Christ Our Passover Is Sacrificed For Us.

CHRIST OUR PASSOVER IS SACRIFICED FOR US.

1 Corinthians 5:6-8.

The context for this passage is one of church discipline (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:1). The case in point concerns an incestuous affair which, far from addressing, the church seems to have been ‘puffed up’ about (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:2). Paul sternly exhorted them to excommunicate such a one from their congregation (cf. 1 Corinthians 5:3-5).

1. “A Little Leaven” (1 Corinthians 5:6).

The problem with the Corinthians was that they saw this only as a small matter. “Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump?” countered Paul. (The Apostle used the same expression when speaking of the pernicious spread of false doctrine in Galatians 5:9.)

The motif of ‘leaven’ is often used in the Bible to refer to something malicious, that infects everything it touches. Jesus speaks of ‘the leaven of the scribes and of the Pharisees’ (cf. Matthew 16:6).

[But to be fair to a word which has such a bad press, it is well to note that Jesus does also use ‘leaven’ as a similitude for the good effect of the spread of the kingdom of God (cf. Matthew 13:33; Luke 13:20-21).]

2. “Purge Out the Old Leaven” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Easter is as good a season as any to recognise that we are a new people in Christ Jesus. “Purge out therefore the old leaven… as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

The background to this verse is found in the feast of unleavened bread (cf. Exodus 12). Leaven was purged from all the dwelling places of God’s ancient people, and for seven days prior to the sacrifice of the Passover lamb they would eat only unleavened bread. On pain of excommunication!

So, in like manner, God’s believing people are to put off ‘the old man, which is corrupt according to the deceitful lusts… and put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness’ (cf. Ephesians 4:22-24).

Having done that, we are to ‘mortify’ (put to death) what is earthly in us (cf. Colossians 3:5)... 'SEEING THAT ye have put off the old man with his deeds; And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of Him that created us’ (cf. Colossians 3:9-10).

In other words, recognise that “ye are,” in fact, “unleavened” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Passover was a feast for believers, commemorating Israel’s redemption out of Egypt (cf. Psalm 114:1-2). Easter reminds us that “Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7). We have been redeemed from our old life by ‘the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot’ (cf. 1 Peter 1:18-19).

3. “Keep the Feast” (1 Corinthians 5:8).

The idea is not so much that we have a feast day (such as Easter), but that we keep a PERPETUAL MEMORIAL (cf. Exodus 12:14). Christian believers are a resurrection people, and we are living in the victory wrought by Jesus. Because of His triumph o’er the grave for us, every day is a cause for celebration.

Yet we feast not as the world feasts, with the “leaven of malice and wickedness;” but “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8).

“Sincerity and truth” speaks of an openness, an honesty, a willingness to be examined by the light of the gospel. It is the opposite of hypocrisy.

Being a redeemed, resurrection people, WE NEED TO LIVE UP TO WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST JESUS. For, “Ye are unleavened. For even Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us” (1 Corinthians 5:7).