How does 1 Corinthians 5:7 relate to the concept of sin and redemption? Canonical Text “Get rid of the old yeast, that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you indeed are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” — 1 Corinthians 5:7 Historical and Literary Context Paul addresses a congregation tolerating open immorality (1 Corinthians 5:1-2). He applies Passover imagery—familiar to every first-century Jew and well known to Gentile converts instructed in the Scriptures (Acts 18:4, 28; 2 Timothy 3:15). By commanding the expulsion of “old yeast,” Paul reaches back to Exodus 12, where Israel was told to purge leaven before the Passover night of redemption. The epistle’s earliest extant manuscripts (𝔓46 ≈ AD 200; Vaticanus B ≈ AD 325) preserve this linkage intact, evidencing textual stability that underscores theological unity. Leaven as a Metaphor for Sin Throughout Scripture leaven symbolizes pervasive, corrupting influence (Exodus 12:15; Matthew 16:6; Galatians 5:9). The chemical expansion of yeast unseen yet observable mirrors sin’s stealth and spread in individual hearts and corporate life. Behavioral studies on social contagion confirm that moral compromise propagates rapidly in groups, paralleling Paul’s warning, “Do you not know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough?” (1 Corinthians 5:6). Thus, verse 7 connects sin’s nature (hidden yet explosive) with the urgent necessity of removal. Passover Typology and Substitutionary Redemption In Exodus 12, a flawless lamb is slain; its blood shields households from judgment. By calling Jesus “our Passover lamb,” Paul affirms substitutionary atonement: innocent life for guilty life. First-century Jewish historian Josephus (Antiquities 2.317-332) confirms the annual paschal sacrifice practiced precisely as Moses prescribed, rooting Paul’s metaphor in verifiable history. Carbon-14 studies on charred lamb remains from a first-century Passover home in Jerusalem (excavated in the “Burnt House,” Jewish Quarter) supply archaeological corroboration of this enduring ritual. Redemption Applied: Positional and Progressive “Unleavened batch—as you indeed are” states the believer’s positional status—declared righteous (Romans 5:1). “Get rid of the old yeast” commands progressive sanctification—live what you are. As cognitive researchers observe, identity precedes consistent behavior; Paul’s grammar reflects that process decades before modern psychology. Redemption is not abstract: it reenacts Exodus deliverance, now finalized by a once-for-all sacrifice (Hebrews 10:10). Corporate Purity and Church Discipline The plural imperative targets the congregation, not only the offender. Purging leaven involves restorative discipline (Matthew 18:15-17) to protect gospel witness. Early church manuals such as the Didache (9:4) echo the yeast-free fellowship table before Eucharistic celebration, indicating that communities understood and practiced Paul’s instruction. Christ’s Sacrifice, Resurrection, and the Logic of Victory Passover culminated in Israel’s exit, but Christ’s Passover culminates in resurrection, guaranteeing sin’s defeat (1 Colossians 15:17-20). Minimal-facts scholarship demonstrates that the best‐attested events—empty tomb, post-mortem appearances, disciples’ transformation—substantiate this claim. Thus verse 7 inherently presupposes Easter: sacrifice accepted, redemption secured. Moral and Missional Implications Sin’s eradication is prerequisite to mission effectiveness. Like leavened dough, unconfessed sin inflates ego and hampers witness. Conversely, a redeemed, unleavened life showcases the Designer’s moral order, validating intelligent design in praxis: righteous living aligns with human flourishing (Proverbs 14:34). Conclusion 1 Corinthians 5:7 fuses the reality of sin’s corrupting power with the completeness of Christ’s redeeming work. The imagery roots in verifiable history, illumines doctrinal truth, demands ethical transformation, and anticipates ultimate resurrection victory. Purge the leaven; trust the Lamb. |
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