The Literal Commandment
Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, but on the first day you shall remove leaven from your houses; for whoever eats anything leavened from the first day until the seventh day, that person shall be cut off from Israel. (Exodus 12:15)
The literal commandment is that on the first day (of the Feast of Unleavened Bread) we should remove leaven from our houses.
Messiah Says
Messiah implicitly affirmed this commandment when He spoke about the Law:
"Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. (Matthew 5:17-19)
Pictures of Messiah
In Scripture, leaven provides a picture of sin: leaven causes bread to become "puffed up" (i.e. prideful and sinful). This commandment to destroy all leaven on the 14th day of Nisan pictures Messiah's call to follow Him and cast off sin and "be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect." (Matthew 5:48).
How Messiah Fulfilled
Messiah fulfilled this commandment by removing the leaven from his home on the first day of Unleavened Bread.
Traditional Observance
The traditional observance of this commandment involves removing the leaven from our homes on the 14th of Nisan (the day before the first day of Unleavened Bread) because the first day of Unleavened Bread is supposed to be a day of rest. If the leaven is supposed to be removed from our homes on the first day (Nisan 15, which begins at sundown the day before), then we should have removed the leaven before that day begins... on Nisan 14).
Other Notes
We are able to fulfill this commandment and should destroy all leaven in our homes on the 14th day of Nisan.
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