Breaking Bread

A message from Acts 2:42 by Phil Rogers 18/10/07

To listen to Phil's message click here mp3

1. Breaking Bread Meal
The main setting in which these early believers enjoyed fellowship was over a meal. Sharing meals has always been a very important part of Jewish family and community life and special blessings are said to start and end every meal. In Jesus' days the term 'breaking bread' was their evening meal, when the whole family and friends would sit or recline around the table and to eat their main meal of the day. It was an unhurried affair. While the food was an essential ingredient, the meal was more about being together and talking round the table, than simply filling one's stomach. Every meal included bread and red wine. At the beginning of the meal the bread was broken and blessed by the head of the household or an invited guest, after which he tasted a piece of the bread and then everyone else would break a piece from the loaf and taste a bit before continuing the meal.

2. The Sabbath Meal
The Friday evening (Shabbat) meal was a special festive meal with extra blessings, prayers and songs. The wife lit candles to welcome the Sabbath just as the sun set. When all were seated the father gave four blessings, the first was sung, shalom aleichem - peace to you, secondly he blessed each of his children, then his wife and then any visitors, thirdly he blessed the wine (which also blessed the whole Sabbath) and finally he broke and blessed the bread with the words "Blessed are You, O Lord our God, King of the Universe, who has brought forth bread from the earth." After he tasted his bread he then passed the loaf round then the meal continued.

3. Passover
Every year Jews celebrate the deliverance of their nation from Egypt with a Passover meal to remember when the angel of death 'passed over' every Hebrew home where lamb's blood was painted on the door posts, but killed every first born male in every house without the blood. It was likely during the Passover (seder) meal that Jesus took the bread and wine and said it 'this is my body and my blood' and told them to 'do this in memory of me', what is called the Last Supper. Some churches will therefore break bread only once a year at Easter or at the Jewish Passover. But that is hardly in keeping with 'devoting themselves to .. breaking bread' or 'day by day .. breaking bread in their homes they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart'. This cannot mean remembering Jesus at Passover once a year. Jesus said 'as often as you do this do it in remembrance of me' which was understood by these earliest believers to mean every meal time when they would always remember Jesus, Their regular meals together were called 'love feasts'.

The Development of the Eucharist
While bread and wine were part of almost every main meal, Gentiles had no understanding of the Jewish traditions and so they separated bread & wine from the meal and re-enacted Jesus taking bread and wine in their worship meetings. This, combined with elements from popular Bacchanalian rites, became the Eucharist and eventually developed into the catholic 'mass'. I don't want to spend time going in to all this, but just to say that at the Reformation the Eucharist or communion was hardly reformed at all. The church continued to practice a religious rite and never did restore the NT 'love feasts'. Communion was still like a ritual conducted in church services. like the mass. Even traditional Baptist communion follows a pattern which bears no resemblance to, or has any affinity with the way these early disciples 'broke bread', and about which they were so passionate. Moishe Rosen, founder of Jews for Jesus, after becoming a believer was invited to his first communion service in a Baptist church. “I asked what communion was. They said, “It is a little like your Passover service.” So that Sunday morning I skipped breakfast to save room. I came looking forward to Gefilte Fish, Brisket, Carrot Tzimmes, and the whole schmear, only to be crestfallen with the appearance of the thimble of grape juice and the tiny square of bread. “Just like Gentiles,” I thought.”

So how do we recapture NT breaking of bread? I had my first glimpse when I went on an OM mission in France. At every meal we had French bread which the farmer blessed and then broke and we all took a chunk, tasted it and then continued with our meal which was more about fellowship than about food. Meal times are perfect opportunities to not only feed our bodies but also feed our hearts and minds. Today many families eat while they watch TV. But what sort of food for the soul is TV? Sitting round a table and talking while we eat is a way to build relationships, family and community. I had a school friend from a large Brethren family. I loved going to his house and eating with them. Round the table we discussed world issues and theological topics, read scripture and talked about the Lord as we ate. The food always seemed to stretch to the many guests who turned up at their table on a daily basis. As a family we had those who regularly joined our meal times. Uncle Bert came once a week, Colin & Diana always ate with us every Wednesday. Sundays we often had a house full. New people who came to church were invited back to lunch, not just with us. When we came to Bracknell and then Ascot we found a different culture - there was very little of this sort of hospitality and we soon fell into line. We had people round for meals but didn't always get invited back - I was told that people were intimidated by my cooking skills!! We were invited to the Jones' and John said, we'll buy some fish and chips! I was really looking forward to fish and chips, but Heather had cooked a roast, which was great! Younger folk are quite happy getting together with a take-away or pizza, because it is not about the food, it is about the fellowship. This is why Alpha is such a success - food relaxes people and enables them to talk and get to know each other.

How can we be devoted to breaking bread?
1. We don't need bread & wine to 'break bread'. We are not Jews and we don't follow Jewish rites. We don't usually eat bread or drink wine with our meals only with a special meal. In our culture the only meal rites we have are saying grace and raising our glasses - so let us do these in honour of the Lord.
2. When we invite people to share a meal let us avoid always inviting those we know well. This can become cliquey, and does not help us build relationships with others in the 'family'. Remember those alone.
3. Don't worry too much about the food, which can be very simple. Let's get take-aways or let good cooks use their skills, as long as it is all about fellowship.
4. Talk about spiritual things, we can even read the word and pray - keep it natural don't go all religious.