Ten Ways to Find Messiah in the PassoverSample

The Messiah Is Without Sin

Matzah, the unleavened “bread of affliction” (Deuteronomy 16:3), is central to the celebration of Passover. God instructed Israel to eat only unleavened bread for seven days during this holiday. In Exodus, the Israelites ate unleavened bread because they left Egypt in haste and did not have time to add leaven (Exod 12:34). Throughout Scripture, leaven also symbolizes sin. According to Paul, a little yeast spreads to all the dough, puffing it up (1 Corinthians 5:6). Likewise, sin infects the whole person. When Jesus told His disciples to beware of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees, He said to “beware of [their] leaven” (Matthew 16:6, 12). That is, even a little bad teaching can cause significant damage. Just as matzah has no leaven, Jesus never sinned. He lived the way God intended all people to live—free from falsehood and wrongdoing.

The Messiah is the only human who has fully embodied love, kindness, goodness, and faithfulness (Galatians 5:22). Though He faced temptation, He always responded in God-honoring ways. Jesus led a righteous life to justify many (Isaiah 53:11). God counts as righteous all those who believe in Him. The Messiah can forgive us and make us righteous no matter what we have done. He frees us from sin so we can live for God. The matzah in the Passover Seder reminds us that the Messiah is without sin. Through Him, we can be free from sin and death as well.