilderness journey", and Deuteronomy the "peoples book". Each has its own interesting aspect.

The eating, by the children of Israel, of the lamb roast by fire is a beautiful type of our communion with the crucified and risen Christ. How was the lamb to be eaten? It was to be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. Again it is picturing us separated from evil and remembering His bitter anguish and suffering. All leaven was to be removed from the Israelite's house; none was to be found there at all. Holiness becometh the House of the Lord forever; us as well. We now see that after being saved, with the Holy Spirit dwelling within, the believer being made a new creation should put away sin in his life. He does this not to be saved, but to maintain the enjoyment of his salvation and fellowship with his Lord. Should he sin it must immediately be confessed and forsaken for He is faithful and just to forgive on confession. This is the equivalent of "put away leaven out of your houses", Ex 12:15. Nowhere in the scriptures is leaven used as a type of Christ.

There are only nine references to unleavened bread in the New Testament of which five are in the gospels referring to the Feast of unleavened Bread as commanded by the Law of Moses. In the four remaining references listed below not once is it applied to the Breaking of Bread as instituted in 1 Cor.11.

1. Acts 12:3 is a reference to the Jews, not Christians still keeping the Mosaic Law which had been done away with. (See the book of Galatians). It has nothing to do with any Christian activity of any kind.

2. Acts 20:6 is simply a date. This sets the time of their journey. The believers never kept the Jewish feast days.

3&4 1 Cur 5:7-8, writing by inspiration of the Holy Spirit the apostle Paul very clearly uses the feast of unleavened bread picturing a life separated from evil. This is infallible as it is a God given exposition.

This chapter is a very sad one as it deals with sin in the assembly. Such sin as had to be dealt with by excommunication. The church had to deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh". In verse 7 the church is commanded to "purge out the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump". Why? Because "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us".

Immediately after this statement we are commanded, "let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth". This leaves us in no doubt as to the meaning of the type for us. A pure life is keeping the feast of unleavened bread.

The answer is no. The Greek language is very explicit. The word for bread is "artos" and unleavened bread is "azumoa" and the word "azumos" is never used when the Breaking of Bread is mentioned. That in itself is clear enough.

This represents, "My body which is given for you." We remember Him bearing our sin in His own body on the tree the true Pascal lamb, the suffering one. We do well to remember that He was the spotless One becoming sin for us and that to our shame. The Lord could also say, "I am that bread which came down from heaven."

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It was most definitely unleavened bread. The Lord Jesus Christ was keeping the feast of Unleavened Bread as commanded by the scriptures and that for the LAST TIME. He could do nothing else. This feast would never be kept again because with the death of the Lord the Mosaic order passed away. The bread used at the last supper has no relevance for us except that we fulfill this type by living a life separated from evil.

The unleavened bread taken by the Lord Jesus Christ at the last supper was keeping the feast of Unleavened Bread which was always eaten in conjunction with the Passover.

In type the Passover spoke of the death of the Lord Jesus Christ, and for us the feast of Unleavened Bread speaks of living a life separated from sin.

Galatians chapter 2 and 3 state categorically that by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. Romans 10:4, Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.

Hebrews 10:11-17 clearly states that, "by one offering He perfected for ever them that are sanctified". No more sacrifices, no more ritual, but with the offering of Himself He became our High Priest "who ever liveth to make intercession for us." Heb 7:25.

We are commanded not to keep the Law of Moses. The death of the Lord Jesus Christ brings us into a new era, the dispensation of grace. The ceremonial law is no longer valid. Because we no longer keep the ceremonial feasts it is irrelevant as to what bread the Lord used at the Last Supper, the Passover and the feast of Unleavened Bread. The bread in the Breaking of Bread represents the body of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who "became sin for us, He who knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him". 2 Cor 5:21.

Now if we would be obedient we will fulfill the type in the feast of Unleavened Bread by living a pure life in sincerity and truth. Above all, however, we would be obedient to the scriptures which state in 1Cor. 11: that the bread we break in the ordinance is (artos) leavened bread.

Finally for those who may think that leavened bread was never used in the feasts of the Old Testament attention is drawn to the feast of Pentecost, Lev 23:15. It is here the two wave loaves represented the Jew and the Gentile gathered by the Holy Spirit and presented to Christ. Then, we may ask, why leavened bread? Simply because of the fact that we as members of His church have sin still within us.

That presentation took place in Lev 23:18, "and ye shall offer with the bread seven lambs without blemish.....for a burnt offering, even an offering made by fire, of sweet savour unto the Lord". Sin in the church there certainly is, but it is covered by the precious blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is beauty in the Breaking of Bread because we remember the One who was holy, harmless, undefiled, and separate from sinners. Not only so, but also we read that He was God "manifest in flesh reconciling the world unto Himself". How did He reconcile us? He became sin for us and suffered for sin. He became obedient unto death even the death of the cross. We thank our God and Father for every remembrance of Him.

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