top of page
Search

Passover and The Feast of Unleavened Bread (April 11-18, 2025)

  • Ochelle Greenidge
  • Apr 7
  • 4 min read

Updated: 5 days ago



What is Passover and when will we observe it?


Biblical Context: In the book of Exodus (chapters 12–15), God commands Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. Before Pharaoh finally lets them go, God sends 10 plagues upon Egypt. The last plague—the death of the firstborn—passes over (hence the name Passover) the homes of the Israelites, which had lamb's blood on their doorposts as a sign of obedience.


Special Significance: Passover also has special significance because Jesus' Last Supper was a Passover meal. Christians often reflect on the symbolism of Jesus as the Passover Lamb, whose sacrifice brings spiritual freedom.


We will participate in Passover Communion Service on Friday April 11, 2025 at 7PM in accordance with Leviticus 23:5-5 and Matthew 26:17-18.


What is the Feast of Unleavened Bread?


The Feast of Unleavened Bread is a festival closely connected to Passover, but it is technically a separate feast. It lasts seven days, during which no leavened bread (yeast or anything that causes dough to rise) is eaten. Instead, people eat unleavened bread, called matzah in Hebrew.


  • Leviticus 23:6-8 – “On the fifteenth day of that month the LORD’s Festival of Unleavened Bread begins; for seven days you must eat bread made without yeast.”

  • Exodus 12:15-20 – God commanded the Israelites to remove all leaven from their homes and eat unleavened bread to remember the haste with which they left Egypt.


It begins on the 15th day of the Hebrew month of Nisan, immediately after Passover. In 2025, this means it runs from the evening of April 11 through the evening of April 18.


How will we observe The Feast of Unleavened Bread?


Main Dietary Restrictions: No Leavened Products

  • Foods to Avoid:

    • Regular bread

    • Pasta

    • Cake

    • Cereal

    • Crackers

    • Corn

    • Beer or other fermented grain drinks


  • Beverages to Avoid

    • Beer 

    • Ale, lager, malt beverages

    • Whiskey, bourbon, scotch

    • Kombucha


Permitted Foods During the Feast

🫓 Unleavened Bread (Matzah or Roti)

  • You can eat matzah in many ways:

    • Plain

    • Topped with spreads like almond butter or hummus

    • Used as a base for mini pizzas, sandwiches, or even matzah brei (a kind of fried matzah scramble)


🥩 Proteins

  • Chicken, beef, lamb, fish, shellfish, eggs—go for it!


🥬 Fruits & Vegetables

  • All fresh fruits and vegetables are fine, except corn.

  • You can roast, sauté, steam, grill—however you like.


🧀 Dairy

  • Milk, cheese, butter, yogurt


🍚 Grains & Starches

  • Rice, quinoa, and potatoes

  • Sweet potatoes, cassava, and plantains are great options too.


🧈 Oils & Spices

  • Olive oil, coconut oil, avocado oil—all good.

  • Fresh herbs, salt, pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, cumin, etc., are fine.


🍷Alcohol

  • Red and white wine--enjoy!


🥤 Beverages

  • Water

  • Juice (grape, apple, orange, etc.)

  • Milk (dairy or non-dairy: almond, coconut, oat, etc.)

  • Herbal teas 

  • Coffee 

  • Sparkling water or seltzer

  • Soda


🧁 Sweets & Snacks

  • Macaroons (especially coconut-based ones)

  • Fruit-based desserts

  • Flourless chocolate cake (with matzah meal or potato starch)

  • Matzah toffee (caramel + chocolate over matzah = 🤤)


🍲 Sample Meals

  • Breakfast: Scrambled eggs with avocado and fruit, or matzah with almond butter and banana.

  • Lunch: Chicken salad in lettuce wraps or matzah "sandwiches".

  • Dinner: Grilled lamb, roasted veggies, and mashed sweet potatoes.

  • Snack: Nuts, dried fruit, coconut macaroons.


Spiritual Reflection


We invite you to join us Monday April 14-18 @3AM for prayer via Zoom.


1. Jesus as the Sinless Bread of Life

  • Leaven (yeast) often symbolizes sin, pride, or corruption in Scripture (1 Corinthians 5:6–8, Galatians 5:9).

  • During the feast, the removal of leaven reflects the call to remove sin from our lives.

  • Jesus refers to Himself as the “Bread of Life” (John 6:35), and He is without sin—perfect, untainted, and holy.


"6 Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough—you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed."— 1 Corinthians 5:6–7 (NET)

2. Spiritual House-Cleaning

  • Just as the Israelites cleaned their homes of all leaven, we are called to cleanse our hearts of sin, pride, unforgiveness, and compromise.

  • It’s a time for spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewed holiness.


3. Living Unleavened Lives

  • The feast is not just about what we eat, but how we live.

  • Paul encourages us to celebrate “with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:8), meaning lives marked by authentic faith and righteousness.

  • It’s a time to focus on living in purity, free from “the old leaven” of our past.


4. Connection to Jesus’ Burial

  • Passover is the first day of The Feast of Unleavened Bread. According to the Gospels, this aligns with the time when Jesus was in the tomb.

  • Just as leaven was purged from our bodies, Jesus' body—sinless and pure—rested in the tomb, having taken our sin upon Himself.

  • The unleavened bread becomes a symbol of His body, broken for us.


Reflection Questions

  • What “leaven” (sin, pride, bitterness) is God calling me to remove from my life?

  • How can I live a life of sincerity and truth this week (and onward)?

  • How does the purity of Jesus’ sacrifice shape the way I respond to Him?


 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page