What Does Leaven Symbolize in The Bible?

Leaven in The Feast of Unleavened Bread

One of the most profound doctrines taught in The Bible, and yet almost entirely ignored by mainstream Christianity, is the tremendous value of God’s Feasts and Holy Days. Their significance for conveying God’s plan of salvation and its proper sequence is crucial for our Christian journey. From the Passover to The 8th Day, God’s Festivals give us a marvelous framework for understanding His plan of salvation and our role in it.

The second of these Feasts, the Days of Unleavened Bread, has typically been viewed by the Church of God tradition to represent putting sin (leaven) out of our lives. This has seemed reasonable. Jesus warned the disciples of the ”leaven of the Pharisees” (Matthew 16:6-12) and of Herod (Mark 8:15). In Luke 11:1 Jesus associated the “leaven of the Pharisees” with hypocrisy. In addition, we are directed by Paul to keep the Days of Unleavened Bread without “the leaven of malice and wickedness” (1 Corinthians 5:8).

It has been our custom, as it should be, to emulate Jesus and the apostles in their keeping of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, (Matthew 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 2:41-42, 22:1,7; Acts 20:6; 1 Corinthians 5:6-8). Our keeping of the Days of Unleavened Bread has been a powerful influence on our emphasis that sin should be removed from our lives. Certainly, no one among the Church of God would argue against eliminating sin from our lives. This is important for our Christian calling.

However, there are three key questions that may arise in the minds of Bible readers:

Why are there other verses in The Bible that seem to portray the symbol of leaven in a positive light?
If The Days of Unleavened Bread picture putting sin (leaven) out of our lives, why is the elimination of leaven (sin) from our lives only temporary (that is, only for seven days)? Would this mean that we may start sinning again?
Why the inconsistency of the Holy Days being interpreted as being fulfilled in an historical time-line, but the Days of Unleavened Bread are interpreted as applying to each individual life?

You may have had one or more of these questions (and possibly others). Maybe you prayed for understanding in order to reconcile the apparent contradictions. Maybe you took your questions to a minister and received the response, “Analogies break down”. Do they? Maybe human analogies break down, but do God’s? Even if God’s analogies “break down”, should we expect them to break down at such a fundamental level? Is God the author of confusion (see 1 Corinthians 14:33)?

Notice:

Leaving that place, Jesus withdrew to the region of Tyre and Sidon. A Canaanite woman from that vicinity came to him, crying out, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on me! My daughter is demon-possessed and suffering terribly.” Jesus did not answer a word. So his disciples came to him and urged him, “Send her away, for she keeps crying out after us.” He answered, “I was sent only to the lost sheep of Israel.” The woman came and knelt before him. “Lord, help me!” she said. He replied, “It is not right to take the children’s bread and toss it to the dogs.” “Yes it is, Lord,” she said. “Even the dogs eat the crumbs that fall from their master’s table.” Matthew 15:21-27 NIV

What was Jesus’ response? Was it, “That’s not what I meant! Analogies break down!”? To the contrary:

Then Jesus said to her, “Woman, you have great faith! Your request is granted.” And her daughter was healed at that moment. Matthew 15:28 NIV

Clearly, Jesus demonstrated the preciseness of His communication via analogy. In fact, the significance of our ability to grasp meaning through His analogies is evidence of our faith!

Now, let’s take a look at a few verses that seem to present leaven in a positive light.

A Positive Side of Leaven?

Another parable He spoke to them: “The kingdom of heaven is like leaven, which a woman took and hid in three measures of meal till it was all leavened.” Matthew 13:27 NKJV

Here, Jesus clearly stated that the Kingdom of Heaven is like leaven. Is He saying the Kingdom of Heaven is like sin? Certainly not!

Another set of verses, which describe a sacrificial ritual that we have come to understand symbolizes Christians as the first fruits:

“ ‘From the day after the Sabbath, the day you brought the sheaf of the wave offering, count off seven full weeks. Count off fifty days up to the day after the seventh Sabbath, and then present an offering of new grain to the Lord. From wherever you live, bring two loaves made of two-tenths of an ephah of the finest flour, baked with yeast, as a wave offering of firstfruits to the Lord. Leviticus 23:15-17 NIV

How Do We Reconcile?

