“Breaking bread” in the New Testament

[BartholomewB]

I have the impression that in the Gospels and Epistles, the expression “breaking bread” is never used in connection with a normal meal. Is this correct? I want to use this argument on another website against an SDA who claims that, when Paul is in Troas in Acts 20:7-12, “breaking bread” means nothing more than having dinner or supper. I think he is wrong, but it’s not easy to prove that. The importance of this passage, in the SDA context, is that it shows that already at the time of Paul’s missionary journeys Sunday (“the first day”) had replaced Saturday as the day set apart by Christians for worshiping God.

There are several meals in the Gospels, such as the wedding at Cana in John 2, Jesus dining at the house of a Pharisee (Matt 23, Mark 12, Luke 11), Jesus dining with Mary and Martha in Bethany (Luke 10), and Herod’s birthday party (Matt 14, Mark 6). The words “breaking bread” are not found in any of these episodes. It appears only in very special circumstances:

• The two miracles of the loaves and fish:

Matt 14:19, 15:36
Mark 8:6, 8:19

• The Last Supper and the Institution of the Eucharist:

Matt 26:26, Mark 14:22, Luke 22:19, 1 Cor 10:16, 11:24

• The Road to Emmaus:

Luke 24:30-35

In Acts, also, the term is used very sparingly, in fact only four times altogether, and again only in special circumstances, never in the course of a normal meal. Here are the three passages in full:

• After Pentecost (Acts 2:43-47):

43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 And all who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they sold their possessions and goods and distributed them to all, as any had need. 46 And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes , they partook of food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.

[cont.]

 

[BartholomewB]

[cont.]

• Paul and Luke in Troas (Acts 20: 7-12):

7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread , Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the morrow; and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8 There were many lights in the upper chamber where we were gathered. 9 And a young man named Eutychus was sitting in the window. He sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer; and being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead. 10 But Paul went down and bent over him, and embracing him said, “Do not be alarmed, for his life is in him.” 11 And when Paul had gone up and had broken bread and eaten, he conversed with them a long while, until daybreak, and so departed. 12 And they took the lad away alive, and were not a little comforted.

• The storm at sea (Acts 27: 33-38):

33 As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, “Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. 34 Therefore I urge you to take some food; it will give you strength, since not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you.” 35 And when he had said this, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. 36 Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. 37 (We were in all two hundred and seventy-six persons in the ship.) 38 And when they had eaten enough, they lightened the ship, throwing out the wheat into the sea.

In the Troas episode, the point I want to make is that Paul is not simply having a snack, he is celebrating the Eucharist. Is there any way I can confirm this?

 

[DIERM]

“Breaking Bread” just indicates a meal being shared, in community…so it is fitting terminology for sharing a common meal with others, and clearly is fitting terminology for the Last Supper and subsequent sacramental eucharistic meals we, as a community share at the Mass.

 

[BartholomewB]

Thank you, @DIERM. What is your reading of the Troas episode (Acts 20: 7-12)? Were Paul and the others celebrating the Eucharist, or were they just having a meal together?

 

[Gorgias]

What is your reading of the Troas episode (Acts 20: 7-12)? Were Paul and the others celebrating the Eucharist, or were they just having a meal together?

Eucharist. Notice that they gathered “to break bread”, but they didn’t do so until after midnight. Moreover, when we see them finally doing it, there’s a very deliberate statement that Paul “broke the bread”; something is going on here, over and above a simple meal.

 

[DIERM]

What is your reading of the Troas episode (Acts 20: 7-12)? Were Paul and the others celebrating the Eucharist, or were they just having a meal together?

I believe they were celebrating the eucharist. This is based on the opening of verse 7 which states “On the first day of the week”. The seventh day of the week, which would be the Jewish Sabbath, was the day God rested after his creative endeavors. The first day, or day of the new creation and the day of the Lord’s resurrection would become the Lord’s Day, which would be a fitting day to celebrate the eucharist.

 

[BartholomewB]

Eucharist.

I believe they were celebrating the eucharist.

Yes, that’s what I think, too. It’s what the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church both teach, among many others. My difficulty here is finding an argument that will be effective in a debate with a follower of a church that teaches the opposite, in this case a Seventh Day Adventist. The Troas episode in Acts 20 can be read in both ways, if the reader is sufficiently determined – as the SDAs clearly are – to dismiss the Catholic interpretation of Luke’s words.

 

[Gorgias]

The Troas episode in Acts 20 can be read in both ways, if the reader is sufficiently determined – as the SDAs clearly are – to dismiss the Catholic interpretation of Luke’s words.

I guess they’d have to explain why, if Paul came “to break bread”, he preached all day and all night – and even preached again after the breaking of bread (that only took place at midnight)!