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Source: New Illustrated Bible Dictionary
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The festival of the unleavened bread was originally an agricultural festival, in which “unleavened bread” (in Hebrew massot) was eaten, which took place at the beginning of the barley harvest in spring. In the Bible it appears closely linked to Easter, the most important festival of the Jews. While the Passover festival lasted only one day, was of nomadic and pastoral origin and came from Israel’s pre-Canaanite time, the festival of the unleavened bread, on the other hand, lasted seven days, had an agrarian origin and began to be celebrated by the Israelites when They entered the land of Canaan. The Passover festival originally consisted of a spring sacrifice to ensure the prosperous life of the group and flock during the summer. The Hebrew word Pesach, from which “Passover” is derived, could mean “protect”, according to some authors; but its etymological meaning is unknown to us. Later, in biblical times, a sheep or goat was sacrificed on the 14th of the month of Nisan (March/April), which was consumed, accompanied by bitter herbs and unfermented bread, in a family banquet at sunset, that is, at the beginning of Nisan 15 with the entry of the full moon, coinciding with the vernal equinox. Both parties represent two alternative models of society, symbolized in the herd and the harvest. These are two originally different festivals, as some biblical passages still indicate (cf. Lev 23,4-8; Num 28,16-25; Ezra 6,19.22; cf. also Ez 45,21-24).
After the entry of the Israelites into the Promised Land, both parties were transformed and were united, remembering and celebrating the liberation of the chosen people, because it was believed that Yahweh had taken them out of Egypt in the spring. Some authors (such as Wellhausen) believe that the union of the two festivals took place on the occasion of the centralization of the cult in the time of Josiah (6th century BC), while others (such as Kraus) are of the opinion that it already happened before; Josías would not be, therefore, innovating, but re-establishing the ancient custom of celebrating Easter in a place of worship (cf. Jos 5:10-12). In some texts of the Bible they appear closely linked, and the obligation to avoid yeast for seven days is emphasized (cf. Ex 12,1-13,10; Ez 45,21: “…you will celebrate Easter, a feast that will last a week unleavened bread shall be eaten”; cf. also Ezra 6:22); the fact that unleavened bread should also be eaten at the Passover feast facilitated the union. The festival of the unleavened bread, which was initially family-oriented and celebrated in homes, became over time a pilgrimage festival (cf. Ex 23:10-19; 34:18-26) and became began to celebrate in Jerusalem, due to the centralization of worship in Jerusalem in the time of Josías (Dt 16,2; 2Chron 30,1.13.21). While the main celebration of the feast of the unleavened bread took place at first on the seventh day (cf. Ex 13,6), it was later moved to the first day, allowing the pilgrims to return to their homes on the first day after of the morning sacrifice (cf. Num 28:17-19; cf. also Ex 12:14 and 16; Lev 23:6-8). Regarding the meaning of eating unleavened bread, it is worth emphasizing the idea of corruption and deterioration that yeast connotes; eating unleavened bread, therefore, could mean offering Yahweh things as they were created. The explanation of Ex 12,33-34 is, on the other hand, artificial: the haste with which the Egyptians urged the Israelites to leave Egypt forced them to shoulder the unfermented dough.
The book -> apocryphal Jubilees, written between 150 and 100 a. C., pays special attention to the festival of the unleavened bread and tries to find its origin in the patriarchs: it would have its origin in the fact that Isaac was tied; Abraham began a seven-day festival beginning on the 15th day of the seventh month, that is, Nisan (Jub 17:15; 18:3). The Samaritans not only celebrate the Passover festival, but also the unleavened festival, naturally on Mount Garizim. The Jewish writers Philo of Alexandria (approximately 13 BC to 45/50 AD) and Flavius Josephus (37-100 AD) frequently mention both festivals, emphasizing their mutual relationship, although the feast of the unleavened bread is obscured by that of Passover as a national holiday in which thanks are given to God for the deliverance from Egypt, and the great multitude of pilgrims who arrived in Jerusalem on the occasion of Passover are pondered.
In the Jewish calendar, at the time of Jesus, the feast of the unleavened bread was linked to the feast of Passover (Mt 26,2. 17; Mc 14,12); they had even become a single party. Thus, Mark considers Easter as part of the feast of the unleavened bread (Mk 14,1-2.12); Luke identifies Passover with the feast of the unleavened: “The feast of the unleavened, called Passover, was drawing near” (Lk 12,1; cf. also Mt 26,17; He 12,3-4). The synoptics use the mention of the feast of the unleavened bread to date the Passion of Jesus, but without giving an interpretation of the feast, since the attention of the evangelists is focused on the feast of Easter (cf. other mentions of this party in the NT: He 20,6; 1 Cor 5,7). > crucifixion; Easter; parties.
rodriguez ruiz
FERNANDEZ RAMOS, Felipe (Dir.), Dictionary of Jesus of Nazareth, Editorial Monte Carmelo, Burbos, 2001
Source: Dictionary of Jesus of Nazareth
(Greek azymos, unleavened; Hebrew maççoth).
Unleavened bread used by the Jews in their various sacrifices and religious rites (Ex. 29,2.23; Num. 6,15.17.19; Lev. 2,4; 6,16-17; 7,12, 8,2.26), as ordered by the Law (Ex. 23,18; 34,25; Lev. 2,11). Its use was also ordered for the Passover feast (Ex. 12,8.15; 13,3.6.7; Num. 9,11; Deut. 16,3.4.8). Due to the ease with which they could be prepared, they were also made in ordinary life for unexpected guests (Gen. 18,6; Jc. 6,19-21, etc.) and in times of need, for example, at the time of the Exodus (Ex. 12,34.39) from where the name comes, “bread of affliction” (Dt. 16,3).
In 1 Cor. 5.8 Unleavened bread is the type of sincerity and truth. Unleavened breads were used especially for the Feast of Unleavened, also called the “solemn feast” (Num. 28,17). This festival was instituted to commemorate the liberation of Israel from slavery in Egypt (Ex. 12,17; 13,3-10). Its observance began on the fifteenth of Abib, or Nisan, and continued for seven days, the first and last being especially solemn (Ex. 12,15-18; 13,7; Lev. 23,6-8, etc. ). None other than unleavened bread was allowed during the entire festival. Although originally different, the Feast of Unleavened Eggs and the Feast of Passover are frequently treated as the same (Dt. 16,16; Mt. 24,17; Mk. 14,12; Lk. 22,1.7).
Bibliography: EDERSHEIM, The Temple and its Services (London, 1874); GREEN, The Hebrew Festivals (New York, 1885); SCHULTZ, Old Testament Theology, tr. (Edinburgh, 1892), I.
Source: Albert, Francis XE “Azymes.” The Catholic Encyclopaedia. Vol. 2. New York: Robert Appleton Company, 1907. 21 Jan. 2012
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/02171a.htm
Translated by Elmer Andrade. rc
Source: Catholic Encyclopedia