Are there any scriptures that say that “leaven is sin?”

Someone recently had a great question about Passover.  He asked if there were any scriptures that say that “leaven is sin” because that he thought that “leaven” was simply doctrine, according to Matthew 16:11-12 and 13:33.

Let’s take a look at those scriptures in context:

Matthew 16:11. How is it that you do not understand that it was not about bread that I spoke to you, but that you should be aware of the leaven of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. 12. Then they understood that he did not say to be aware of the leaven of bread, but of the doctrine of the Pharisees and the Sadducees. (AENT)

The verses in Matthew 16 do not mean that actual leaven in BREAD is a bad thing. Rather, that "leaven" in our lives can be bad, because leaven causes things to rise and grow. It permeates everything. Once you allow a sinful thing to enter your mind, your carnal nature tends to go with it and act on it. And after awhile, that particular sin simply becomes "second nature," because you've convinced yourself that God doesn't mind.

Matthew 13:33. He said another parable to them. The Kingdom of Heaven is likened to leaven which a woman took and buried in three measures of flour until it was all leavened.
Matthew 13 obviously refers to GOOD leaven. Once you begin to follow YHWH and His Commands, your whole life begins to take a new direction. (AENT)

The thing is, there is no direct scripture that says leaven represents sin, though at Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread it is a sin to eat chomez (leavened bread), Exodus 12:15.  It is also a sin to offer chometz with a sacrifice, Exodus 23:18. However, in Scripture, leaven is often clearly symbolic of sin. Galatians 5:9 tells us that a little leaven leavens the whole lump. Well, as you’ve probably guessed by now, sin works the same way.

Like leaven which permeates the whole lump of dough, sin spreads in a person, a congregation or a nation, eventually overwhelming and bringing all participants into bondage and eventually to death. (There is no such thing as a “little sin.”) Romans 6:23 tell us that “the wages of sin is death,” which, as you know, is YHWH’s judgment for sin, and the reason that Y’shua died.

Back in Deuteronomy 16 we see, "3 You are not to eat any hametz with it; for seven days you are to eat with it matzah, the bread of affliction; for you came out of the land of Egypt in haste. Thus you will remember the day you left the land of Egypt as long as you live. 4 No leaven is to be seen with you anywhere in your territory for seven days.  (CJB)

Other commands regarding the eating of unleavened bread are found in Exodus 12:8; 29:2 and Numbers 9:11. The main reason Passover celebration includes unleavened bread is because YHWH commanded it.  But now you know, “the rest of the story!”

Responding to another counter-missionary question….

COUNTER-MISSIONARY COMMENT: And where in the תנייך Tanakh does it say that the Most High will have to send His son to die for our sins? 

MESSIANIC RESPONSE: Please read Isaiah 53 which is all about Yeshua. Isaiah 53:1 says he is the “arm of YHWH.” (And no, Isaiah 53 is NOT about Israel!  See our article on Isaiah 53 and Yeshua.) But since you asked, let’s do a little research concerning the One YHWH would eventually send to MARTYR himself on man’s behalf (against which there is no law!)…. 

In Genesis 22:1-19 we see Abraham, at the COMMAND of YHWH, taking his son, Isaac, to be offered as a sacrifice on Mount Moriah. Most assuredly in shock, Abraham bound his son to the altar and was ready to kill him (because of his love for, and trust in, YHWH) when an angel appeared to tell him to stay his hand and promised him Abraham that his seed would increase. 

Of course, YHWH doesn’t want “human” sacrifice – but in the case of Yeshua it wasn’t a “human” sacrifice because Y’shua was a human with a divine qnoma (nature), which is what enabled him to be the PERFECT human being in every way – someone who could completely and flawlessly carry out YHWH’s Will. 

His special relationship to His “Father” enabled him to perform many miracles and to find the strength, in the end, to DIE for anyone who wished to accept YHWH as their God. Y’shua didn’t replace YHWH; He was simply “an arm” of YHWH (Isaiah 53:1) who came to proclaim the Kingdom and do everything his Father commanded. He never, ever suggested he was ELOHIM (although we are told in Philippians 2:5-11 and John 10:22-39 exactly WHO he was, and what his relationship to YHWH was!). 

Luke 4:43 "But he (Yeshua/Jesus) said, "I must preach the good news of the Kingdom of God to the other towns also, because that is why I was sent."
 
Luke 8:1. And it happened after these things that Y'shua was going around in the cities and in the villages and was preaching and declaring the Kingdom of Elohim.
 
