Leviticus 2:11 - Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

Ye shall burn no leaven, nor any honey— In our note on Exodus 12:8 we have assigned some reasons why leaven was forbidden. It is more difficult to say why honey was prohibited. It is certain, that honey was very generally used by the heathens in their sacrifices; and, therefore, Spencer observes, that "the reason why the use both of honey and leaven was forbidden to the Jews in their bread or meat-offerings, might be, to prevent their having the same absurd notions of the Deity, which the heathens seem to have had of their gods; namely, that he regarded the gifts, more than the hearts of men: or that leaven and honey which rendered bread more savoury to men, would also render it more acceptable to God." A writer observes, that they were forbidden to offer honey, because the heathens always used honey in their sacrifices to the dead. As leaven had undoubtedly a moral reference, so it is most probable that honey had the same. Philo says, that it imported a prohibition from all voluptuousness.