What does "Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed" mean in 1 Corinthians 5:7? Canonical Text “Get rid of the old leaven, that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you truly are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” (1 Corinthians 5:7). Immediate Corinthian Situation Paul addresses blatant sexual immorality tolerated in the Corinthian assembly (vv. 1–2). By invoking Passover imagery he commands the church to expel the unrepentant offender (“clean out the old leaven”) so the whole community is not spiritually corrupted. The phrase “Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed” supplies both the theological warrant and the motivation: because the once-for-all sacrifice has already occurred, believers must live out its ethical implications now. Passover Origins and Ritual Exodus 12 portrays Yahweh commanding Israel to slay an unblemished male lamb, apply its blood to doorframes, and eat the meat with unleavened bread. The blood averted divine judgment: “When I see the blood, I will pass over you” (Exodus 12:13). The annual memorial (Leviticus 23:5–8) reinforced God’s pattern of redemption through substitutionary death and the removal of leaven during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15) symbolized separation from Egypt’s defilement. Prophetic Typology of the Lamb Old Testament anticipations converge on a spotless, suffering substitute: the daily Tamid lambs (Exodus 29:38-42), the sin offerings (Leviticus 4), Abraham’s prophetic word “God Himself will provide the lamb” (Genesis 22:8), and Isaiah’s Servant “like a lamb led to slaughter” (Isaiah 53:7). No bones of the Passover victim were to be broken (Exodus 12:46), a detail echoed at the crucifixion (John 19:36). Christ the Fulfillment Jesus died in Jerusalem precisely when Passover lambs were slain (John 19:14). John the Baptist’s declaration, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29), frames His entire ministry. Peter later affirms believers were redeemed “with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:19). Revelation’s heavenly liturgy centers on “the Lamb who was slain” (Revelation 5:12). The typology is so tight that first-century Jewish Christians easily recognized the sacrificial system as a divine portrait of Messiah’s work. Leaven as Symbol of Sin Leaven in Scripture often pictures pervasive corruption (Exodus 12:15; Matthew 16:6; Galatians 5:9). Paul’s metaphor—“a little leaven leavens the whole batch” (1 Corinthians 5:6)—warns that tolerated wickedness spreads destructively. Because the church is positionally “unleavened” in Christ, it must practically purge moral leaven through discipline and repentance. Corporate Purity and Church Discipline The Passover community removed all leaven before the feast; any who ate it were cut off (Exodus 12:19). Likewise, Paul commands the Corinthians to remove the immoral man “that his spirit may be saved” (5:5). The sacrifice of Christ demands a holy people: ethical laxity contradicts Gospel reality. The Lord’s Supper Connection Jesus reinterpreted the Passover meal as the Eucharist (Matthew 26:26-29). Paul later grounds communion in the same framework (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Celebrating the Supper while harboring unrepentant sin profanes the symbolism—effectively mixing leaven with the feast. Archaeological and Historical Corroboration • Papyrus Nash (2nd c. BC) and 4QExod-Levf (Dead Sea Scrolls) confirm Exodus Passover legislation. • The Merneptah Stele (c. 1208 BC) attests to Israel’s existence in Canaan shortly after a plausible Exodus window, supporting the historical matrix of the Passover narrative. • First-century ossuaries bearing the inscription “Johanan” reveal crucifixion practices (nails through heels) consistent with Gospel descriptions, grounding the historicity of the Lamb’s death. Consistency within Scripture From Genesis to Revelation, the Passover-lamb theme threads coherently: promise (Genesis 3:15), picture (Exodus 12), prophecy (Isaiah 53), provision (John 19), proclamation (1 Corinthians 5:7), and praise (Revelation 5:9). The unified testimony of 40+ human authors over 1,500 years evidences single divine authorship (2 Timothy 3:16). Summary and Exhortation “Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed” encapsulates the Gospel: Jesus, sinless and unblemished, died as our substitute, turning away wrath, redeeming us from bondage, inaugurating a new covenant, and calling His people to purity. Therefore, believers must expel the leaven of sin personally and corporately, celebrate the feast with sincerity and truth, and proclaim the Lamb’s finished work until He comes. |
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