Jesus, the Bread of Life
When we think about Jesus and bread, our minds normally go to the Passover or Holy Communion. God’s people were slaves in Egypt and had cried out to God to save them. God sent Moses. “Let my people go”. Nine plagues and still God wouldn’t release the people. God instructed this last plague would cause Pharaoh to release them. The LORD would strike down the eldest male from every family and animal that didn't have the blood of a lamb brushed on the door frame. The people were instructed what to eat the night before and it included lamb, unleaven bread, and bitter herbs. They were to eat in haste, staff in hand, ready to travel quickly. Thus, they would have no time for the bread to rise. The Passover was a symbol of unity. Some thought the leaven caused fermentation which would break unity. After the Passover, they could go back to bread with yeast again. I had always focused on the lamb and not the bread, but during a study, someone raised the image of the unleaven bread (pre-Passover) and the leaven bread (post-Passover) as valuable in the message of the feast. In Egypt, they were slaves, unable to save themselves. In many ways, the unleaven bread might represent the last meal before they were set free. The lack of yeast (fallen dough) was picturesque of their predicament. The bread that followed their freedom was risen, giving hope of a fresh start. Even more importantly, in New Testament times, the unleaven bread might also represent their condition of slavery to sin. Unleaven bread had a similar appearance, but lacked the full texture that bread offered. Sin has a way of breaking us all down. After the resurrection, when sin was atoned for, the bread (with yeast) rose to give its full flavor and texture. Even though the unleaven bread indicated haste, it was haste to leave the slavery of Egypt or sin in the New Testament. Just as unleaven bread is connected to Communion, Passover, or the Eucharist, we might equally celebrate the bread with yeast that has risen. In Christ we have been given the hope of entering the promised land, not of earthly origins, but concerning our heavenly inheritance. Like those that lacked faith to cross the Jordan River to fight for the land God had promised, many will miss Heaven due to lack of faith. Father, I don’t know if bread carried all this significance but teach us each day to treasure the new life with our Risen Savior. Amen