Polluted Bread for Passover?

Whole Grain Passover Bread or Jewish Matzos?

For many years God's Church was very particular about the bread used at the Passover Services. Each year the 'Passover Bread' was carefully made from the whole grain. It was considered to be very important that the same recipe was meticulously followed year after year. But in the past few years the Church has begun to use the Jewish matzos, which are "blessed" and proclaimed "kosher for the Passover service" by a rabbi. These matzos are available in either whole wheat or white, but the Church uses the "official" white "Passover Bread."

Symbolism of Passover Bread

The unleavened bread of which we partake during the Passover service is symbolic of the perfect, sinless body of Jesus Christ. When this bread is broken during the service it represents His body being "broken" for us, I Corinthians 11:24; broken as a part of the sacrifice which reconciles us to God. It is the physical part of that sacrifice: "by His stripes ye are healed." It is that part which is applied to our own bodies here and now -- in this life. That part of the sacrifice of Christ which enable God to remove from us the physical penalties, which we incur in this life because of the transgression of His laws. When we accept a small piece broken from this bread we are to remember the enormous price that was paid, that we might be reconciled to God: "this do in remembrance of me," I Corinthians 11:24.

Is the type of bread we use at the Passover service really all that important? The entire service is only symbolic anyway, so what possible difference could it make to God whether we use white bread or whole wheat?

It certainly seems as of it is important to God that this bread be free of any type of leavening. If the composition of the bread -- in regard to leavening -- is that much of an issue with God, perhaps its composition matters to Him in other ways as well. Let's see if the Bible has anything to say on this subject. But first, briefly consider a few facts.

Blemished White Bread

From the Book of Whole Grains, pages 14-15, we read: "A grain of wheat is, first of all a seed. The heart of the grain, so to speak, is the germ, or the embryo. This is the part which, if the seed is planted, will develop into a new plant, and it is logically where most of the vitamins and minerals are stored. The major portion of the seed, the endosperm, contains the gluten-forming proteins glutenin and gliaden, and starch food for the developing embryo. Surrounding the endosperm is a layer of aleurone cells (another protein) and several layers of bran, covered by a thin husk.

"Milling techniques have changed drastically since the first wheat kernels were ground into flour. The earliest mills pulverized the germ right along with the endosperm, releasing the vitamin-rich wheat germ oil into the flour, coloring and flavoring it slightly. Although this seems desirable to those of us seeking to improve the vitamin and mineral content of our food, it was not convenient to the grocer or baker, since wheat germ oil soon becomes rancid, and bags of flour left on the shelf will spoil. The invention in the mid-nineteenth century of roller mills which separated the germ from the wheat kernel and allowed the germ to be sifted out was considered a great technological advance.

"Later developments in milling have included screening out most of the bran along with the germ, blowing off any remaining bran or aleurone layers, and bleaching the remaining fine powder. Since the flour resulting from these 'refinements' is depleted of most of its nutrients, not to mention fiber, modern nutritionists have had to be called upon to 'enrich' flour by putting a few vitamins and minerals back into their product."

Christ's Body Was Unblemished

The lamb which was to represent Christ at the Passover service under the Old Covenant was to be without blemish, Exodus 12:5. Would it be acceptable therefore for us to use a blemished bread as a symbol of Christ under the New Covenant -- which is a "better" covenant, with "better" promises -- or does it make any difference?

In Leviticus 2:14, we read, "If you offer a grain offering of your firstfruits to the Lord, you shall offer . . . green heads of grain roasted on the fire, beaten from full heads" (NIV).

Christ offered Himself without spot, Hebrews 9:14. He is the first of the firstfruits. He never sinned. His body qualified to be offered as a sacrifice for our sins, which of itself proves it was unblemished.

Deuteronomy 15:21 reads, "But if there is any defect in it, if it is lame or blind or has any serious defect, you shall not sacrifice it to the Lord your God" (NIV).

Throughout history bread has been known as the "staff of life." It is this staple food which has supported the life and health of man for thousands of years. When the grain is grown in the proper manner, in the proper soil the resulting bread is a perfect food, and well suited to represent the perfect body of Christ.

