John 19:14-15

All Jewish feasts had their eves or preparation days in order for the people to be readied both mentally, spiritually and physically as there was no regular work to be done on the Feasts or on the Sabbaths. Jesus’ death occurred prior to the annual Sabbath known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. The children of Israel were to abstain from all leavened bread for seven days. To prevent the accidental consumption, they were to empty their houses of any leaven or leaven products. Scripture tells us there were dire consequences in its consumption:

4 “‘These are the LORD's appointed feasts, the sacred assemblies you are to proclaim at their appointed times: 5 The LORD's Passover begins at twilight on the fourteenth day of the first month. 6 On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD's Feast of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast. 7 On the first day hold a sacred assembly and do no regular work.’” Lev 23:4-7 (NIV)

19 “For seven days no yeast is to be found in your houses. And whoever eats anything with yeast in it must be cut off from the community of Israel, whether he is an alien or native-born. 20 Eat nothing made with yeast. Wherever you live, you must eat unleavened bread.” Ex 12:19-20 (NIV)

Yeast, according to God’s Word, is symbolic for sin. The absence of yeast suggesting that those who were under the safety of the shed blood of the Passover lamb were free from the corruption of sin before a holy God. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians:

7 Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast--as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8 Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Cor 5:7-8 (NIV)

Interestingly and fittingly, Jesus died on the day the Israelites were to rid their lives of leaven (sin). The day they were to leave their wanderings of a trackless waste behind them. The Great God in Heaven in His thunderous power allowed the perfect Lamb of God to take upon Him all the sick sin of the world so that those who would believe on Him would be safe under His shed blood:

21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Cor 5:21 (NIV)

“God became man to turn creatures into sons.” C. S. Lewis

Yet sadly the Jews – like many of us today, did not want Jesus to be their King. Once more they raised their fierce, relentless and obstinate cry demanding death of the Prisoner. They shout to Pilate: "Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!" They wanted no part of Him – only His blood would satisfy them and only His blood would fully satisfy God’s righteous requirement for the payment of their sin.

“God is far more willing to save sinners than sinners are to be saved.” J. C. Ryle

Had not our Lord been thus rejected, we would have been forever rejected by God. As Christ was made sin for us and crucified, in like manner we are to crucify sin in ourselves with as much indignation as these screaming enemies of our Lord. They renounce the faith of their forefathers and publically claim that Caesar was their king and not God. Whatever we choose and prefer above Jesus often turns into a scourge and plague for us.

“Israel revolted from God, cast off His authority, and claimed Caesar as their king. Justly therefore they were delivered over into Caesars hands, and endured the heaviest calamities.” Cyril

“We judge things by their present appearance; but the Lord sees them in their consequences. If we could do the same we would be perfectly of His mind; but since we can’t, it is an unspeakable mercy that He will manage for us, whether we are pleased with His management or not; and it is regarded as one of His heaviest judgments when He gives any person up to the way of their own hearts, and to walk according to their own wisdom.” John Newton