What is the big deal about unleavened bread during Passover time? If it was only about the practicality of eating on the go during Israel’s exodus from slavery in Mitzraim (Egypt), why does matzah show up in the offerings of God’s House, the teachings of Yeshua the Mashiakh (Jesus the Christ) and in apostle Paul’s writings to early believers?

The apostle Paul tells us in 1Corinthians that the unleavened bread of the Passover represents sincerity and truth. What does leavened bread symbolize? The Tanak warns us that we are not to be like leavened bread which represents sexual degeneracy, spiritual arrogance, abuse of power and syncretism. When we read the Scriptures, we presume that God simply says what He means and means what He says but as we learn today, He can even use sarcasm to make His point known and teach us lessons on how to live a righteous life.

The first part of this two-part Bible study on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread looks into two major lessons from four types leaven. The second part looks into the lessons behind the first-born in the Bible, particularly what the donkey represents.

4 types of leaven

* sexual degeneracy

* spiritual arrogance

* abuse of power

* syncretism

2 lessons of unleavened bread

* Our conduct matters to God. We are called to live by every word that comes from God’s mouth. His word is our food.

* The law of God = unleavened bread = sincerity and truth.

Degeneracy: Bread of haste vs. bread of leisure

One obvious point is that unleavened bread is bread made in haste. This is not like regular bread, which is made from sourdough or leavened with yeast. Bread made with sourdough or yeast takes time to mix all together and to carefully set aside until they are ready for baking.

As we study through the redemption of the first born, we will see that first born sons are redeemed but the first born of clean animals are brought to the Temple but the most unusual reception of all is the redemption of the first born of donkeys, which are not a clean animal. Donkeys are a valuable service animal but they are unclean, yet as we read in today’s torah portion, they are to be redeemed.

Donkeys play a significant role in both the Tanak and the New Testament.

When the children of Israel left the land of Egypt, we are told that they fled quickly but they were also driven out by the Egyptians quickly. This is why they mixed their flour and water quickly but they didn’t have time to let the bread properly set and rise before baking it for food.

“The Egyptians urged the people, to send them out of the land in haste, for they said, “We will all be dead.” So the people took their dough before it was leavened, with their kneading bowls bound up in the clothes on their shoulders.” (Exodus 12:33–34 NASB)

So we have the Egyptians urging the children of Israel to get out of their land quickly, because they’re afraid.

So there is a separation being created here. Israel is driven out of and separated out from Egyptian society. And although they would normally eat leavened bread, they are not able to do so as they are being driven out of Egypt.

The children of Israel are leaving the physical leaven of Egypt behind.

However, they are also leaving behind the spiritual leaven of...