The bread in the Lord Supper
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The bread in the Lord Supper
Your article on the Lord Supper is very clear and scriptural. However, I would like to ask whether the breaking of bread which Jesus did and Paul followed the same manner means literally i.e Jesus and also Paul broke the bread after both had prayed. Is it scriptural to use broken pieces or cut pieces of unleavened bread (thereby no breaking is done by the administrator of the Lord Supper for convenience of distribution)before giving thanks? I fully agree that we are to desire to observe this memorial feast in the manner that is authorized by God but will this manner contradict the scriptures of Matthew 26:26 and 1 Corinthians 11:24?
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FW: The bread in the Lord Supper
Thanks for visiting insearchoftruth.org. Also, thanks for your comments about the Lord's Supper article.
Regarding your question about using broken pieces of bread, let me offer a few comments. It is important that we follow the Bible in all the things we do as we serve our Lord. Following the New Testament as we worship will cause us to please the Lord and that is our goal. However, we have to be careful we don't make rules where the scriptures don't require them.
When we start making each word mean more than is intended, we end up with such conclusions that the container becomes important and the bread becomes the literal body of Christ when neither of these ideas is present. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper for us to partake to remember His death and sacrifice for our sins. The bread causes us to remember His body and the fruit of the vine His blood which was shed.
In the article you read, the following sentence was included in the section entitled "One Loaf." "The 'oneness' or 'uniqueness' of the loaf is that it represents one body, one sacrifice, Jesus Christ, not one physical mass." Whether or not the bread is broken in pieces when received by the participant is not of significance. It is the partaking of the bread in remembrance of our Lord's sacrifice that is important.
larry
Regarding your question about using broken pieces of bread, let me offer a few comments. It is important that we follow the Bible in all the things we do as we serve our Lord. Following the New Testament as we worship will cause us to please the Lord and that is our goal. However, we have to be careful we don't make rules where the scriptures don't require them.
When we start making each word mean more than is intended, we end up with such conclusions that the container becomes important and the bread becomes the literal body of Christ when neither of these ideas is present. Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper for us to partake to remember His death and sacrifice for our sins. The bread causes us to remember His body and the fruit of the vine His blood which was shed.
In the article you read, the following sentence was included in the section entitled "One Loaf." "The 'oneness' or 'uniqueness' of the loaf is that it represents one body, one sacrifice, Jesus Christ, not one physical mass." Whether or not the bread is broken in pieces when received by the participant is not of significance. It is the partaking of the bread in remembrance of our Lord's sacrifice that is important.
larry
http://www.insearchoftruth.org
Re: The bread in the Lord Supper
Thank you for prompt answer. I fully agree with you that we follow the Bible in all the things we do as we serve the Lord and certainly not to make rules where the scriptures don't require. My question is whether the bread prepared 1 piece or many pieces is not the issue but whether the one administering the bread should break the piece(s) after he has prayed like Christ and Paul did in Matthew 26:26 and 1 Corinthian 11:24 respectively. Therefore if the bread prepared for the Lord Supper is already in small pieces and cannot be further broken then the one administer the bread will not be able to break the bread like the Lord and Paul did. I do not doubt the bread is symbolic of Christ body whether 1 piece of many pieces but acts of Jesus and Paul during the communion which is pray and brake - shouldn't we also follow the same? I like to know your view.
Thank you very much.
Thank you very much.
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RE: FW: The bread in the Lord Supper
Thanks for replying and for your further question. I'm glad to hear you agree that following the Bible in all things is important.
Just as the bread being in one or more pieces when received by the participant is not important, whether or not the administrator breaks the bread or just offers thanks and passes it is also not important. It is eating the bread in memory of His body that was crucified and the drinking of the fruit of the vine which represents His blood as we remember His death on the cross so we can have forgiveness of sins and a relationship with Him that is important.
Actually, the Bible never says that Paul broke the bread. In I Cor. 11, Paul in writing the letter to the Corinthians is merely stating what Jesus did when he instituted the Lord's Supper. Jesus did break the bread before passing it. Now is that important? Remember the Lord's Supper was likely instituted after the Passover meal. At least we know from Luke 22:20 that the cup was not given by Jesus to His disciples until after the supper. Since the disciples were probably already filled from the supper, Jesus would need only to give them small portions of bread, so He broke it in pieces. He is not setting up a procedure that must be followed in detail.
Please consider that if everything Jesus did must be followed by us, we would not only have to break the bread before it was passed, we would have to do it on a Thursday night, in an upper room and during the Passover week. What proves too much proves nothing.
I hope these additional thoughts are helpful.
Larry
Just as the bread being in one or more pieces when received by the participant is not important, whether or not the administrator breaks the bread or just offers thanks and passes it is also not important. It is eating the bread in memory of His body that was crucified and the drinking of the fruit of the vine which represents His blood as we remember His death on the cross so we can have forgiveness of sins and a relationship with Him that is important.
Actually, the Bible never says that Paul broke the bread. In I Cor. 11, Paul in writing the letter to the Corinthians is merely stating what Jesus did when he instituted the Lord's Supper. Jesus did break the bread before passing it. Now is that important? Remember the Lord's Supper was likely instituted after the Passover meal. At least we know from Luke 22:20 that the cup was not given by Jesus to His disciples until after the supper. Since the disciples were probably already filled from the supper, Jesus would need only to give them small portions of bread, so He broke it in pieces. He is not setting up a procedure that must be followed in detail.
