Must We Use Unleavened Bread in The Lord's Supper

5/28/2016
MustWeUseUnleavenedBreadintheLordsSupper?|BuildingOldSchoolChurches
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Must We Use Unleavened Bread in the LordsSupper?

PostedonMarch5,2008byAndrewWebb
While many OSP churches have come round to using wine in the Lords Supper, there is a
commonmisunderstandingamongmanychurchesthatthekindofbreadweuseincommunion
should be unleavened. The biblical data does not support this position however, and the Old
SchoolPresbyterianconsensuswasalwaysthatthecommonleavenedbreadofoureverydayuse
wastheelementweshouldbeusingattheLordsSupper.
Leavenitselfisnotsinful,evenintheOldTestamentitwasusedintheworshipoftheLord.InLev.7:13and
Lev. 23:1617 worshippers were commanded to bring sacrifices of leavened bread to the Temple. In the New
Testament,leavenwasusedasananalogyforthegospelandthespreadofthekingdom(Matt.13:33,Luke13:21)
Although the Apostles were instructed by Christ to avoid the leaven of the Pharisees, Herodians, and Saducess,
whichwasareferencetotheirdoctrineandhypocrisy(Matthew16:1112,Mark8:15,Luke12:1),nowhereinthe
NTarebelieversinstructedtoavoidtheleavenofbreadorobservethePassover.Theceremonialavoidanceof
leaveninthePassoverwasoneofthesignsandshadowsoftheOldTestamentandapartoftheceremoniallaw
whichJesusfulfilled.Itisbreadandwineasordinaryelementsthathaveanabidingvalueonearthandinheaven.
WhilethereareseveralusesofthewordAzumos(unleavenedBread)intheNTnoneofthemrefer
tothebreadusedintheLordsSupper,butrathertheyareeitherreferencestothefeastofunleavenedbread
(Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:1, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:1, Luke 22:7, Acts 12:3, Acts 20:6) or an analogy for a
congregationpurgingoutsinfromtheirmidstandwalkinginholiness(1Corinthians5:8).
InallotherplacesthatthewordbreadoccursintheNT,itistheGreekwordArtosmeaningaloafofcommon
leavened bread. While this doesnt necessarily mean that Jesus was using leavened bread after the Last Supper
(this is highly unlikely) it means that all the gospel writers didnt regard the use of unleavened bread to be
importantenoughtorecord,somethingthattheysurelywouldhavehaditbeenanessentialcomponentlikethe
prayerbeforethedistributionoftheelements,especiallyconsideringtheirlettersandgospelaccountswerebeing
readprimarilybyGentileswhonormallyusedleavenedbreadforalltheirmeals.
QuotesfromReformedCommentators:
CharlesHodge:Tookbread.Matthew26:26,itissaid,astheywereeating,i.e.duringthe
repast,Jesustookbread,thatis,hetookofthebreadlyingonthetableandasitwasatthetime
of the Passover, there is no doubt that the bread used was unleavened. It was the thin Passover
breadoftheJews.Butasnopartofthesignificancyoftheritedependsonthekindof
breadused,asthereisnopreceptonthesubject,andastheapostlessubsequentlyin
the celebration of the ordinance used ordinary bread, it is evidently a matter of
indifference what kind of bread is used. It was however for a long time a subject of bitter
controversy.AtfirsttheLatinsandGreeksusedleavenedbreadwhentheLatinsintroducedthe
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unleavened wafer from superstitious fear of any of the fragments being dropped, the Greeks
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retained the use of fermented bread, and accused the Latins of Judaizing. Romanists and
LutheransuseunleavenedwafersProtestantsgenerallyordinarybread.
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WilhelmusABrakel:Thesecondmattertobeconsideredinreferencetothissacramentisthe
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externalsigns.Wemustheretakenoteofthesignsandtheceremoniesassociatedwiththem.The
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signsareidenticaltothoseusedinmealsinordertonourishandrefreshthebody:breadandwine.
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One is to be neither superstitious nor concerned regarding the kind of bread and
Sign
me upin
wine. The bread and wine which Christ used were such as were available
and
commonuse.ItiscrediblethatinlightofthePassoverChristusedunleavenedbread
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butthatwasincidental,forleavenedbreadwasneitherpermittedtobeusednorwas
it available in Jerusalem at that time. It is therefore not necessary to follow suit in
this respect. It must be bread which one commonly uses for nourishment, thus to
typify the spiritual nourishment of the soul. The wafers of the Papists and the Lutherans
consistmoreoffoamthanofbread,andarenotsuitablefornourishmentandstrengthening.This
iscontrarytotheinstitutionoftheLordsSupperChristhadnowafers,buttookbread,brokeoff
fragments, and gave them to the disciples. He did not give a wafer to anyone. Common
substancesmustbeusedwithoutsuperstition.
