ἄζυμος

unleavened, the paschal feast, uncorrupted

Definition

The adjective ἄζυμος (azymos) primarily means 'unleavened,' describing bread or food made without yeast or leaven. In the New Testament, it is used literally for the Jewish Feast of Unleavened Bread (e.g., Matthew 26:17, Luke 22:7), which immediately follows Passover. Figuratively, in 1 Corinthians 5:7, it takes on a moral and spiritual sense, symbolizing sincerity, truth, and the removal of sin and corruption from the believer's life, as leaven often represented evil influence.

Biblical Usage

The word is used nine times, predominantly in the Gospels and Acts to refer to the Jewish festival. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke), it consistently appears in narratives about the timing of the Last Supper in relation to the Feast of Unleavened Bread (e.g., Mark 14:12). Acts uses it similarly to mark dates in the church calendar (Acts 12:3, 20:6). The single, powerful figurative use is by Paul in 1 Corinthians 5:7, where he exhorts believers to be 'unleavened'—sincere and pure.

Etymology

Derived from the alpha-privative prefix ἀ- (a-), meaning 'without' or 'not,' combined with ζύμη (zymē, G2219), meaning 'leaven' or 'yeast.' Thus, it literally means 'without leaven.' This straightforward composition makes its literal meaning clear and its figurative extension in Paul's writing all the more striking.

Semantic Range

This word is theologically significant because it bridges Old Testament ritual and New Testament spiritual reality. The literal feast commemorated Israel's haste in leaving Egypt (Exodus 12:39). Paul's application in 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 transforms this into a key metaphor for Christian living: as Christ, our Passover lamb, was sacrificed, believers are to live in sincerity and truth, having cleansed out the 'old leaven' of malice and wickedness. Understanding this Greek term enriches reading by highlighting the deliberate contrast between ritual purity and moral purity.

In the ancient Jewish world, leaven (yeast) was a symbol of corruption and pervasive influence due to its fermenting action. During the Feast of Unleavened Bread, all leaven was removed from homes (Exodus 12:15-20). This week-long festival was intimately connected with Passover. For the original readers, 'unleavened' immediately evoked this festival and its associated themes of haste, purity, and deliverance, which Paul directly applies to the Christian community.

εἰλικρινής (eilikrinēs, G1506) — emphasizes purity, sincerity, and being judged by sunlight; used in a similar moral context in 1 Corinthians 5:8 and 2 Corinthians 1:12. καθαρός (katharos, G2513) — means clean, pure, or clear; a broader term for purity that can include ritual and moral cleanness.

Word Details

Scripture References