The Breaking Of The Bread

by T.W. Fullerton | Category: General | Feb 1956

"This do in remembrance of Me" (Luke 22.19) was the commandment of the Lord Jesus on the night of His betrayal, to which every disciple, whose spirit has been touched with the longing words of the Lord, will gladly respond. Yet around this ordinance of the remembrance of the Lord Jesus has been erected a maze of human tradition and superstition.

We wish to make it clear that we understand the Breaking of the Bread to be an ordinance pertaining to the house of God, and that the house of God is composed of living stones (1 Peter 2.5) builded together, seen in the churches of God, which churches were divinely linked together under a united oversight (1 Peter 5.1-5), in order to carry out the revealed will of God. The house of God is "pillar and ground of the Truth" (1 Timothy 3.15).

To understand aright the beauty and simplicity of this ordinance we must look at those scriptures which record its institution, namely, Matthew 26.20-28; Mark 14. 22-24; Luke 22.19-21, and 1 Corinthians ii. 20-84. It will be noted that Matthew and Mark make no mention of the thought of remembrance, but confine their account to the actual eating and drinking of the loaf and cup: Luke, however, omits reference to the eating and drinking, and lays emphasis on what is to be done in remembrance of Him. In 1 Corinthians 11. Paul, by direct revelation from the Lord, gathers all together, and brings out the significance of each action. He said, "For I received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, how that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread (a bat); and when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, This is My body, which is for you: this do in remembrance of Me. In like manner also the cup, after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood:

this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink the cup, ye proclaim the Lord's death till He come."

What is the import of the words " This do"? Read and pondered apart from the traditions and practices of men, it is clear that they refer to something other than to eating and drinking.

The Lord Jesus TOOK BREAD (a loaf):

HE GAVE THANKS, HE BRAKE IT

and said,

"This is My body, which is for you.

THIS DO in remembrance of Me."

"In like manner also the cup" implies that there were actions in connexion with the cup corresponding to the actions associated with the loaf, so that the Lord Jesus took THE CUP,

HE GAVE THANKS, HE POURED OUT

saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood, this do, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." Then, in verse 26, we are told that,

Ye proclaim the Lord's death till He come."

The order of the actions shows forth beautifully the work of the Lord Jesus: His incarnation, His joy in doing His Father's will, the wounding and bruising at Calvary. It is evident, therefore, that to carry out the Lord's expressed desire, one of the assembled company, on behalf of the rest, must do as the Lord did-take in his hands the loaf, and later the cup, give thanks on behalf of the assembly, break the bread and pour out the cup. There is no "clerical" act herein, as some suggest, but simple compliance with the Lord's words and actions, and the brother who so acts may be any spiritual brother in the assembly whose heart is in tune with these soul stirring words, "This do in remembrance of Me."

In the days of Hezekiah there were times of reviving in Judah, and as the passover was kept after a lapse of many years, there were some who did "eat the passover otherwise than it is written," and irregularities were through grace pardoned (2 Chronicles 30.18-20), but it would have been very wrong to have continued thus, year after year, with the opening up of fresh light and truth from the law of the LORD.

Early brethren of 100-120 years ago, in their reaction from clerisy adopted a "freedom" which should have been corrected by further light.

One from any part of the gathered company could stand up where he was and give thanks for the bread; another would go forward to the table and hand the loaf-broken or unbroken-to the one who would commence the passing of it round the assembled company. Another could stand up in some other part of the company and give thanks for the cup, another go forward and hand the cup-poured or unpoured from the table; but to continue this, which is no more than following the traditions of early brethren, is to indicate that there has been failure to understand the words of the Lord. "This do, in remembrance of Me."

The true disciple will long to do this both in the place which God has chosen, His house, and in the way set forth by the Lord Himself.

T.W. Fullerton | Feb 1956
General