Messiah, offering Himself as the Passover Lamb of God, so whomsoever will repent, and believe on Him may walk free from sin and death, our Lord Jesus instituted Breaking of Bread the night before He gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of God and our Father. John 3:16 and Galatians 1:4.
God’s desire to see judgment begin in the house of the Lord, 1 Peter 4:17, clearly revealed in many of our Lord Jesus’ statements advocating division rather than peace, Luke 12:51, a separation of the sheep and the goats as the harvest approaches, is the reality we face as Christians living in the third millennium after our Lord. Judgment of ourselves that we walk worthy of the Kingdom, 1 Thessalonians 2:12, with thanksgiving for the new covenant between God and man, made by God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ with His own blood, Matthew 26:28, Acts 20:28, Hebrews 9:12, 13:12, and Revelation 1:5, being central to this study, it follows man’s gratitude to God is to abound in the lives of disciples participating in the breaking of bread. Done in such manner that believers may know, and recognize one another, and therefore identify the Body of Christ, it is of utmost importance the breaking of bread is conducted properly, without fault.
The primary operatives being judgment of oneself in self-examination before participation, discernment of The Body of Christ, and thanksgiving, we wait for one another before we eat. 1 Corinthians 11:33. The symbolism of unleavened bread, leaven being symbolic of corruption, unity in The Body of Christ is the critical focus, therefore we wait, until all have prayed, and given thanks. Then together as one body, we declare our allegiance to Christ, and one another by eating The Lord’s supper together. We do this to remember our Lord Jesus’ death for us in renewed commitment to God, and one another until our Lord’s return. In fellowship with God and each other, our lives are lived for God, and one another. Vividly portrayed by many scriptures, it is unacceptable to have any partake of that bread, (The Body of Christ), and that wine, (The blood of Christ), unworthily. Such as do, eat and drink damnation to themselves, 1 Corinthians 11:29, and cause The Body of Christ, (The Church), to be weak and sickly. 1 Corinthians 11:30.
Allowing The Word to minister directly to us in this vital doctrine, 1 Corinthians 11 is clear on the matter. Teaching us that men do not to cover their heads when they pray or prophecy, but that women do, and that there is no other practice in The Church, 1 Corinthians 11:16 NIV, we are taught the Corinthian Church came together not for the better, but the worse, 1 Corinthians 11:17 KJV. Continuing in verses 18 and 19 to teach divisions existed, and therefore heresies were among them that those ordained might be made manifest, verse 20 states, “when ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper”. In the center margin of the old 1611 King James the alternative meaning says, “it is not possible” to eat The Lord’s Supper! Understanding the scriptures on the matter, The Lord’s Supper is reserved for those in the faith of Jesus, all being of one mind, and in one accord. Acts 2:46 read with Luke 24:30-35, it is evident The Lord’s Supper is reserved for smaller gatherings of believers, for where two or three are gathered together in Christ’s name, there our Lord Jesus will be in the midst of us. Matthew 18:20.
Examining ourselves in self judgment before eating the flesh, and drinking the blood of Christ, requires little further teaching. Discerning the Body of Christ is different. What does the scripture mean “not discerning The Lord’s Body? 1 Corinthians 11:29.
Dictionary study of the word “discern” reveals it means “to make out, to distinguish by the eye or understanding”. Discernment, means the “power or faculty of discriminating: judgment: acuteness. (L. discernere – dis thoroughly, and cernere, to sift, perceive)”. Discriminating means “noting distinctions: gifted with judgment and penetration”. Using Chambers 20th Century Dictionary to get a better understanding of “not discerning The Lord’s Body”, we can see the primary precept when participating at The Lord’s table, is to “make out”, and “distinguish with the eye”, The Church!
Very clearly, “The Church”, or “The Body of Christ”, must be understood. Cautioned wolves in sheep’s clothing would come in amongst us not sparing the flock, Matthew 17:15, and Acts 20:29, we need to know with whom we break bread, and this is only possible through watching with prayer, and waiting for one another, until all partaking have given thanks, that the Body of Christ may be known, identified, and thus discerned!
Our Lord’s joining Himself to the two who went to Emmaus confirms the teaching our Lord broke bread in a certain manner. They walked, and talked of Christ, and the redemption of Israel, their hearts burning within as our Lord expounded all things from the scriptures concerning Himself, how Christ should suffer, and be put to death, and be raised from the dead on the third day! Sharing the same faith, and convictions, the day being far spent, they asked Jesus to abide with them for it was toward evening, and as they sat at meat sharing all things, our Lord Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to them, and their eyes were opened, and they knew Him. Luke 24:31-35.
Joint commitment to Christ, and Christ’s purpose being the redemption of man, and the Kingdom of God coming to fill the entire earth for the millennial reign of Jesus with His saints in the Messianic age, there is no room for heresy or false teaching. Unity of faith, doctrine, and purpose being paramount, our understanding of the Greek root of the word fellowship, helps to fully understand the breaking of bread. By definition the Greek word koinonia means fellowship. It also means communion, joint participation, the share which one has in anything, a gift jointly contributed, a collection, a contribution. Embracing community, deeper meanings infer intercourse, intimacy, and sharing.
Having all things common Acts 2:42 and Acts 4:32, the early Church went from house to house continuing steadfastly in the apostle’s doctrine, in prayers, and in breaking of bread. Those ordained and approved of God would take that unleavened bread, and bless it, and after giving thanks, that bread would be broken in remembrance of Jesus, then each would take of it, and wait for each present to pray. They would watch one another, and carefully listen to the prayers of each present. After ensuring all present were in the common faith, Titus 1:4, they ate of that bread together as one body, in an act declaring their allegiance, and obedience to Christ. Similarly, the cup would be blessed, and after giving thanks, it would be passed, and each would give thanks to God for Christ’s blood shed for the remission of sins, and participate by drinking from that cup to remember God’s covenant with His chosen. Bringing all they had, holding nothing back, The Early Church embraced charity in communal living such that no one lacked anything. Acts 4:32.
Commanded to participate even as the Jews were commanded of God to keep the Passover, our Lord again divided the people with His doctrine saying He was the bread that came down from heaven, which if a man did eat, he shall not die, and except we eat His flesh, and drink His blood, we have no life in us, and many turned away from our Lord because of this doctrine. John 6:66.
Established on the night He was betrayed The Lord’s Supper is a commandment without time and place, except that it is during or after supper, 1 Corinthians 11;25, Matthew 26:26-28, Mark 14:22-24, Luke 22:19-20, and Luke 24:30, that we break bread in remembrance of Jesus as oft as we wish, understanding it is a solemn moment of personal reflection as to where we stand as individuals with our Lord Jesus Christ, and His “Body, The Church”!
By Lester Oliver Thomas Flock © 2020