Topical Bible: Symbols and Similitudes: Bread

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Bread holds a significant place in the biblical narrative, serving as a powerful symbol and similitude throughout Scripture. It represents sustenance, provision, and the presence of God in the lives of His people. From the Old Testament to the New Testament, bread is used to convey spiritual truths and divine promises.

Old Testament Significance

In the Old Testament, bread is often associated with God's provision. One of the earliest mentions is in Genesis 3:19, where God tells Adam, "By the sweat of your brow you will eat your bread until you return to the ground." Here, bread symbolizes the sustenance that comes through human labor, a reminder of the fall and the curse upon the ground.

The most notable instance of bread as divine provision is the manna in the wilderness. In Exodus 16:4, the LORD says to Moses, "Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you." This miraculous provision of manna sustained the Israelites during their 40 years in the desert, symbolizing God's faithfulness and care. The manna is later referred to as "the bread of angels" in Psalm 78:25, highlighting its heavenly origin.

Bread also plays a central role in the rituals and offerings of the Old Testament. The showbread, or "bread of the Presence," was placed on the table in the Tabernacle as a perpetual offering before the LORD (Exodus 25:30). This bread symbolized the covenant relationship between God and Israel, representing His continual presence and provision.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, bread takes on a deeper spiritual meaning, particularly in the teachings of Jesus Christ. In the Gospel of John, Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life" (John 6:35). This statement follows the miraculous feeding of the 5,000, where Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed a multitude. Here, bread becomes a metaphor for Jesus Himself, the true sustenance and source of eternal life.

The Lord's Prayer, as recorded in Matthew 6:11, includes the petition, "Give us this day our daily bread." This request acknowledges God as the provider of both physical and spiritual nourishment, emphasizing reliance on Him for daily needs.

The Last Supper further elevates the symbolism of bread. During this pivotal event, Jesus breaks bread with His disciples, saying, "This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22:19). The bread, now a symbol of Christ's body, becomes central to the practice of Communion, a sacrament commemorating His sacrificial death and the new covenant established through His blood.

Bread as a Symbol of Fellowship and Unity

Bread also symbolizes fellowship and unity among believers. In Acts 2:42, the early church is described as devoting themselves to "the breaking of bread and to prayer." This breaking of bread signifies communal worship and the sharing of life together in Christ.

The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, writes, "Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one loaf." Here, bread represents the unity of believers as one body in Christ, sharing in His life and mission.

Conclusion

Throughout Scripture, bread serves as a profound symbol of God's provision, presence, and the spiritual nourishment found in Christ. It is a reminder of the sustenance that God provides, both physically and spiritually, and a call to unity and fellowship among His people.

Nave's Topical Index

Matthew 26:26
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
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Mark 14:22
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
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Luke 22:19
And he took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
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Library

Clement of Alexandria.
... Bread, symbol of the Word, 221. ... quoted, 384-385, 403. Similitudes in instruction,
use of, 281. ... Symbols, Pythagorean, in philosophic proverbs, 450. ...
/.../clement/who is the rich man that shall be saved/clement of alexandria.htm

Of the Sacraments.
... fire gives warmth to the world, and yet bread, sun, and ... They add similitudes, in
order to make the matter more ... by a ring, so we wear our symbols to distinguish ...
/.../the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 14 of the sacraments.htm

Letter Lv. Replies to Questions of Januarius.
... devoutness of spirit, we accept similitudes adapted to ... has prescribed, such as water,
bread, wine, and ... like manner, whensoever illustrative symbols are borrowed ...
/.../augustine/the confessions and letters of st/letter lv replies to questions.htm

Of the Five Sacraments, Falsely So Called. Their Spuriousness ...
... mean person among laics, who gains his bread by so ... receive the patena with the host,
as symbols of the ... All the parables and similitudes in Scripture will be so ...
/.../calvin/the institutes of the christian religion/chapter 19 of the five.htm

Formula Concordi??.
... which merely repeats more fully the same articles, and fortifies them by ample
quotations from the Scriptures, the fathers, the older Lutheran symbols, and the ...
/.../schaff/the creeds of the evangelical protestant churches/formula concordiae.htm

The Talking Book
... footsteps of His approaching advent in the symbols of the ... It feeds us on bread broken
down to our ... to be conceived of as though such similitudes were literal ...
//christianbookshelf.org/spurgeon/sermons on proverbs/the talking book.htm

The Talking Book
... footsteps of His approaching advent in the symbols of the ... It feeds us on bread broken
down to our ... to be conceived of as though such similitudes were literal ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 17 1871/the talking book.htm

Dialogue i. --The Immutable.
... Himself a vine, dignified the visible symbols by the ... 1028] and in another place
"the bread that I ... invented the ogdoads and tetrads and similitudes are proved ...
/.../theodoret/the ecclesiastical history of theodoret/dialogue i the immutable.htm