Paul took a statute from God’s law regarding beasts of burden, and he applied it to people who labor for God. So, let’s borrow this page from Paul’s playbook and similarly ask ourselves, “Is it physical leavening or unleavened bread that God is concerned about?” And we will hasten to answer, YES, God is concerned about that, even as He is concerned about the animals. But Paul shows that God is concerned with things in the same category, and not just the words on the page. His laws contain principles that apply in more ways than just the literal one, and often in ways that are more important spiritually. So, our task is to pursue the weightier matters even as we don’t leave the smaller matters undone.
