20. Bread and Wine: Sweet Significance

As I was reading in the book of Ruth in my ESV Bible, I was surprised to find that Ruth 2:14 reads like this: …“Come here and eat some bread and dip your morsel in the wine.” Here God allows us to peer in on an ordinary meal with Boaz and the reapers. Yet this was no ordinary meal for Ruth: it was a meeting with her redeemer; and when he “reached her parched corn”, that hand that so graciously offered was a delight to one who was self-named a “stranger”. This was a delightful time of fellowship for Ruth, and she would enjoy such for many a day thereafter as she grew to appreciate this kind and mighty man of wealth, her future bridegroom.

The Lord Jesus chose simple, ordinary tokens in an upper room one night– yet this was no ordinary supper either. This was a supper of tremendous significance.

[Passover Supper] “And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him.  And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:  For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.  And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves:  For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.”

[Lord’s Supper] “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.  Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.”
Luke 22:14-20

In this scene we are witnessing a transformation: the shadows of law are fading in the light of the presence of Christ. The Passover lamb (Exodus 12) is now being replaced with God’s Lamb (John 1). The many sacrifices are now swallowed up in God’s one perfect Sacrifice for sin. “Remembrance of sins” (Heb 10:3) is now “Remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19).

As we commence this meditation, it is interesting to note other references to bread and wine in the Scriptures (not a complete listing):

• First mention (bread): Gen. 3:19 “In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread” – connected with the sin of Adam
  First mention (wine): Gen. 9:21-24 – connected with the sin of Lot’s daughters
• Second mention of bread & wine (first mention together): Gen. 14:18 – “the King of Salem brought out bread and wine” – connected with priesthood
• Gen. 27:28 – blessing for Jacob
• Deut. 29:6, Judges 19:19, 1Sam. 16:20, 2Sam. 16:1 – provision
• 1Chron 12:40, 16:3 – feasting
• Psalm 104:15 – Joy & Strength
• Prov. 4:17, Hosea 9:4 – symbols marred by sin
• The Greek word for “Bread” is found 99 times in our NT as far as I can tell. “Cup” and “Wine” are both found 33 times.
• I have also considered a stark contrast in Psalm 69:21-22 (Matt 27:34): The Lord served the bread and wine of joy and communion to those at His table. The Lord’s persecutors served Him poison, bitterness, sourness and pain at their table.

This is food for thought. I value your meditations on these references. I appreciate the fact that what was first marred by sin the Lord has restored. He has chosen to use simple, common elements to teach us high, spiritual truths.

What are we to learn about the significance bread and wine in relation to the Lord’s supper?

1Corinthians 10: 16-17 tells us that the Singleness of the loaf is significant of the unity of the body of Christ and of our united participation in the enjoyment of what Christ is to us, which flows from the gift of His body and blood for us. We unitedly express that we benefit from His body given and His blood shed, and that we are one in Him, our risen Head.  “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?  For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.”

1 Corinthians 11:23-27 further helps us: 
“For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.” (v23-24)

Here the Lord gives us the symbology of the bread and wine. The bread represents His body. The cup of wine represents His blood and a new covenant that is based upon His once-for-all sacrifice, a sacrifice that has finally and perfectly satisfied God in regard to our sins. The Lord uses a metaphor to strengthen the symbol in our minds. I personally believe that we should treat these emblems just as we would treat His body and blood. We are to treat this feast with reverance and awe. We know that they are not His literal body and blood because He was bodily in their presence when He instituted the supper. It was very common for the Lord to make a statement like this. For instance, He used metaphors for Himself such as “I am the door” (John 10) to give us vivid illustrations of who He is. He is not literally a door, and yet He is the only way to heaven. In symbol, He is a door. Likewise, in symbol, the bread and wine vividly bring to our minds His body and blood, and we express our connection with His literal body and blood by partaking of these emblems.

The bread is linked with Christ’s sufferings. We each break the bread, acknowledging that He was broken for me personally; that His sufferings were necessary because of my personal sin.

As well, we see the significance of these emblems: they are to be “in remembrance of Me”. Though simple bread and wine, the Lord Jesus has given them great significance and meaning, and thus we must not treat them lightly. We must remember their significance as we partake of them.

“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 oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.” (v25-26)

We shew the Lord’s death while partaking of the Lord’s supper. We proclaim it to the Father. We proclaim it to angels, and we proclaim it to those looking on. Christ has died. He has won the victory. He has ascended on high. And God is satisfied. Hallelujah!

“Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (v 26-27)

Here we see the solemnity connected with the partaking of the emblems. We have a high, yet holy priviledge to do so. “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.” (1Cor. 5:8)

So just as Ruth enjoyed sitting at the table of her redeemer, may we also enjoy united fellowship one with another as we unite to bless the Father for our Redeemer, His matchless, beloved Son, who has given Himself for us as an offering and a sacrifice, a sweet savour to God. As we view the simplicity of the emblems, may we not forget the sweetness of the Person in our midst of whom they speak.

~NB