1 Corinthians 5:7

Purge out. Gr. ekkathairo, “to cleanse thoroughly.” Paul calls for a complete removal of that which is harmful to the church. It is not only a question of disfellowshiping the licentious person; it is an exhortation to awaken all to the seriousness of being complacent and self-satisfied while such evils exist in the church.

Old leaven. “Leaven” is here used to represent sin (cf. Matt. 16:6; DA 407, 408; PP 278). The Jews had been instructed to search their houses carefully before eating the Passover supper, to make sure that there was not even a particle of leavened bread in their homes (see Ex. 12:19; 13:7). Similarly the Christian church at Corinth was instructed to make certain that sin was put away, particularly all forms of immorality.

A new lump. By expelling the offenders from the church and turning away from all sin, the church would become pure and free from the corrupting influence of cherished wrongdoing. It would be like a fresh portion of flour, or dough, before the addition of any leaven. They would then partake of the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit.

As ye are unleavened. That is, ideally speaking. The Corinthian believers had been cleansed from sin. They were to keep this fact in mind and ever strive to maintain their purity. All who accept the provision made for their salvation through Jesus Christ are obligated by their profession of faith in Him to be pure, “even as he is pure” (1 John 3:2, 3; cf. ch. 2:6). The perfect example of Christian living had been set before them in Jesus, and their lives should have been continual illustrations of victorious living in the power of Christ (see 1 Cor. 1:4-8).

Christ our passover. “The slaying of the Passover lamb was a shadow of the death of Christ” (GC 399; cf. PP 274, 277). The Passover feast was also a memorial of the deliverance from Egypt. On the night of the deliverance the destroying angel passed over the homes where the blood was seen on the doorposts (see Ex. 11:7; 12:29; PP 279).

Once again in the closing days of the history of this world the destroying angel is to go forth on his fearful mission, and only those who have put away the leaven of sin, and have taken their stand under the blood of the antitypical Passover Lamb, Jesus Christ, will be spared (see on Eze. 9:1-6; see Rev. 7:1-3; 14:1-5; TM 445; 3T 266, 267; 5T 210, 212, 216, 505). The church of God must be a pure church. It must be entirely free from all corruption and imperfection, such as are here typified by “leaven” (see Matt. 5:48; Eph. 1:4; 5:27). It must be covered by the blood of Jesus, who is here set forth as the antitypical Passover Lamb.