Scripture: Heb.10:19-22
Supporting Scriptures: Exod.12:8; Luke 22:19; Matt.27:50-51; John 6:51; 2 Cor.5:21
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Traditionally, when the Jews celebrate Passover each year, there are three matzahs that are prepared to be eaten at the very special meal called Seder. In Exodus 12:8 we observe that the Israelites, on the night before their Exodus from Egyptian bondage, at the first Passover celebration, would have eaten the lamb with bitter herbs (the maror or hatzereth) and unleavened bread (matzah). Why no leaven in the bread? Leaven typically signifies sin. For example, the apostle Paul says, “A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump”. The other instance where leaven is mentioned in the New Testament is in relation to the teaching of the Pharisees, which was basically an oppressive set of rules and guidelines without any heart or righteousness in the inner man. Ultimately, when we think of the unleavened, bread, we view it as a symbol of truth. Consequently, God the Father beckons every member of the human, to enter His presence, "Through the Veil", that is, the broken body of His Son Jesus Christ.
Moreover, at a particular instance during the Passover meal, the person leading the Seder will take the middle loaf of unleavened bread and break it in half. He then wraps up that loaf in the napkin and gives it to the youngest in the room, to place it under the pillow of their chair. Then, later on toward the end of the meal, the bread would be taken out again and eaten.
Scripture in Luke 22:19, displays an awe-inspiring picture of love. Here, Jesus sitting with the twelve apostles at the Seder meal, "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me..” Promptly, Jesus goes on to explain the symbolism of the unleavened bread in a manner that was not understood before. You see, the three loaves represents the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with the middle, the Only Mediator between God and man, being broken, wrapped in grave clothes, and buried in the ground (1 Tim.2:5). But, just like the loaf was eventually taken out of its place again and eaten, even so too do we find that Jesus did not remain in the grave.
Consequently, with this in mind the apostle Paul tells the Church in Corinth: “Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor.5:6-8). As a result of the revelation of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, One who is without blemish, spot, without sin and wickedness; and without corruption and decay in the grave, we have one to copy and follow in our everyday lives. We must, therefore, purge ourselves of the old leaven, in order to take up the heavenly calling of a holy and sinless life before God (Lev.11:44; 20:7; 1 Pet.1:15-16).
Furthermore, Scripture in Matthew 27:50-51 says, “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost." Simultaneously, among a number of things which occurred in that moment, Scripture says, "the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom." What does this have to do with the unleavened bread? Well, the author of Hebrews helps us to understand what happened at the Calvary, when Jesus died. In Hebrews 10:19 we read, “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water."
The body of Jesus Christ represents the torn veil. It is through that veil that God the Father beckons to humanity to enter into relationship, sweet fellowship and communion with Him. Jesus' torn body signifies a new access to the Most Holy Place through His sacrifice and His only. Satan thought of separating mankind from His heavenly Father eternally (Gen.3; Rom.8:35-37). Nevertheless, because of the sacrificial love of Jesus Christ, we can say, "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" (1 Cor.15:57). Consequently, access to God no longer requires an intermediary from among humanity on earth but we can each come to God the Father, through our Lord Jesus Christ (Heb.6:19-20; 9:3; 10:19-20). Fittingly, Scripture says concerning Him, "...having an high priest over the house of God" (Heb.10:21). In the Old Testament, for example, there was only one man who could enter "Through the Veil" - the high priest. Not only so; but they were only allowed to enter, once a year on the Day of Atonement. Just imagine what love God has for humanity, in that, it is through the Lord Jesus Christ, which is to say, through His body, that we are beckoned to enter that same veil of the heavenly temple into the very throne room of God! Furthermore, Scripture in Exodus 25:22 tells us that, God said to Moses His servant, whom He sent to rescue the Isrealites from Egyptian bondage, “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel."
While this broken piece of bread seems like it is very insignificant in the overall Seder meal, the truth is that it carries way more significance. The entire Passover meal in Matthew, Mark, and Luke all revolve around this middle piece of bread and the cup that Jesus Christ gives. While the other aspects of the meal also have rich significance, and John draws upon some of the other symbols, the synoptic gospels, however, all focus upon these two symbols. John's message is focused upon humanity's entrance into the Kingdom of God through the Lord Jesus Christ. It is also concerned with our entrance into the presence of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Finally, it is concerning the New Covenant, whereby humanity can be reconciled to God the Father, by coming"Through the Veil." This explains why John, from the very beginning of his Gospel, focuses upon Jesus Christ as, "the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
In closing, we see that the unleavened bread signifies our communion with God the Father. It is "Through the Veil" of our Lord Jesus Christ that humanity has access to God the Father and are called into His very presence, with this invitation, "Come boldly before the throne of grace..." (Heb.4:16). Ultimately, it is when we come boldly into the presence of the Lord, that we can partake in the eating of this Living Bread, which came down from heaven" and be strengthened to take up the call of living pure and spotless lives before Him (John 6:51).
Your Conductor,
Joy
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