Journal: Journal of the Grace Evangelical Society
Volume: JOTGES 35:68 (Spring 2022)
Article: The Table Of The Lord, Part 3
Author: Eric Svendsen

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The Table Of The Lord, Part 31

Eric Svendsen

I. The Meaning Of “To Break Bread”

The meal instituted by Jesus for His church goes by a variety of titles in the NT, including Lord’s Supper and Agape. Another designation is “the breaking of bread.” It eventually came to refer to the meal proper, at least in Christian circles.

There is general agreement among scholars that the phrase “break bread” refers in the NT to participation in an entire meal.2 Most of the references to the phrase “break bread” come from Luke’s writings.

A. The Meaning Of “To Break Bread” In Acts

Luke uses the phrase “break bread” five times in Acts. Four of these include probable references to the Lord’s Supper, while the last is more likely a common meal. It is all but certain that, in the former, Luke uses this phrase as a virtual synonym for the eucharistic meal.3

B. Evidence For A Sole Tradition4

While we may appreciate the differences that we encounter in the various Last Supper accounts, as well as the attempt to explain these differences, it must be noted that variations in how an event has been

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handed down do not necessarily imply different traditions. Several factors must be kept in mind when wading through these variations. First, not everything that Jesus said at the Last Supper was recorded. Second, it cannot be ruled out a priori that Jesus may very well have spoken all of the recorded sayings at various stages in the meal. On this view it is quite possible that Jesus Himself elaborated on initial statements at the request of His disciples.

Some differences may be due to each writer’s explanation of the obvious intent of Jesus. For instance, it is not difficult to see how the phrase “poured out for many” could be interpreted by another writer as “for the forgiveness of sins.” There is no substantial difference in meaning between the two phrases. Other differences may be due to the natural semantic field which each writer would encounter when translating Jesus’ words from Aramaic to Greek.5 Though the accounts are independent narratives, all of them “descended from the same original tradition.”6

The term “break bread,” when used in the context of the Christian as...