If the firstfruits be holy, what about the lump?

• A. It is not holy
• B. It is lost
• C. It becomes dead
• D. It is holy

Answer: (D)

The main idea here is sanctification by association. In biblical language, firstfruits are set apart to God, and that dedicated status carries to what comes after them. When Paul says the lump is holy if the firstfruits are holy, he’s saying the entire lump of dough shares in that consecration because it’s connected to the portion already set apart. This mirrors his olive-tree illustration in Romans 11, where belief among the faithful—whether among Israel or Gentiles grafted in—brings a shared holy status to the whole group. Holiness here is a status of belonging to God and being set apart for Him, not a flawless moral condition yet. So the lump is holy because its relation to the firstfruits makes the whole batch part of what’s been consecrated. The other options don’t fit the logic of sanctification by association and would undermine the point about a unified, set-apart people.