Azymus

AZYMUS. This word comes from the Greek Azymos¹ which signifies unleavened. The Hebrews in one of their principal Festivals, which was the Passover, used unleavened Bread for seven days, and this custom they observed in memory of what Deut. xvi. 8. Exod. xii. 8, &c.their Ancestors did, who when they went out of Egypt were obliged to carry meal with them, and make bread in haste; the Egyptians so much pressing them to be gone, that they had no leisure to make up their Bread, and leaven their meal. They began to cleanse their houses of every thing Exod. xii. 39.leavened upon the 13th of the month Nisan, every place was carefully examined, lest any thing leavened should be left in corners and cupboards: so that on the 14th of Nisan about noon, there was to be none in the house. The Jews at this day very religiously observe this practice², and S. Paul in some places alludes to it, saying, a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump: that is to say, if there were ever so little 1 Cor. v. 6. and Galat. v. 9.leaven in any quantity of Bread or Paste, during the time the Passover lasted, it was thereby corrupted, and for that season rendred unclean. It was to be thrown away and burnt. They were no more permitted to use it. He says elsewhere, 1 Cor. v. 7, 8.that the Christian Passover consists, not in abstaining from leavened Bread, but in living with purity, sinceri­ty, and innocency; Matt. xvi. 11.and our Saviour in the Gospel warns his Apostles to take care of the leaven of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Herodians, meaning their doctrine.

The Practice of the Jews at this day with relation to the use of unleavened Bread, is this³. They are forbid to eat, or have in their houses, or any place belonging to them either leavened Bread or any thing else that is leavened. That they may the better observe this rule, they search into all the corners of their houses with the most scrupulous exactness for all Bread or Paste or any thing like them that is leavened. After they have thus well cleansed their houses, they whiten them, and furnish them with kitchen and table-utensils all new, and with others which are to be used only on that day. If they are moveables, which have served for something else, and are made of metal, they have them polished and put into the fire to take away all the impurity which they may have contracted by touching any thing leavened. All this is done on the thirteenth day of Nisan, on the Vigil of the Feast of the Passover, which begins with the 15th of the same month, on the 14th day in the evening; for the Hebrews reckon their day from one evening to another.

On the 14th of Nisan at eleven a clock, they burn the common Bread, to shew, that the prohibition of eating leavened Bread is then commenced; and this action is attended with words, whereby the Master of the house declares, that he has no longer any thing leavened in his keeping; that at least he believes so, and has done all he could, that it might be so. Immediately after this, they set about making unleavened Bread, and they make as much as they shall have occasion for during the whole Octave of the Passover. They take care that the meal, which they use has been neither heated nor moistened; and lest their Bread should rise, they put it speedily into the oven, and when they take it out, they keep it in a very clean place. Thus their Bread is made in flat, heavy Cakes, of different figures. They sometimes provide finer for their sick, or for their friends, ttho’ they are Christians. They knead them together with milk, sugar and eggs: but always take particular care to have no leaven in them.

As to the question, whether Jesus Christ at his last Supper instituted the Eucharist with unleavened or leavened Bread, it depends chiefly upon knowing whether he observed the Passover like other Jews, or whether he anticipated it, or lastly whether he did more or not than barely sup with his Apostles. This is an enquiry which belongs not to this Dictionary. The Reader may consult those who have written expressly on this Subject, and our Dissertation upon the last Passover observed by our Lord, prefixed to our Comment on S. Matthew.

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