The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 4: The Unfolding of Time, Part 1 • 143

and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt. This day shall be for you a memorial day, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord; throughout your generations, as a statute forever, you shall keep it as a feast. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread. On the first day you shall remove leaven out of your houses, for if anyone eats what is leavened, from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. Exodus 12:13–15 “Mentor,” asked Cesar after I return to our bench, “why couldn’t they eat the leaven?” “It is the mystery of Pascha ,” replied Mentor. “You mean no one knows, not even you?” asked Cesar. Mentor did not reply. “Leaven is mentioned in the New Testament too,” said Joseph, “but I guess we have to find our answers in the Old Testament for now.” “But the Old in the New is revealed!” I said, recalling the principle Augustine had taught us. Mentor gave permission to read from the New Testament. After skimming his Bible, Joseph read from 1 Corinthians. Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed (1 Corinthians 5:7). “Correct me if I’m wrong,” he said, “but this leaven had to do with the Corinthian’s sinful past.” “What does that have to do with the Hebrews?” asked Cesar. “Maybe the leaven symbolized their life of servitude in Egypt,” said Joseph.