The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a significant biblical celebration that holds deep meaning in both the Old and New Testaments. This feast, observed by the Israelites immediately after Passover, commemorates their hasty deliverance from Egyptian slavery. But beyond its historical roots, the feast prophetically points to Jesus Christ and His perfect fulfillment of its symbolism. Let’s explore how Jesus fulfilled the Feast of Unleavened Bread and why it matters for believers today.
What Is the Feast of Unleavened Bread?
The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a seven-day festival that begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, right after the Passover (Exodus 12:15-20). During this time, the Israelites were commanded to eat only unleavened bread-bread made without yeast-and to remove all leaven from their homes. Leaven, or yeast, in the Bible often symbolizes sin and corruption. Thus, this feast is a call to purity and separation from sin.
Historically, the feast memorializes the Israelites’ urgent escape from Egypt, where they left so quickly that their bread did not have time to rise. It also celebrates God’s deliverance and the beginning of their journey to the Promised Land.
The Symbolism of Unleavened Bread and Jesus’ Sinless Life
Unleavened bread, being free of yeast, symbolizes purity and sinlessness. Jesus perfectly embodies this symbolism. He lived a sinless life, without any moral corruption or flaw, making Him the perfect sacrifice for humanity’s sins (Leviticus 23:6; 1 Peter 1:19). Just as the unleavened bread was pure and without blemish, Jesus was “without spot or blemish” (1 Peter 1:19), fulfilling the requirement for the Passover lamb and the Feast of Unleavened Bread.
During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Israelites were to eat this bread for seven days, symbolizing ongoing holiness. Jesus’ sinless nature and His role as the Bread of Life (John 6:35) offer believers spiritual nourishment and sanctification, cleansing them from sin and enabling them to live holy lives.
Jesus and the Last Supper: The Feast’s Fulfillment in Action
The timing of Jesus’ Last Supper with His disciples is crucial. It occurred on the evening of the 14th of Nisan, just as the Passover lambs were being sacrificed and the Feast of Unleavened Bread was beginning (Luke 22:7-11). At this meal, Jesus took unleavened bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to His disciples, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
By doing this, Jesus not only fulfilled the Passover but also the Feast of Unleavened Bread. He identified Himself as the true Bread of Life, pure and sinless, whose body would be broken for the salvation of humanity. His sacrifice was the ultimate fulfillment of the feast’s call for purity and deliverance.
Jesus’ Suffering and Death: The Bread Without Blemish
The Feast of Unleavened Bread also symbolizes suffering and sacrifice. Jesus’ arrest, trial, and crucifixion took place during this feast period, fulfilling the prophecy of the suffering servant (Isaiah 53). He was pierced, wounded, and afflicted without any sin of His own, offering Himself as the perfect sin offering to pay for mankind’s sins.
Just as the Israelites were spared by the blood of the spotless lamb on their doorposts during the first Passover, believers are saved by the blood of Jesus, the Lamb of God, who was without sin or defect (Exodus 12:5; 1 Corinthians 5:7). His death during the Feast of Unleavened Bread marks the fulfillment of God’s plan for redemption.
Jesus’ Resurrection: The Bread That Defeated Death
For the first three days of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, Jesus lay in the tomb, like a kernel of wheat planted in the ground (John 12:24). Then, on the third day, He rose from the dead, conquering death and corruption. This resurrection is the ultimate fulfillment of the feast’s symbolism: just as unleavened bread is pure and uncorrupted, Jesus’ resurrection demonstrates that death could not hold Him, and corruption could not touch Him.
His resurrection offers new life to all who believe, fulfilling the feast’s deeper meaning of deliverance and hope.
What the Feast Teaches Us Today
The Feast of Unleavened Bread teaches believers about the importance of living a life free from sin and corruption. Just as the Israelites removed all leaven from their homes, Christians are called to remove sin from their lives and live in holiness, empowered by the Holy Spirit.
Jesus, as the Bread of Life, nourishes believers spiritually and sanctifies them. Participating in Holy Communion, which Jesus instituted at the Last Supper during this feast, is a continual reminder of His sacrifice and the call to live a pure life in Him.
Summary
– The Feast of Unleavened Bread commemorates the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt and calls for purity by eating unleavened bread, symbolic of a sinless life.
– Jesus fulfilled this feast by living a sinless life, being the perfect, spotless Lamb of God.
– At the Last Supper, Jesus used unleavened bread to represent His body broken for humanity.
– His suffering and death during the feast period fulfilled the prophecy of the suffering servant.
– Jesus’ resurrection during the feast symbolizes victory over sin and death.
– Today, believers are called to live holy lives, free from sin, nourished by Jesus, the Bread of Life.
Jesus did not just observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; He fulfilled its deepest spiritual meaning, offering Himself as the perfect sacrifice and the source of eternal life.
His life, death, and resurrection bring the feast’s symbolism to life, inviting all who believe to partake in the bread of purity and salvation.