Exodus 12:15, commentary and pictures

The command belongs to the solemn ordinance of the Passover instituted on the night of the last and most severe plague upon Egypt, a night terrible to the Egyptians and glorious to the people of God. Before that night Moses had made known to Pharaoh and to the people of Egypt and to the Israelites the nature and effect of that plague. At that time the king and his idolatrous priests still opposed letting Israel go, though the people desired it. This was after the plagues of locusts and of oppressive darkness, in which darkness the Hebrews had pure air and light in their dwellings.

The Passover in Egypt to which the command belongs included sprinkling blood on the doorway and the destroying angel sweeping over the land. Its supper was eaten together with the people gathered around a table, while the slaying of the firstborn brought death and mourning to Egyptian homes. In that observance Israel was required to put away leaven out of their houses and to eat unleavened bread throughout the seven-day observance. Thus no leaven was to be found in their houses during the feast.

The Passover recalled Israel's deliverance from Egypt and was intended to turn their thoughts from worldly concerns to God's works and mercy and faithfulness. In this command leaven is an emblem of sin. The direction to remove all leaven from the houses means putting away sin from the heart, just as leaven was put away from the homes. Those who receive life and nourishment from Christ must put away the leaven of sin.