Year 7, Day 91: Leviticus 2

Theological Commentary: Click Here

So today we learn a great lesson.  God truly hates French Bread.

Okay.  Maybe a jest a little bit.  I’m reasonably sure that God can overlook my sense of humor.  Of course God doesn’t hate French Bread.  But it does allow us to ask the question: what does God have against leavening.

First, let’s look back.  We remember that bread made with a lack of yeast is meant to remind the Hebrew people of the Exodus.  Bread without yeast is meant to remind the Hebrew people of the time when God had to save His people from oppression.

Next, we can look forward.  By the time Jesus comes around, leaven is always a symbol of something that can change who we are.  Most often, leaven is a bad thing.  Jesus refers to sin as leaven and warns us to not have leaven like that of the Pharisees. 

In offering up sacrifices free from leaven we are reminded of the oppression that can exist in the sinfulness of the humanity around us.  We are reminded of the oppression that can exist within ourselves in our own sinfulness.

What I think is neat is that as we move through the passage and hear about what we should avoid, we also pick up on something that we should add.  We are to add salt.  This shouldn’t surprise us, because salt is a popular symbol of faith.  What does salt do?  Salt preserves.  Salt prevents the growth of harmful contaminants.  Salt is the replacement of leaven in sacrificial terms.

What is the point of all of this?  Faith – salt, that is – is the greatest counter for sin – leaven.  Relationship with God is the greatest counter for oppression.

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