What connections exist between Deuteronomy 16:4 and 1 Corinthians 5:7 about purity? The Call to Remove Leaven: Deuteronomy 16:4 “No leaven is to be found in all your land for seven days. And none of the meat you sacrifice on the evening of the first day shall remain until morning.” • During Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Israel cleansed every bit of yeast from home and heart. • Leaven symbolized anything that spreads and corrupts—sin, compromise, idolatry. • Physical removal illustrated an inner call to holiness: a people set apart for the LORD alone (Exodus 12:15-20; Leviticus 11:44). Christ, Our Passover: 1 Corinthians 5:7 “Get rid of the old leaven, so that you may be a new unleavened batch, as you truly are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.” • Paul addresses open sin in the Corinthian church (5:1-2). • He lifts the ancient picture into present reality: Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice fulfills the Passover lamb (John 1:29). • Because the Lamb has died, believers already are “unleavened” in position; now they must live that purity out in practice. Shared Symbol: Purity Through Removal • Leaven in both passages = what defiles and multiplies if tolerated (Matthew 16:6; Galatians 5:9). • Removal precedes worship: Israel could not eat the Passover until the leaven was gone; the church cannot enjoy fellowship while sin festers. • Both texts tie purity to sacrifice: Old Covenant lambs point forward; the New Covenant Lamb has come, making purity attainable. • Seven-day sweep (Deuteronomy 16) foreshadows a continual lifestyle: “Let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit” (2 Corinthians 7:1). Practical Implications for Believers Today – Personal Inventory: regularly search for “old leaven” — attitudes, habits, doctrines that contradict Scripture. – Immediate Disposal: don’t store leftovers of sin “until morning.” Confess and forsake quickly (Proverbs 28:13; 1 John 1:9). – Corporate Responsibility: local churches guard purity by loving, restorative discipline (1 Corinthians 5:11-13). – Celebrate, Don’t Mope: removal of leaven isn’t grim—Passover was a feast! Purity clears the way for joyful communion (John 15:11). – Depend on the Lamb: holiness flows from Christ’s finished work, not self-effort (Hebrews 9:14; Titus 2:14). Summary of the Connection Removing leaven in Deuteronomy 16:4 prepares Israel to meet God; removing leaven in 1 Corinthians 5:7 allows the church to live out what Christ has already made her—pure, set apart, ready for continual celebration in His presence. |
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