The Greek word heortázō, represented by G1858, means to observe a festival or keep the feast. Derived from ἑορτή, it appears only 1 time in 1 unique verse in the Bible, making its single usage highly significant.
The sole appearance of G1858 is in 1 Corinthians 5:8. Here, the apostle commands believers to "keep the feast" not in a traditional sense, but in a new, spiritual manner. This observance is explicitly contrasted with the "old leaven" G2219 of malice G2549 and wickedness G4189. Instead, the feast is to be kept with the unleavened G106 bread of sincerity G1505 and truth G225. This verse reframes the act of celebration as a continuous state of moral and spiritual purity.
The meaning of G1858 in its context is defined by several key contrasting terms:
- G2219 zýmē (leaven): Defined as ferment, this word represents the corrupting influence of sin that must be purged. In the context of keeping the feast, it symbolizes the old ways of malice and wickedness that are incompatible with a life in Christ 1 Corinthians 5:8.
- G106 ázymos (unleavened): This term, meaning uncorrupted, represents the state of purity required to properly keep the feast. It is directly associated with Christ, our passover 1 Corinthians 5:7, and is the spiritual "bread" of sincerity and truth believers are to partake in.
- G2549 kakía (malice): Defined as badness or depravity, this word specifies the type of "leaven" to be avoided. Its presence is contrary to the nature of the spiritual feast 1 Corinthians 5:8.
- G225 alḗtheia (truth): As the opposite of leaven, this word is a foundational element of the feast. To keep the feast is to live a life aligned with truth, which is embodied in Christ John 14:6 and His word John 17:17.
The theological weight of G1858 is concentrated in its single, powerful use.
- The Continuous Feast: The command to "keep the feast" is not a call to observe a specific holiday, but an instruction for the ongoing Christian life. Because Christ our passover has been sacrificed, the believer's entire existence is a festival of remembrance and holiness 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.
- Purity as Celebration: The verse transforms the idea of celebration from an external act to an internal state. The joy of the feast is found in being free from the "old leaven" of sin and living a life characterized by what is unleavened G106.
- Ethical Foundation: To keep the feast is to live a life founded on sincerity G1505 and truth G225, rejecting malice G2549 and wickedness G4189. It establishes a clear ethical framework for the community of believers.
In summary, while G1858 is one of the rarest words in the New Testament, its singular context in 1 Corinthians 5:8 gives it profound meaning. It elevates the concept of "keeping a feast" beyond a literal observance to a metaphor for the entire Christian walk. This walk is to be a continuous celebration, marked not by ritual, but by the absence of the corrupting leaven of sin and the presence of sincerity and truth.
TRV