How do we reconcile two apparently contradictory meanings of the symbolism of leaven? Ironically, the answer lays in the very verses that are most often used as proof texts to support the representation of leaven as sin.

There are two approaches to clarifying and reconciling some of the verses in question:

By simple analogy – by giving examples of situations in our daily lives that correspond to the verses, shedding light on how to better understand them.
By a technical logical break-down of the verses.

Some will intuitively gravitate to the first approach. Others will see the value of the latter. Both approaches have their place. A benefit of a more technical view of the verses is that it helps us to identify what the verses are actually stating without the interference of our preconceptions. Initially, I was totally inept in the technical wording, but I needed a way of describing what the various verses are showing us. Some have developed this skill naturally through life, without a formal technical training. For others, the technical analysis may have to be learned, including the language of logic.

In the end, it is all quite simple. However, our ability to grasp the simplicity may not be easy. It may take just a little bit of effort on our part. If the technical jargon is not your forte’, be patient. You may find the other examples below more helpful.

With that, let’s begin.

The first verse is Mark 8:15:

“Be careful,” Jesus warned them. “Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod.” NIV

Does this verse state leaven is sin. No, it does not. In fact, it’s not even, logically, a proposition. It’s a command (directive). However, there are two implied propositions:

The leaven of the Pharisees is dangerous.
The leaven of Herod is dangerous.

For the sake of simplicity, we can combine these two implied propositions into “The leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod is dangerous”. However, the proposition “All leaven is dangerous” is not implied here, since the meaning of the word “leaven” has the attribute “of the Pharisees and Herod” added to it. Therefore, the extension of its class is restricted or quantified. Does this make a difference?

Try this psychological mind trick (this may not work very well if you’re reading it or have heard it before). First, spell “S-P-O-T”. Then ask, what do you do when you come to a green light? The typical (and wrong) response is “stop”! Try it on your friends. You will be totally amazed at how many people respond with the incorrect answer. This process creates a predisposed response. We in the Church of God at large (along with mainstream Christianity, from which this doctrine is derived) have been conditioned to believe that all leaven represents sin.

To continue the analogy, what if someone stated, “By law, we must stop at all traffic lights”? Is that the same as stating, “By law, we must stop at all red traffic lights” or, “By law, we must stop at all green traffic lights”? Clearly, the first and third of these statements are false. Only the second statement is true. The addition or lack of attributes of an intension can make a significant difference in the meaning and, therefore, the truth or falsity of a statement.

Mark 8:15 does not contain the proposition, even implied, that “Leaven is sin” or “Leaven represents sin”. Based upon Jesus’ words in this verse, we can only deduce that Christ was warning us, specifically, of the leaven of the Pharisees and of Herod. However, other leaven (not of the Pharisees or Herod) may not be dangerous. If Jesus was interested in warning us of the dangers of ALL leaven, why did he add the attribute, “of the Pharisees and of Herod”? Is it possible that Jesus purposely did not intend to warn us against the leaven that is not of the Pharisees or of Herod because the leaven that isn’t of the Pharisees or of Herod isn’t dangerous? We cannot tell from this verse. However, this verse allows for the possibility that there is leaven that is not of the Pharisees or of Herod that is NOT dangerous.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8 seems to be the most used text for supporting the idea that leaven represents sin:

Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. NKJV

This is the strongest verse we have for believing that leaven represents sin. This verse plainly states that there is a “leaven of malice and wickedness [sin, iniquity].” However, is ALL leaven likened unto “malice and wickedness’? Is there a leaven that is not of malice and wickedness?

Again, “old” is the logical attribute of leaven, limiting its class. Paul does not say, “All yeast is malice and wickedness”. Therefore, it is possible that new leaven (or leaven that is not old or spoiled) may not be likened to “malice and wickedness”.

