Chapter 15: God Establishes the Passover
Exodus 12:1-28
Q1 - What is the significance of yeast? Why did they need to remove yeast from their homes on the first day of the festival? What would have happened if they had tried to travel with yeast?
A1 - Yeast is a single-cell fungus which is present almost everywhere—in the air as well as on the earth. It acts as a leavening agent when it’s allowed time to ferment in bread dough. As it ferments, it gives off carbon dioxide gas. These tiny gas bubbles become trapped in the dough, thus causing the dough to rise. Because yeast ferments faster in higher temperatures, the climate in Egypt and the Middle East would usually be favorable to this naturally occurring process. (This article provide more information: Baking Science: What is yeast?)
The celebration of the Passover commemorated the Israelites’ flight from Egypt. Because the they left in haste, their bread did not have time to rise. Eating unleavened bread during the time of Passover was meant them to help them remember how the death angel passed over their homes, sparing their families from the deaths of their firstborn, and how God delivered them from bondage.
Additionally, it would not have been practical to try to travel with bread that was in the process of rising. Jostling the rising dough during travel would have made the loaf go flat, plus the Israelites wouldn’t be have been able to stop while they were fleeing and bake the bread at the time it became ready.
While yeast gives flavor and texture to bread and other baked goods, in the Bible it is sometimes symbolic of sin or evil because of the way it works itself through the whole loaf. In 1 Corinthians 5, Paul urged the church in Corinth not to tolerate the immorality that was occurring among its members. He likened the situation to yeast in that it would work its way throughout the church. He instructed them to get rid of the old yeast so that they might be a new batch without yeast. “‘For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed,’” he said in 1 Corinthians 5:7–8 (NIV). “‘Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old bread leavened with malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.’”
The Israelites, in ridding their homes of yeast in preparation for the Passover, were also symbolically casting away malice and sin. By having the whole family go through and search for bread crumbs or anything containing yeast, the occasion became a teachable moment for the parents. They could tell their children the story of the first passover and God’s miraculous deliverance while also talking about the importance of casting sin out of their lives in order to be pure and holy.
Later, yeast would not be allowed in many of their sacrifices and offerings. God told them in Exodus 34:25 (NIV), “‘Do not offer the blood of a sacrifice to me along with anything containing yeast, and do not let any of the sacrifice from the Passover Festival remain until morning.’”
However, for the fellowship or peace offering, cakes of bread made both with yeast and without yeast, one of each kind, were to be brought (see Leviticus 7:11–14).
Q2 - How many parallels can you think of between the Passover lamb and Jesus?
A2 - You may think of others. Here are a few of the parallels:
The passover lamb was to be selected ahead of time on the tenth day of the month but was not sacrificed until four days later (Exodus 12:3,6). Before the world began, God had prepared His plan to bring Jesus into the world (Matthew 25:34, 2 Timothy 1:9, 1 Peter 1:20).
The passover lamb was to be without any blemishes or defects (Exodus 12:5). Jesus was holy and undefiled, having lived a life without sin (1 Peter 1:19).
The lamb’s blood that was spread on the door frames of the homes where the passover was eaten spared those inside from death (Exodus 12:7,12–13). Jesus's blood which he shed on the cross for our redemption spares Christians from eternal death (Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 9:12).
The bones of the lamb were not to be broken (Exodus 12:9,46). As prophesied, neither were Jesus's bones broken (John 19:32–33,36; Psalm 34:20).
Q3 - What role did hyssop play in the original Passover? What role did hyssop play in John 19:28–30?
A3 - Hyssop was a plant that was evidently fairly plentiful in the region. In preparation for the passover, they were to take several pieces of the plant, bunch them together, and use them as a brush with which to apply the blood to the door frames of their homes. It was used in several of the cleansing processes (see Leviticus 14:4, 49–52, Numbers 19:18) and was also considered a purifying agent (see Psalm 51:7).
At Jesus's crucifixion, as He hung on the cross, He said He was thirsty. Someone, presumably a soldier, took a sponge and soaked it in some sour wine or wine vinegar. After placing the sponge on a stalk of hyssop, he lifted it to Jesus's mouth. Jesus then said, “‘It is finished,’” and gave up His spirit (John 19:28–30 NIV).
The author of this article, “What is hyssop?”, makes this observation concerning the use of hyssop at Jesus's crucifixion:
“While the hyssop stalk may have been used for purely practical purposes (i.e., it was long enough to reach to Jesus's mouth as He hung on the cross), it is interesting that that particular plant was chosen. It is possible that God meant this as a picture of purification, as Jesus bought our forgiveness with His sacrifice. Just as in the Old Testament blood and hyssop purified a defiled person, so Jesus's shed blood purifies us from the defilement of our sin.”