The Bible uses the term “breaking bread” several times in the New Testament. There is a general practice in the professing church to define this term as relating to the Lord’s Supper (or “Eucharist” in Latin).

            While this term is used numerous times in the New Testament, the question arises as to whether this always (or even sometimes) referring to the Lord’s supper.  The Scriptures that follow are grouped into different times/events with the hope of giving us some clarity on just “what” is being referred to when the term “Lord’s Supper” is used.

            The first group of Scriptures labeled “At the Last Supper” identify the gathering of Jesus with his apostles shortly before he would be put on trial and then crucified. These accounts taken from Matthew, Luke and Mark clearly show that the words “broke” & “breaking” refer to the memorial we generally call the “Lord’s Supper”.  (These words of Jesus “Take it; this is My body” clearly cannot be taken literally since Jesus’ blood was still active within him. Therefore, we interpret this as being a symbolic statement. We will not address this subject in this writing.)
First: At the Last Supper:

  • Matthew 26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
  • Luke 24:30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them.
  • Luke 22:19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”
  • Mark 14:22 While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.”

Next: Jesus Feeding others & with the Disciples:

  • Luke 24:35 They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
  • Matthew 14:19 Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds, (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)
  • Matthew 15:36 and He took the seven loaves and the fish; and giving thanks, He broke them and started giving them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people. (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)
  • Mark 6:41 And He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food and broke the loaves and He kept giving them to the disciples to set before them; and He divided up the two fish among them all. (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)
  • Luke 9:16 Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed them, and broke them, and kept giving them to the disciples to set before the people. (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)
  • Luke 22:19 And when He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Again, Jesus’ had not yet been sacrificed, so this is interpreted as symbolic. However, this does relate to the Lord’s Supper/Communion memorial that would be celebrated by the coming church.)
  • Matthew 14:20 and they all ate and were satisfied. They picked up what was left over of the broken pieces, twelve full baskets. (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)
  • Mark 8:6 And He *directed the people to sit down on the ground; and taking the seven loaves, He gave thanks and broke them, and started giving them to His disciples to serve to them, and they served them to the people. (This obviously does not refer to the Lord’s Supper.)

Next: The Apostle’s (Paul’s) description of the Last Supper:

  • 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NIV For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

[At least two things should be noted in this Scripture. (1) “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” identifies this as a symbol of a “New Covenant” that supersedes the old covenant (The Old Testament) thus fulfilling Old Testament prophecies or promises. In other words, it symbolizes the Fulfillment of the Old testament.) (2) The term “do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”  implies a degree of frequency where we are to continually “remember” the Covenant God has made with Jesus’ followers.] (The term “breaking bread” is used in this reference as being the Lord’s Supper memorial.)

   Paul on his trip to Rome: (This obviously has nothing to do with the Lord’s Supper but is included since the term “he broke it” is found in Scripture.)

  • Acts 27:30-35 NIV In an attempt to escape from the ship, the sailors let the lifeboat down into the sea, pretending they were going to lower some anchors from the bow. Then Paul said to the centurion and the soldiers, “Unless these men stay with the ship, you cannot be saved.” So the soldiers cut the ropes that held the lifeboat and let it drift away Just before dawn Paul urged them all to eat. “For the last fourteen days,” he said, “you have been in constant suspense and have gone without food—you haven’t eaten anything. Now I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in front of them all. Then he broke it and began to eat.

Lastly: The Practice of the Early Disciples:

  • Acts 2:42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. [This reference “could” be referring to simply eating meals together “or” to the memorial “Lord’s Supper”. It is not clear which.]
  • Acts 2:46 Day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, [This appears to refer to “taking their meals together” rather than the Lord’s Supper memorial.]
  • Acts 20:7-11 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and he prolonged his message until midnight. There were many lamps in the upstairs room where we were meeting. Seated in a window was a young man named Eutychus, who was sinking into a deep sleep as Paul talked on and on. When he was sound asleep, he fell to the ground from the third story and was picked up dead. Paul went down, threw himself on the young man and put his arms around him. “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “He’s alive!” Then he went upstairs again and broke bread and ate. After talking until daylight, he left. [This appears to refer to eating a meal rather than the Lord’s Supper memorial.]
  • 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 “Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ? Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.” [This obviously is referring to the Lord’s Supper memorial.]

            The “bottom line” in this analysis is that the term “breaking bread” as used in the New Testament is used both in referring to “eating meals together” and when referring to taking “The Lord’s Supper” memorial. In “some instances” it is clear which is meant and in others it is not clear. Since the Scripture text in some instances is not clear, it appears that our individual views on the question is guided by the ‘tradition”in which we have been exposed or raised. Some of us have always viewed the account in Acts 2:42 as referring to the Lord’s Supper while others of us have referred to the following verses (Acts 2:46) as to simply eating meals together. These “occurrences” are different and the meaning of the term “breaking bread” may likewise have a different meaning.

            My personal view is that we should not dispute the question as to whether either interpretation should be applied in every instance where the term is used. When we gather together to celebrate the memorial of Jesus’ sacrificing his “body” (the bread) and “blood” (the fruit of the vine), we are told to “examine ourselves” to assure we are taking with the proper attitude. In doing so, Scripture indicates that our worthiness is not to be determined by others.

            The following Scripture may be good to remember and apply while addressing the meaning of the term “breaking bread”.

  • 2 Peter 1:20 NIV “Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet’s own interpretation of things.”

 

Just my personal thoughts,

James W. Rowe Aug. 13, 2026