Let’s look at another verse often used to support the concept that leaven represents sin:

In the meantime, when an innumerable multitude of people had gathered together, so that they trampled one another, He began to say to His disciples first of all, “Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy”. Luke 12:1 NKJV

Clearly, the “leaven of the Pharisees” is associated with hypocrisy. Again, the restricted class argument applies to this verse, allowing for the possibility that there is leaven not of the Pharisees that is NOT hypocrisy.

Now, let’s look at another set of verses similar to those we’ve just reviewed, Matthew 16:6-12:

Then Jesus said to them, “Take heed and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees.” And they reasoned among themselves, saying, “It is because we have taken no bread.” But Jesus, being aware of it, said to them, “O you of little faith, why do you reason among yourselves because you have brought no bread? “Do you not yet understand, or remember the five loaves of the five thousand and how many baskets you took up? “Nor the seven loaves of the four thousand and how many large baskets you took up? “How is it you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread?; but to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” Then they understood that He did not tell them to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees. NKJV

In these verses the meaning of the word “leaven” has a grammatical attribute or logical condition. In this case the attribute “of the Pharisees and the Sadducees” is added to it. Therefore, the extension of its class is restricted or quantified. However, one difference in this case is that the meaning of the word in which leaven is likened (i.e. doctrine) contains the same attribute “of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. Jesus is implying, “The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees is like the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees”. Since the same attribute is applied to both sides of the analogy, we can eliminate them as in the simplification of the following algebraic equation shows:

L*P=D*P
L*P/P=D*P/P
L=D

Or, in a more formal form of critical analysis of analogy or metaphor where the tenor (or “reality part) and the vehicle (or “picture part”) has a proportional form like the following:

TENOR	::	VEHICLE
Doctrine : Pharisees & Sadducees	::	Leaven : Pharisees & Sadducees

Since the relationship of “Pharisees & Sadducees” is identical in both the tenor and vehicle, we can remove them, leaving:

TENOR	::	VEHICLE
Doctrine	::	Leaven

This leaves us with doctrine is like leaven, or leaven means doctrine.

That is: The doctrine of the Pharisees and Sadducees is like the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees. Typically, the tenor and the vehicle have no identical components. However, in this case the Pharisees & Sadducees are both the tenor and the vehicle. Though not a requirement, this makes it even more apparent that “doctrine is like leaven”, NOT “sin is like leaven”.

In His simplified analogy, Jesus was implying “Leaven is like doctrine” or “leaven means doctrine”. This verse is one of the most illustrative in describing what leaven by itself means.

So, as we can see in this example, leaven represents doctrine, not sin. Elsewhere, we will see that it can also be applied more broadly to knowledge in general. In some instances, influences such as the example of a person can also be viewed as a form of knowledge.

None of the verses that we have evaluated have proven that leaven, in and of itself, represents sin. At most, we can only prove that certain types of leaven can be associated with specific types of doctrine, malice or wickedness.

Next, is a verse that does not specifically refer to leaven, but may help shed some light on the subject:

…knowledge puffs up while love builds up. 1 Corinthians 8:1 NIV

It is generally understood that Paul wrote 1 Corinthians on or around the Days of Unleavened Bread. Being unleavened was a constant theme throughout this letter. Of the seven times the original Greek word for “puff up” are used in the New Testament, six of them occur in 1 Corinthians. As a metaphor, being puffed up is a clear reference to pride and vanity. What is it that puffs up? Here, literally, it is knowledge. Figuratively, what is it that puffs up? Leaven, of course!

Let’s revisit some verses, but this time in the context of the entire chapter:

It is actually reported that there is sexual immorality among you, and of a kind that even pagans do not tolerate: A man is sleeping with his father’s wife. And you are proud [puffed up]! Shouldn’t you rather have gone into mourning and have put out of your fellowship the man who has been doing this? For my part, even though I am not physically present, I am with you in spirit. As one who is present with you in this way, I have already passed judgment in the name of our Lord Jesus on the one who has been doing this. So when you are assembled and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, so that his spirit may be saved on the day of the Lord.

