The Breaking of Bread

The breaking of bread is important in the gathering of the early christian in their fellowship with Christ.

At first glance, the breaking of bread would mean sharing of meals together, each one receiving foods from one another. 

It's like the boodle fight which is a military style of eating where long tables are prepared and food are on top of the banana leaves. 

Viands and rice ready to eat using your bare hands, jugs of water are prepared on the side to wash hands before the "eating combat". With the signal to start the boodle fight, everyone aims for his/her position.

But what is the basis of today's breaking of bread done religiously during a fellowship within the church?

1 Cor 11:23 For I have received from the Lord, that which also I delivered to you, That the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread:

1 Cor 11:24 And when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1 Cor 11:25  After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

1 Cor 11:26  For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he shall come.

1 Cor 11:27  Wherefore, whoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

1 Cor 11:28  But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.

1 Cor 11:29  For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh condemnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

Come to think of it, if the breaking of bread is eating of meals until midnight then they are wasting their time staying together.

Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached to them (ready to depart on the morrow) and continued his speech until midnight. 

To know more of Christ teachings that comes from the father himself is to break his gospel piece by piece and we can not do this if we just eat meals and literally drink his blood.

Lk 24:35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known to them in breaking of bread.

What comes in the mouth goes in the toilet and what goes in the heart by hearing the word of God makes him a better person and a chance to become a children of God.

Mt 15:17 Do ye not yet understand, that whatever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?

Mk 7:19 Because it entereth not into his heart, but into the belly, and goeth out into the draught, purging all kinds of food. 

Mk 7:20 And he said, That which cometh out of the man, that defileth the man. 

Mk 7:21 For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,

Mk 7:22 Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness;

Mk 7:23 All these evil things come from within, and defile the man. 

The bread are the teachings and the cup of blood are the sufferings that goes with it in following Christ. Logically, we can not be justified by eating bread inside the church coming from supermarket and bakery for we have houses to eat and to drink.

Pleasure

War, family dispute, grievance, controversy, quarrel, fighting are just the end result of the wars fought within our body.

Jas 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even from your lusts that war in your members?

In the above instance, evidently, the flesh won against the spirit.

Gal 5:17 For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other; so that ye cannot do the things that ye would.

Remember that the Children of God don't wrestle against flesh and blood nor use force to enforce personal interest.

Eph 6:12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

Killing will not save the body from eternal punishment, it is the doing of the flesh that we are to get rid of or kill. 

Col 3:5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; lewdness, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry:

1 Cor 5:11 But now I have written to you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother is a lewd person, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner: with such person no not to eat.

The truth is, we must take wrong  and suffer ourselves to be defrauded by the so called brethren.

In a husband & wife relationship for example, each one has its own personal opinion unacceptable to the other. One has to give in for the issue to be resolved, otherwise something worst might happen. Giving in indeed is not a sign of being weak in the hope that he/she will realize later his/her wrong doings.

1 Cor 6:7 Now therefore there is utterly a fault among you, because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded?

The resulting controversy however, grieve the Holy Spirit of God that might leave us groping in the dark.

Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed to the day of redemption.

There is no better things done by man under the sun. Everything is done in satisfying the lusts of the flesh.

Eccles 8:15 Then I commended mirth, because a man hath no better thing under the sun, than to eat, and to drink, and to be merry: for that shall abide with him of his labor the days of his life, which God giveth him under the sun.

Saving for incoming birthday, blessing of the house, feast in honor of whomsoever & such other vainly provisions are for the lusts of the flesh.

Rom 13:14 But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the lusts of flesh.

Even at this instance alone we will know who is the children of God & who is not. For they that loveth pleasure are the children of the devil.

1 Jn 3:9 Whoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.

1 Jn 3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.

Loot

Before its a fiery fight. Man against man, kingdom against kingdom, descendants against descendants. Fight between life and death against flesh and blood. The winner will plunder everything including wife, sons & daughters and servants of the loser.

Those who are with the Lord are of great advantage so they are commanded to give to their brethren and to the Levites (the priest at that time) 10% of the loot including the income derived from it.

Josh 22:8 and spoke to them, saying, “Return with much riches to your tents, with very much livestock, with silver, with gold, with bronze, with iron, and with very much clothing. Divide the spoil of your enemies with your brethren.”

Even the Levites who received the 10% of the loot will give the 10% of the 10% to the lord.

Neh 10:38 And the priest, the descendant of Aaron, shall be with the Levites when the Levites receive tithes; and the Levites shall bring up a tenth of the tithes to the house of our God, to the rooms of the storehouse.

Now, is the 10% still applicable?

Heb 7:12 For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.

And this is the new law by our new priest Jesus Christ.

2 Cor 9:7 So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver.

For there will be no priest that will again rise because Christ has an unchangeable priesthood.

Heb 7:24 But He, because He continues forever, has an unchangeable priesthood.

How about the fiery fight against flesh and blood, is it still applicable?

Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.

We don't struggle physically but to reason and righteousness. Can we fight Satan and his cohorts with deadly weapons like guns or spears? Remember that they are eternal because they are spirits.

Because of this, we should put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground. This is what we all suppose to have as a faithful Christian.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having girded your waist with truth, having put on the breastplate of righteousness,

Eph 6:15 and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

Eph 6:16 above all, taking the shield of faith with which you will be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one.

Eph 6:17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God;

Eph 6:18 praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—

And Apostle Paul said.

Eph 6:19 and for me, that utterance may be given to me, that I may open my mouth boldly to make known the mystery of the gospel,

Eph 6:20 for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.