Biblical Definition Of

BREAD

To people in Bible times, bread was a basic part of the daily food. In everyday speech they often spoke of food in general as bread (Ps 37:25; Prov 31:27; Eccles 9:7; Isa 30:20; Matt 6:11; 2 Thess 3:8).

Manna, that unusual food that God provided for the Israelites on their journey from Egypt to Canaan, was known as ‘bread from heaven’ (Exod 16:4; John 6:31). Jesus spoke of this bread as a picture of himself, the true bread from heaven. He came from God as God’s provision for the world’s spiritually needy people. He alone can bring salvation, and he alone can guarantee believers victory over death (John 6:32-40). This provision of salvation through Jesus is possible only because Jesus gave himself in sacrifice. By accepting the benefits of this sacrifice for themselves by faith, people can have eternal life (John 6:48-58).

Jesus also used literal bread as a symbol of his sacrifice. He told his disciples to eat bread and drink wine together, as a remembrance of him and as an expression of their unity with him and with one another (Matt 26:26-29; 1 Cor 10:16; 11:23-26).