Acts 28:23 "From morning till evening the Apostle Paul explained and declared the Kingdom of God and tried to convince people about Yeshua from the Law of Moses and from the Prophets."
 
Acts 24:14. But this indeed I (Paul) acknowledge, that in that same doctrine of which they speak, I do serve the Elohim of my fathers, believing all the things written in Torah and in the prophets.
 
Now, let’s see what the Tanakh (“Old Testament”) has to say about YHWH’s Messiah. (And just because Y’shua was NOT NAMED in the OT doesn’t mean he ISN’T the Messiah! The “OT” also doesn’t mention tooth brushing, space shuttles, driving around in something called “automobiles”, or Facebooking - but yet we are all familiar with these things! If Y’shua doesn’t exist, then you also need to get rid of your toothbrush, cars and computers because NONE of these things can be found in Scripture….) 

Daniel 7: 13 “I kept watching the night visions, when I saw, coming with the clouds of heaven, someone like a son of man. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14 To him was given rulership, glory and a kingdom, so that all peoples, nations and languages should serve him. His rulership is an eternal rulership that will not pass away; and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. (CJB) 

Isaiah 9:6 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us; dominion will rest on his shoulders, and he will be given the name Pele-Yo'etz El Gibbor Avi-'Ad Sar-Shalom [Wonder of a Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace] (CJB) 

Micah 5:2 But you, Beit-Lechem near Efrat, so small among the clans of Y'hudah, out of you will come forth to me the future ruler of Isra'el, whose origins are far in the past, back in ancient times. 3 Therefore he will give up [Isra'el] only until she who is in labor gives birth. Then the rest of his kinsmen will return to the people of Isra'el. 4 He will stand and feed his flock in the strength of ADONAI, in the majesty of the name of ADONAI his God; and they will stay put, as he grows great to the very ends of the earth; (CJB) 

The BIBLE contains at least 300 prophecies that have already come to pass exactly as was written, and there is no way they could all be "coincidences." As a matter of fact, according to mathematician and professor, Peter Stoner, the probability of even just 48 prophecies being fulfilled by one person (referring to Y'shua) is the incredible number of 1 in 10^157 power! 

(And, oh by the way, for those who believe that men were never supposed to do anything to ATONE for the sins of others, please see our blog article for a wakeup call – because that is exactly what priests of old did.) 

BOTTOM LINE: Yeshua came to proclaim the Kingdom of YHWH and to do everything His Father commanded. He tore down the fences of man's legalism; and neither He nor His Apostles or Disciples ever advocated against Torah! 

John 12: 44. But Y'shua cried out and said, He who believes in me, it is not in me he does believe, but in Him who sent me. [1] 45. And he who sees me sees Him who sent me! 46. I have come as the light into this world that all who believe in me might not remain in the darkness! 47. And he who hears my words, yet does not keep them, I do not judge him, for I have not come to judge the world but to give life[2] to the world. 
 
48. He who rejects me and does not receive my words, there is something that judges him. The word that I have spoken, it will judge him on the last day. 49. For I have not spoken from my soul, but the Father who sent me. He gave a Commandment to me what I should say and what I should speak. 50. And I know that His commands are eternal life. [3] Therefore, these things that I speak just as my Father told me, thus I speak.[4] (AENT)) 

[1] Y'shua does not bring a new Faith, but reveals the original Faith of YHWH the Father. 

[2] Y'shua proclaims that he came to give life, then he declares that His father's Commands are eternal life! The Father's "Commands" are instruction in righteousness; this is Torah which contains Commandments, Judgments, Testimony and Witness regarding the Kingdom of Elohim. Those who enter into Covenant with Mashiyach are entering into Covenant with his Father YHWH; therefore, it is evil - an outright lie - to teach that Torah is done away with and replaced by a new theology! 

[3] The Commands of YHWH bring eternal life. YHWH's "Commands" refers to all of His Commandments; these are one and the same as every Word that proceeds out of the Mouth of Elohim. These are not Commands only between Y'shua and His Father but they are universal for all souls who will enter into the Malchut Elohim. 

[4] Y'shua speaks the Word of YHWH, not his own words; therefore, he conveys the revelation of YHWH according to the Ruach haKodesh without the baggage of man's religious tradition. Religion has a propensity to reinvent or interpret the Word of YHWH to make it "acceptable" to man's standards; whereas Mashiyach came not to please men, but to honor and bring Glory to his Father.

Passover is around the corner–start clearing out your leaven!

Passover is just a few weeks away, so it's time to begin ridding your home of leavened products. 

