ἄζυμος

ἄζυμος — ázymos

ἄζυμος, (ζύμη), Hebrew מַצָּה, unfermented, free from leaven; properly: ἄρτοι Exo 29:2; Josephus, Antiquities 3, 6, 6; hence the neuter plural τά ἄζυμα, מַצּות, unleavened loaves; ἡ ἑορτή τῶν ἀζύμων, הַמַּצּות חַג, the (paschal) festival at which for seven days the Israelites were accustomed to eat unleavened bread in commemoration of their exit from Egypt (Exo 23:15; Lev 23:6), Luk 22:1; ἡ πρώτη (namely, ἡμέρα) τῶν ἀζύμων. Mat 26:17; Mar 14:12; Luk 22:7; αἱ ἡμέραι τῶν ἀζύμων. Act 12:3; Act 20:6; the paschal festival itself is called τά ἄζυμα, Mar 14:1 (cf. 1Es 1:10; 1Es 1:19; Winers Grammar, 176 (166); Buttmann, 23 (21)). Figuratively: Christians, if such as they ought to be, are called ἄζυμοι i. e. devoid of the leaven of iniquity, free from faults, 1Co 5:7; and are admonished ἑορτάζειν ἐν ἀζύμοις εἰλικρινείας, to keep festival with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth, 1Co 5:8. (The word occurs twice in secular authors, viz. Athen. 3, 74 (ἄρτον) ἄζυμον, Plato, Tim., p. 74 d. ἄζυμος σάρξ flesh not yet quite formed (add Galen de alim. fac. 1, 2).)