This lecture explains the deep spiritual symbolism of leaven and unleavened bread in the Bible, as taught by His Holiness Pope Shenouda III. It highlights their relation to the Passover and the Eucharist, showing their theological and spiritual significance.

Biblical Symbols:
His Holiness teaches that leaven in the Bible symbolizes evil and corruption, while unleavened bread symbolizes righteousness and purity. That is why God commanded the Israelites to eat unleavened bread during the Feast of Unleavened Bread and not to have leaven in their homes. The Apostle Paul said: “Let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7).

Warning Against the Leaven of the Pharisees:
Christ warned His disciples to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees, meaning their hypocrisy and false teachings—representing the evil within them.

The Offering Without Leaven:
The offerings in Leviticus 2, which symbolized Christ’s incarnation, were made without leaven because Christ is sinless and incorruptible.

Leavened Bread in the Eucharist:
The Pope explains why the Church uses leavened bread in the Eucharist even though leaven often symbolizes sin. The leaven in the offering represents our sins, not Christ’s. Christ bore our sins on the cross, so the leavened bread signifies the sins He carried for us.

Symbol of Spread:
In another sense, leaven can symbolize spreading, as in the parable of the leaven (Matthew 13), where it spreads through all the dough—representing the spread of the Kingdom of God.

Spiritual Essence:
The believer is called to avoid the “leaven of evil” and live in “unleavened sincerity,” while also being like the “good leaven” that spreads righteousness and love throughout the world.

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