Please consider that if everything Jesus did must be followed by us, we would not only have to break the bread before it was passed, we would have to do it on a Thursday night, in an upper room and during the Passover week. What proves too much proves nothing.
I hope these additional thoughts are helpful.
Larry
http://www.insearchoftruth.org
Re: The bread in the Lord Supper
Dear Larry,
Thanks again. I appreciate your write up. What about scriptures like Acts 2:42 and Acts 20:7 where the phrase "breaking of bread" and "to break bread" (NKJV) respectively are mentioned. Do not these indicate imitating Christ as Paul did (1 Cor 11:23) "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you:" We would not, to quote "It is important that we follow the Bible in all the things we do as we serve our Lord" unquote, if we were to ignore this small part of breaking the bread.
Is not an issue but I like to think that we should not ignore this part of the process of partaking the Lord's supper.
Again thank you. Your additional notes are helpful.
Thanks again. I appreciate your write up. What about scriptures like Acts 2:42 and Acts 20:7 where the phrase "breaking of bread" and "to break bread" (NKJV) respectively are mentioned. Do not these indicate imitating Christ as Paul did (1 Cor 11:23) "For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you:" We would not, to quote "It is important that we follow the Bible in all the things we do as we serve our Lord" unquote, if we were to ignore this small part of breaking the bread.
Is not an issue but I like to think that we should not ignore this part of the process of partaking the Lord's supper.
Again thank you. Your additional notes are helpful.
The above presented views do not necessarily represent any specific individual, registered on this forum or otherwise.
Who is "email"?
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RE: FW: The bread in the Lord Supper
Dear Lim,
I will have to say that you are persistent. That is an excellent quality. One needs to study the scriptures as did the Bereans in Acts 17:11. I wish there were more people who were as concerned about their service to God.
The passages you refer to are both probably referring to the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 2:42, it is not definite, but the passage seems in context to be referring to the Lord’s Supper. Please note that in Acts 2:46 where the context seems to be referring to a common meal, the wording is also “breaking bread.” So, it appears that this is terminology that is used to refer to eating whether it is the Lord’s Supper or just a common meal. It is my understanding that the bread of the Hebrews was made commonly into cakes, thin, hard, and brittle, so that it was broken instead of being cut. Hence, the bread was broken.
What we see is that eating together was referred to as “breaking bread.” Even today I hear people occasionally say they broke bread together when they were just referring to the fact that they ate together, not that they actually took bread and broke it together. It could have been the meal had no bread at all present. So, it is not the breaking that is important. Let us not get caught up in trying to make every word mean something specific. That is what those who insist on one cup do. The Bible says in I Cor. 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” They therefore conclude that we must use only one cup. But it is the contents of the cup that represents the blood of Christ, not the cup itself that is important. Trying to make the breaking of the bread into some ritual amounts to the same thing. It is not important. Once again, it is the partaking of the bread and the drinking of the fruit of the vine in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice that is important.
Let me add that I have been in churches where those who were serving the Lord’s Supper did take the bread and break it before offering thanks and then passing the trays. That is perfectly fine if that is what they want to do. However, to say that we must do that is adding something the Lord never intended in my view for all the reasons I have written. We are not to add to or take away from what is written. (Rev. 22:18-19) Remember, the Lord said in John 12:48, “the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” What the Lord spoke includes what He said and what His apostles and prophets said through inspiration. Jesus nor His apostles or prophets ever said that a “breaking of the bread ritual” was important.
I hope this is helpful.
larry
I will have to say that you are persistent. That is an excellent quality. One needs to study the scriptures as did the Bereans in Acts 17:11. I wish there were more people who were as concerned about their service to God.
The passages you refer to are both probably referring to the Lord’s Supper. In Acts 2:42, it is not definite, but the passage seems in context to be referring to the Lord’s Supper. Please note that in Acts 2:46 where the context seems to be referring to a common meal, the wording is also “breaking bread.” So, it appears that this is terminology that is used to refer to eating whether it is the Lord’s Supper or just a common meal. It is my understanding that the bread of the Hebrews was made commonly into cakes, thin, hard, and brittle, so that it was broken instead of being cut. Hence, the bread was broken.
What we see is that eating together was referred to as “breaking bread.” Even today I hear people occasionally say they broke bread together when they were just referring to the fact that they ate together, not that they actually took bread and broke it together. It could have been the meal had no bread at all present. So, it is not the breaking that is important. Let us not get caught up in trying to make every word mean something specific. That is what those who insist on one cup do. The Bible says in I Cor. 11:26, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” They therefore conclude that we must use only one cup. But it is the contents of the cup that represents the blood of Christ, not the cup itself that is important. Trying to make the breaking of the bread into some ritual amounts to the same thing. It is not important. Once again, it is the partaking of the bread and the drinking of the fruit of the vine in remembrance of Jesus’ sacrifice that is important.
Let me add that I have been in churches where those who were serving the Lord’s Supper did take the bread and break it before offering thanks and then passing the trays. That is perfectly fine if that is what they want to do. However, to say that we must do that is adding something the Lord never intended in my view for all the reasons I have written. We are not to add to or take away from what is written. (Rev. 22:18-19) Remember, the Lord said in John 12:48, “the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” What the Lord spoke includes what He said and what His apostles and prophets said through inspiration. Jesus nor His apostles or prophets ever said that a “breaking of the bread ritual” was important.
I hope this is helpful.
larry
http://www.insearchoftruth.org