Meaning of 1 Corinthians 5:7

This verse from 1 Corinthians 5:7 employs the potent imagery of the Passover feast to urge the Corinthian church to purge sin from their community. Paul uses the metaphor of leaven (yeast), which symbolized corruption and impurity in Jewish tradition, to represent the pervasive sin that had taken root within the church, specifically referencing a case of incest. The "old yeast" signifies the corrupting influence of this sin, and the believers are commanded to "get rid of it" to become a "new unleavened batch." This transformation is not a new endeavor but a recognition of their new identity in Christ, who is identified as their Passover lamb. The sacrifice of Christ, the true Passover lamb, has inaugurated a new covenant and a new reality for believers, where they are called to live in accordance with this redeemed status, free from the leaven of sin.

Context and Background

The Corinthian church was struggling with significant moral and doctrinal issues, which Paul addresses throughout his first epistle. In chapter 5, he deals with a particularly egregious case of sexual immorality—a man living with his father's wife. This sin was not only a personal transgression but also a scandal that brought reproach upon the Christian community and undermined its witness. Paul's instruction to "get rid of the old yeast" is a direct response to this situation, calling for decisive action to remove the corrupting influence of sin from their midst. The Passover imagery would have been deeply understood by both Jewish and Gentile believers familiar with Old Testament practices, as it represented liberation from bondage and the consecration to a new life.

Key Themes and Messages

• Purity and Holiness: The central theme is the imperative for the church to maintain spiritual purity. Sin, like leaven, spreads and contaminates the whole.
• Liberation through Christ's Sacrifice: The verse links the call to purity with the foundational event of salvation—Christ's sacrificial death as the Passover lamb. His sacrifice provides the basis and power for believers to live a new life.
• New Identity in Christ: Believers are exhorted to live in accordance with their new identity as a "new unleavened batch." Their status as redeemed people demands a corresponding lifestyle.
• Community Responsibility: The command is directed at the community, highlighting that the spiritual health of the church is a collective concern. Sin within the community affects everyone.

Spiritual Significance and Application

Spiritually, this verse calls for a radical examination of our lives and our communities. It urges believers to identify and actively expel any "leaven" of sin—whether it be pride, bitterness, gossip, sexual immorality, or any other practice that deviates from Christ's teachings. This is not about achieving perfection through self-effort but about living in the reality of the new life Christ has secured. For the church, it means exercising church discipline with love and firmness when necessary, not for condemnation, but for restoration and the preservation of the community's purity and witness.

Relation to the Broader Biblical Narrative

This verse is deeply embedded in the redemptive history of the Bible. The Passover, instituted in Exodus, commemorated Israel's liberation from slavery in Egypt and their passage into a new covenant relationship with God. Jesus is presented as the ultimate fulfillment of this type; His death is the sacrifice that liberates humanity from the slavery of sin and death, ushering in the New Covenant. The call to be "unleavened" echoes the Old Testament requirement for unleavened bread during Passover, symbolizing sincerity and truth. This theme of liberation and new life initiated by God's redemptive acts continues throughout Scripture, culminating in the eschatological hope of a sinless redeemed people.

Analogies

• A Single Drop of Ink in Water: Just as a single drop of ink can quickly spread and discolor a glass of clear water, so too can a single sin or sinful attitude corrupt an entire community. The "old yeast" works in a similar way, spreading its influence.
• A Healthy Body: A healthy body works to expel toxins and pathogens to maintain its well-being. Similarly, the church, as the body of Christ, must actively guard against and remove anything that compromises its spiritual health.
• Baking Bread: In the physical act of baking, yeast causes dough to rise and become light and airy, but it also signifies fermentation and spoilage if not controlled. In a spiritual sense, the "old yeast" represents the corrupting influence that needs to be removed before the "new unleavened batch" can truly represent purity and a fresh start.

Relation to Other Verses

• Exodus 12:15, 19: These verses describe the Old Testament Passover commandment to eat unleavened bread for seven days and to remove all leaven from their houses, directly informing Paul's metaphor.
• 1 Corinthians 5:1-6: The immediate context, where Paul addresses the incestuous man and the church's failure to act, provides the specific situation necessitating this instruction.
• Galatians 5:9: "A little leaven leavens the whole lump." This proverb, also used by Paul, reinforces the idea that sin has a pervasive and corrupting effect.
• 1 Peter 1:15-16: "But as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy.'" This passage echoes the call to live a life of holiness befitting one's new identity in Christ.
• John 1:29: Jesus is identified as the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world," directly linking Him to the sacrificial imagery of the Passover lamb.