White Bread is a Deception

However, milled white flour is not a perfect food. When the Danish government banned the milling of grains during World War I, the death rate fell 34%. During World War II, England experienced much the same results. After similar findings, the United States government forced the milling companies to add enough nutrients (many of which were completely artificial) to the flour to at least allow for basic human survival. But by doing this, they did not even begin to return the full two-thirds of the life-giving elements, which they had robbed from the grain in the first place. In addition, some 30 chemicals were added to the flour -- but since it was unable to support the life of bacteria or insects no preservatives were needed.

In a comparison of white flour to freshly ground whole wheat, 15 major nutrients plus trace elements were lost. One hundred percent of the vitamin E was lost. Of the remaining 14: seven lost over 74%, and seven lost over 50%. These figures do not reflect the many vitamins and trace elements which were not considered in the study. Twenty-two percent of the germ protein was lost, which is enough that the remaining protein will not support growth.

Simply put: White flour is a deception -- a lie! It purports to be the "staff of life." The milling companies claim it is just as good, or (incredibly) even better than whole wheat! But the truth is, this mineral-deficient lifeless substance is directly responsible for a long list of deficiency diseases, and at least partially responsible for nearly all the sickness in the civilized world.

Of all the foods eaten by man today, none could be said to be so perfectly symbolic of the mind and heart of Satan the Devil as white flour -- who is even himself "transformed as an angel of light. . . . ," II Corinthians 11:14!

Remember how Satan promised Eve, " . . . Ye shall not surely die." But she did die. And her husband died. And her children died. And mankind has been sick and dying ever since. He deceived her. Instead of life, as he promised, his way has brought pain, misery and death to all mankind.

Christ the Bread of Life

Christ also promised life to men, John 10:10, "I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly." Christ says He is the true Manna, "the Bread of Life," John 6:35. Israel lived on manna (the bread from God) for nearly 40 years, yet laboratory rats cannot live on white flour for 40 days! The life of rats fed a diet of white flour is filled with pain and suffering and ends in premature death.

Malachi and Leviticus Settle It

If you add to all this the fact that the "kosher" Passover bread has been blessed by rabbis(descendants of the very ones who killed the Bread of Life in the first place), we believe it begins to make a strong case against the use of this bread for the Passover service.

Now consider Malachi 1:6-7: "A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O Priests, that despise my name. And ye say, wherein have we despised thy name? Ye offer POLLUTED BREAD upon mine altar; and ye say wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say the table of the LORD is contemptible."

Leviticus 22:21-25 further amplifies God's displeasure for an attitude of contempt toward an offering: "And whosoever offereth a sacrifice of peace offerings unto the Lord to accomplish his vow, or a freewill offering in beeves or sheep It shall be perfect to be accepted, there shall be no blemish therein. Blind, or broken, or maimed, or having a wen, or scurvy, or scabbed, ye shall not offer these unto the LORD, nor make an offering by fire of them upon the altar unto the LORD. Either a bullock or a lamb that hath anything superfluous or lacking in his parts, that mayest thou offer for a freewill offering; but for a vow it shall not be accepted. Ye shall

not offer unto the LORD that which is bruised, or crushed, or broken, or cut; neither shall ye make any offering thereof in your land. Neither from a stranger's hand shall ye offer the bread of your God of any of these; because their corruption is in them, and blemishes be in them: they shall notbe accepted for you."

Importance of Using Proper Symbols

If white matzos were the only thing available, perhaps we could understand why the Church would use them. But since it is a very simple matter to obtain a proper bread to symbolize the perfect body of our Savior at the Passover service, why not use a proper bread?

Is the symbolism surrounding the Passover service important to God? We believe the scriptures here presented prove that it is. In light of these facts, how can God's Church continue to use this deceptive, emaciated, emasculated, hurtful substance -- which has been blessed by a false religious leader -- to represent the torn and shredded body of the Son of God, our Savior -- our Passover -- who was sacrificed for us? Can we, now, continue to take this white bread with a clear conscience? "And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin."

-- written by Ed Burson