DID YOU KNOW: Yeast"A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough."In our modern age, where bread is usually not baked in our own kitchens, this image is not as obvious as it would have been in Paul's time. There are a few essential things to keep in mind in thinking about Yeast in the Bible.
Galatians 5:9
1. Yeast is a fungus used in baking to turn sugars into carbon dioxide - the gas which causes breads and cakes to rise by forming bubbles. As the yeast is warmed, it becomes active (alive) and begins digesting the sugars and expanding the dough into the delicious carbohydrate we know today. It requires only a tiny amount of yeast to rise the dough for a very large load of bread.
2. In the story of the Passover, the Israelites left Egypt quickly and had no time to leaven their bread by adding Yeast. To this day, the Jews celebrate Passover by removing all Yeast from their homes for 7 days. The only bread they eat during this time is Matzo - cracker-like bread which has never been leavened. This may also be an illustration of Israel rejecting Egyptian ways and gods for the One True God, as it is believed Yeast was discovered in Egypt.
3. All thoughout the New Testament, Jesus uses Yeast as a symbol for corruption and evil warning against "the Yeast of the Pharisees and Sadducees" (Matthew 16:5-7), "Watch out for the yeast of the Pharisees and that of Herod." (Mark 8:14-16), "Be on your guard against the yeast of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy." (Luke 12:1-3), and elsewhere. Paul goes on to use this same imagery in many of his letters.