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast leavens the whole batch of dough? Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 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.

I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people— not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing to you that you must not associate with anyone who claims to be a brother or sister but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or slanderer, a drunkard or swindler. Do not even eat with such people.

What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked person from among you.” 1 Corinthians 5 NIV

It is clearly apparent that Paul is addressing a wicked sin allowed in the Corinthian church. Many Bibles add a heading like “Dealing With a Case of Incest”, but is this the only issue Paul is addressing? Or even the primary problem?

Most focus on the sin of the one man in this congregation and associate it with the leaven that was infecting the church in Corinth. And this is certainly true. It was an evil influence. But Paul was also addressing the issue of the congregation being “proud”, actually, “puffed up” in the Greek. And later adds that, “Your boasting is not good.” This last comment was a clear reference to what Paul mentioned in his opening remarks in this letter:

…“Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 1:31 NIV

So, Paul is addressing the influence of the sinner in the church and their response to it. And his reference to the congregation being “puffed up” “set the stage” for how the leaven analogy should be applied. As Paul later reminded them, it is that “knowledge puffs up”. It was primarily to them holding the wrong doctrine or teaching that they should continue to accept this sin in the congregation that Paul was addressing. Of course, this does not negate that the example of this sinner in the church was also an evil influence that must be removed.

Leaven – Neither Good or Evil in Itself?

As we have seen, the typical view that leaven represents sin is not supported by The Bible. Yes, there are instances where sin is pictured by specific types of leaven as an evil influence. But there are certainly positive influences in life, which can also be represented by leaven (Matthew 13:33, Leviticus 23:15-17, Leviticus 7:13 and Amos 4:5). This becomes even more apparent when we study the meanings contained within the Days of Unleavened Bread.

Clearly, the Biblical meaning of leaven is amoral, neither good or evil in and of itself. Most often, leaven pictures doctrine, knowledge and teaching, but can also be applied broadly to any type of influence that can affect our development in our Christian journey, especially, example. For us as Christians, it represents all of our pre-conceived notions, ideas, perspectives that are contrary to God and the ONLY way they can be eradicated. In the greatest context, leaven pictures a system, a way, a perspective, an outlook. We can be under the system of God or that of Satan. We can’t have it both ways.

Leaven In Its Season?

Let’s briefly address the second question posed at the beginning of this article: If the Days of Unleavened Bread picture putting “sin” (leaven) out of our lives, why is the elimination of leaven (“sin”) from our lives only temporary? Would this mean that we may start sinning again? This would be obviously absurd.

As we have seen, leaven does not represent sin, but teaching, doctrine, knowledge, influence. Note what Paul had to say:

For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. 1 Corinthians 2:2 NIV

Of course, Paul later addressed much more than this. Paul recognized that there is a proper sequence to the process of salvation. Everything has its season (Ecclesiastes 3:1-8). When we delve into the meanings of the Days of Unleavened Bread, this process will become very apparent.

Personal or Historical Fulfillment?

As for the third question: Why the inconsistency of the Holy Days being interpreted as being fulfilled in an historical time-line, but the Days of Unleavened Bread are interpreted as applying to each individual life?

This very question is a clue to how we can gain even greater meaning from God’s Holy Days. God’s plan is vast and has many applications. There are many layers. The symbolism of the Holy Days has application to historical, church, world, and, most importantly for understanding our role in God’s plan, the individual. There are also indications that God’s plan of salvation even includes Satan and the demons! God’s Holy Days are truly fascinating!

As we study, observe, pray and fast for understanding, the Days of Unleavened Bread and the other Feasts of God, His awesome plan will become more clear to us. By this, we will gain even more insight into just how loving, merciful, and patient The Father and Jesus Christ truly are.

It’s a wonderful journey.

To gain a more practical understanding of leaven, check out the article What is Sourdough Bread?