Unleavened bread, known in Hebrew as "matzah," holds significant theological and historical importance within the biblical narrative. It is bread made without yeast, symbolizing purity, haste, and obedience to God's commands. The absence of yeast, which causes fermentation and rising, is emblematic of the removal of sin and corruption.

Biblical Significance

The primary biblical reference to unleavened bread is found in the context of the Passover. In Exodus 12:15, the Israelites are commanded, "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." This commandment is reiterated in Leviticus 23:6, where the Feast of Unleavened Bread is established as a lasting ordinance.

Unleavened bread is also associated with the Israelites' hasty departure from Egypt. In Exodus 12:39, it is recorded, "They baked unleavened cakes of the dough that they had brought out of Egypt, for it was made without yeast; because they were driven out of Egypt and could not delay, they had not prepared any provisions for themselves." This bread symbolizes the urgency and readiness required in following God's deliverance.

Types and Uses

1. Matzah: The most well-known form of unleavened bread, matzah is traditionally consumed during the Jewish Passover. It is a simple mixture of flour and water, quickly baked to prevent fermentation. Matzah serves as a reminder of the Israelites' affliction and redemption.

2. Showbread (Bread of the Presence): Although not explicitly stated as unleavened, the showbread placed in the Tabernacle and later in the Temple was likely unleavened, given its sacred context. Leviticus 24:5-9 describes the preparation and placement of these twelve loaves, representing the twelve tribes of Israel, as a perpetual offering before the Lord.

3. Cakes of Unleavened Bread: In various sacrificial offerings, unleavened cakes are specified. For instance, in Leviticus 2:4, the grain offering could include "cakes of fine flour mixed with oil, or unleavened wafers anointed with oil." These offerings symbolize dedication and purity in worship.

4. Bread of Affliction: Deuteronomy 16:3 refers to unleavened bread as the "bread of affliction," eaten during the Passover to recall the hardships endured in Egypt. This term underscores the bread's role in commemorating suffering and deliverance.

Theological Implications

Unleavened bread carries profound theological implications. In the New Testament, leaven is often used metaphorically to represent sin or false teaching (e.g., Matthew 16:6, 1 Corinthians 5:6-8). The Apostle Paul exhorts believers to "keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth" (1 Corinthians 5:8). This call to purity and sincerity reflects the spiritual significance of unleavened bread as a symbol of holiness and separation from sin.

In conclusion, unleavened bread is a multifaceted symbol within the biblical tradition, representing purity, obedience, and the swift action required in response to God's deliverance. Its continued observance in religious practices serves as a tangible reminder of the foundational events of faith and the call to live a life set apart for God.Genesis 19:3
And he pressed on them greatly; and they turned in to him, and entered into his house; and he made them a feast, and did bake unleavened bread, and they did eat.
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Exodus 29:2
And unleavened bread, and cakes unleavened tempered with oil, and wafers unleavened anointed with oil: of wheaten flour shall you make them.
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Judges 6:19
And Gideon went in, and made ready a kid, and unleavened cakes of an ephah of flour: the flesh he put in a basket, and he put the broth in a pot, and brought it out to him under the oak, and presented it.
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1 Samuel 28:24
And the woman had a fat calf in the house; and she hurried, and killed it, and took flour, and kneaded it, and did bake unleavened bread thereof:
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