Leviticus 7:11-13Leviticus 23:17Leviticus 2:11-121 Samuel 18:24Leviticus 23:4-8Exodus 12:14-20

In the New Testament, leaven is a symbol of any evil influence which, if allowed to remain, can corrupt the body of believers. Jesus warned His disciples against the leaven of the Pharisees, their teaching and hypocrisy (Matthew 16:5-12; Luke 12:1 ). Paul urged the Corinthians to remove wickedness from their midst and become fresh dough, unleavened loaves of sincerity and truth (1 Corinthians 5:6-13 ). Jesus also used leaven to illustrate the pervasive growth of the kingdom of God (Matthew 13:33 ).

Barbara J. Bruce