What Should Christians Remember about the Breaking of Bread?
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In different places in scripture, there are references to the breaking of bread, which can have two meanings. You can connect it to fellowship and sharing a meal. It can also be a reference to communion. Sometimes, it can refer to both. Regardless of how the Bible refers to the term, you will see that there is always a sense of community and fellowship attached to the breaking of bread.
When Does the Breaking of Bread Mean Communion in the Bible?
The breaking of bread for communion was a practice that began with Jesus. In what is commonly known as The Last Supper, Jesus took bread and broke it, representing his body about to be broken on the cross.
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
When the New Testament mentions the breaking of bread, it most commonly refers to communion. The key to knowing whether the breaking of bread refers to communion or just sharing a meal will always be determined by the passage’s context. Whenever you see the phrase breaking of bread or something similar, the context will help you decipher what the meaning of breaking bread is in that instance.
It was common for this new body of believers in the book of Acts to come together for fellowship. As part of that fellowship, they would break bread to remember what Jesus had done for them. A verse in Acts highlights the breaking of bread, but the reference is for communion.
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)
This verse highlights what a common gathering was like in the early church. It would usually incorporate teaching, prayer, fellowship (which most likely included a meal), and then the breaking of bread. Because the breaking of bread is mentioned separately from fellowship, it is safe to assume, in this instance, it refers to taking communion.
When Does the Breaking of Bread Mean Fellowship in the Bible?
As I mentioned earlier, the breaking of bread can also mean the sharing of a meal together. Here are a few scriptures that highlight the difference and again notice the context.
“And he directed the people to sit down on the grass. Taking the five loaves and the two fish and looking up to heaven, he gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.” (Matthew 14:19)
“‘Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.’ After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat. They were all encouraged and ate some food themselves.” (Acts 27:34-36)
In the first scenario, Jesus breaks bread, but he does not connect the broken bread to his broken body. That was not the focal point of this miracle. Jesus had compassion for the crowd following him and wanted to make sure they all had something to eat. After all, it had been a long day, and it was getting late. In this context, the breaking of bread was about sharing a meal and providing a need, not about communion.
In Paul’s case, he was trying to encourage a group of sailors who had been through a horrendous storm and were unsure if they would make it out alive. Paul assured them they would, and he encouraged them to eat. He prayed and gave thanks, like Jesus did, and then they shared food together. Again, even though the text mentions breaking bread, it is clear it has nothing to do with communion.
What Should Christians Remember about the Breaking of Bread for Communion?
When we come together to break bread for communion, we must recognize this is not to be viewed as another meal and should not be taken lightly. Most churches today rarely celebrate communion in conjunction with a congregational meal. They typically do it as part of the worship service, and the only thing shared are the communion elements. Today those elements are usually some form of cracker or wafer and grape juice, instead of bread and wine. However, just as the bread and wine represented his body and blood and were not actually his body and blood, the elements used today are just the same.
In 1 Corinthians 11:17-34, Paul outlines some guidelines for how we should approach communion. Here are a few highlights:
- Communion should be a time of reverence where we acknowledge the body and blood of Jesus, broken and shed for us.
- Communion should be a time of remembrance where we consider the great sacrifice Jesus made to make our salvation possible.
- Communion should be a time of repentance where we examine our hearts.
- Communion should be done in a spirit of unity as we are celebrating together the work Christ did for us.
When these things are not present, even if you break bread and eat the communion elements, you are not having communion.
What Does the Breaking of Bread Teach Us about Hospitality and Fellowship?
If we use the first-century church as the model, we must remember that the breaking of bread was essential to the church’s growth.
“All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people . . .” (Acts 2:44-47a)
From these verses, we see the picture of a group of believers who were united. There was a bond of unity and fellowship that spread throughout the group. They came together in prayer; they cared for each other, broke bread together, and shared meals. Sharing meals was not only evidence they had a genuine love for each other. It showed they enjoyed being with each other. We all know you rarely invite people into your home or share a meal with a person you don’t like. The love of God in their hearts was seen in their continued hospitality towards each other and their fellowship. As a result, here is what happened.
“And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47b)
I come across many people who are concerned about the direction our culture is going. It feels as if more people are growing hostile towards the gospel. The first-century church experienced hostility, yet we see many were still being saved. Here is a lesson I believe we can take from this. Maybe a key to opening people’s hearts to at least hear the gospel is through the breaking of bread. What if we, the church, commit to God’s word, prayer, and the act of fellowship where we break bread together in one accord? It certainly changed the people in the first century. I have a suspicion it would still have the same effect today.
Photo Credit: ©iStock/Getty Images Plus/Andrey Zhuravlev
This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy to read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. It is our hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in relation to your life today.
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