(And no, it's not okay to put your leavened products in the garage for the week of Passover, and then bring them back into your house. Leaven represents SIN, and returning your leavened products to your home is akin to returning "sin"....Best thing to do is to eat it all BEFORE Passover and then start anew.) 

Here's a quick calendar overview of this awesome event that Yeshua fulfilled when he martyred himself on our behalf and rose again to sit at His Father's side. (Please see our article.)

[Note: The dates here are one day later than the traditional Jewish calendar which begins the month of Nisan one day too early due to its rigid calendar rules.]

April 11 - 14 Nisan, Passover lamb was slain late afternoon today. (Today we don't need to slaughter a lamb as Yeshua offered his his own blood!) 1st day of Feast of Unleavened Bread (15th ) begins at sunset. High Shabbat begins at sunset. Watch for full moon tonight.

April 12 - 15 Nisan, High Shabbat-FULB*; Pesach**, 1st day Read Exodus 12:21-51, Numbers 28:16-25, Joshua 3:5-7, 5:2-6:1; Luke 2:41-52. Omer count begins at sunset. For those who don't know what the Omer Count is, please check our article. 

April 13 - 16 Nisan, 1st day of Omer, Pesach, 2nd day. Read: Leviticus 22:26-23:44, Numbers 28:16-25, 2 Kings 23:1-9, 21-25; Yochanan 18:26-40. 

April 14 - 17 Nisan, Omer 2, Pesach, 3rd day. Shabbat During the Middle of Pesach. Read Exodus 33:12-34:26, Numbers 28:19-25, 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Luke 23:55-56. 

April 15 - 18 Nisan, Omer 3, Pesach, 4th day, Shabbat During the Middle of Pesach. Read Exodus 33:12-34:26, Numbers 28:19-25, 2 Samuel 22:1-51, Luke 23:55-56 

April 16 - 19 Nisan, Omer 4, Pesach, 5th day

April 17 - 20 Nisan, Omer 5, Pesach, 6th day 

April 18 - 21 Nisan, Omer 6, Pesach, 7th day, High Shabbat-no work. Read Deut 15:19-16:17, Isaiah 10:32-12:6, Yochanan 21:1-25

A wonderful video message countering the Yeshua rejecters….

If you're thinking of rejecting Messiah Yeshua, please do yourself a favor and listen to the message of this rabbi.  If afterwards you still wish to follow the counter-missionary rabbis and their converts, then I wish you well.

Bible foretells Jews will be targets of terrorism by lunatics all over the world….

 
What a shame that Jews have always been, and are still being targeted all over the world. (See this video as just one example, along with some of the idiotic comments beneath it.)  The thing is, this rabid anti-Semitism is foretold in Scriptures such as (Zechariah 12:1-14, Joel 3:1-21, Revelation 16:13-16). The Jews are God's chosen and for that, "the world" has hated them since the beginning. Too bad for the world, for they know not what they do!

Bottom line: Blaming the Jews for the world's problems is just plain ignorance and downright stupidity. Here's what Scripture says will happen to all those who are against Israel, so TAKE HEED:

Genesis 12: - 3 I will make you into a great nation and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you."

A question for the anti-Semitic, uneducated armchair "geniuses" of the world:  How many Nobel prizes have YOU won?  How about those from your ancestry?  Any Nobel Prize winners there?

Here's a wake-up call and something to think about before you open your big mouths again to bash the Jews:

According to Jewish Nobel Prize Winners site, "The Jews" currently make up approximately 0.25% of the world's population and 2% of the US population, yet they also comprise the biggest percentage of Nobel Prize Winners:

• Chemistry (28 prize winners, 19% of world total, 28% of US total)
• Economics (21 prize winners, 38% of world total, 53% of US total)
• Literature (12 prize winners, 12% of world total, 27% of US total)
• Physiology or Medicine (52 prize winners, 29% of world total, 42% of US total)
• Peace (9 prize winners, 10% of world total, 11% of US total)
• Physics (45 prize winners, 26% of world total, 38% of US total)

Let’s stop hyphenating our identities….

To this, I would add "African-American" and "Mexican- American" to bring it up to date. I agree, WHY the labels? Why not just "American"?   (I would say the same thing about the terms "Hebrew Roots" and "Messianic" and "Two-House" and all the other things people like to call themselves....Why can't we simply be "Torah observant believers in YHWH/Yeshua?”?)

Responding to transgenderism and abortion….

You absolutely HAVE to hear this guy speak!! He's fabulous. His response to transgenderism and abortion is absolutely RIGHT on! Baruch haShem ADONAI! This video is approximately 9 minutes, but it's worth every second!