A.A. Hodge: 2nd, from the significancy of the symbol since bread, as the principal natural
nourishmentofourbodies,representshisflesh,which,aslivingbread,hegaveforthelifeofthe
world. John 6:51 . But the kind of bread, whether leavened or unleavened, is not
specifiedinthecommand,norisitrenderedessentialbythenatureoftheservice.
Christ used unleavened bread because it was present at the Passover. The early
ChristianscelebratedtheCommunionatacommonmeal,withthebreadofcommon
life,whichwasleavened.TheRomishChurchhasusedunleavenedbreadeversincetheeighth
century,andcommandstheuseofthesameastheonlyproperkind,butdoesnotmakeitessential
( Cat. Conc. Trident., Pt. 2, ch. 4:, && 13 and 14). The Greek Church insists upon the use of
leavened bread. The Lutherans Church uses unleavened bread. The Reformed Church, including
theChurchofEngland,regardstheuseofleavenedbread,asthefoodofcommonlife,tobemost
proper, since bread in the Supper is the symbol of spiritual nourishment. The use of sweet cake,
practiced in some of our churches is provincial and arbitrary, and is without any support in
Scripture,tradition,orgoodtaste.
MortonSmith:1.ThefirstelementthatJesustookfromthetablewasthebread.Thisbeingthe
JewishPassover,thisbreadhadtobeunleavenedbread,sincethatwastheonlybreadallowedat
thisfeast.(SeeExodus12:15).Itmaybequestionedwhethertherewasanyrequirementthatthe
breadbeunleavenedintheNewTestamentpractice.Thisquestionislegitimate,ifweunderstand
thattheLordsSupperwasobservedinconnectionwithregularmeals.Hodgesays:
Itisevident,however,fromtheapostolichistory,thattheApostlesusedwhateverkindofbread
was at hand. There is no significance either in the kind of bread or in the form of the loaf. It is
enoughthatitisbread.Thismakesittheproperemblemofhimwhodeclaredhimselftobethetrue
breadwhichcamedownfromheaven.
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Therehavebeencontroversiesoverthismatter.TheGreekChurchusesonlyleavenedbread,asthe
common bread of the table. The Roman Church, on the other hand, insists on unleavened bread.
The Lutheran Church earlier used only unleavened bread, but in their more recent writers, it is
consideredamatterofindifference.ReformedChurches,togetherwiththeChurchof
England and the Baptist Churches, also consider the type of bread a matter of
indifference.
R.L.Dabney:Theelementsofthesacramentarebreadandwine.Thereiscontroversybetween
east and west on this point. The Greek Church says the bread must be leavened, the Latin
unleavened, making this a point of serious importance. We believe that the bread used was
paschal. But it was not Christs intention to give ritually a paschal character to the
newsacramentandbreadisemployedasthematerialelementofnutrition,theone
mostfamiliaranduniversal.Hence,weregardallthedisputesastoleaven,andthe
other minutiae made essential by the Romanist rubric (wheaten, mingled with
proper water, not wormeaten, etc.,) as nonessential. Probably the wine was also
mingledwithwateronthefirstoccasionbut,onthesamegrounds,weregarditasselectedsimply
as the most common and familiar refreshment of the human race and the presence of water is
therefore nonessential. Indeed, modern chemistry has shown that, in all wine, water is the
solvent,andthelargestconstituent.
C.H.Spurgeon:Afterthethanksgiving,itisveryclearthatourDivineLordbrokethebread.We
scarcely know what kind of bread was used on that occasion it was probably the thin passover
cake of the Jews but there is nothing said in Scripture about the use of leavened or
unleavened bread, and therefore it matters not which we use. Where there is no
ordinance,thereisnoobligationandweare,therefore,leftfreetousethebread.whichitisour
customtoeat.
Calvin,Institutes:Butasfortheoutwardceremonyoftheaction whetherornotthebelievers
takeitintheirhands,ordivideitamongthemselves,orseverallyeatwhathasbeengiventoeach
whethertheyhandthecupbacktothedeaconorgiveittothenextpersonwhetherthebreadis
leavenedorunleavenedthewineredorwhite itmakesnodifference.Thesethings
areindifferent,andleftatthechurchsdiscretion.
However,itiscertainthatthepracticeoftheancientchurchwasforalltotakeitintheirhands.
AndChristsaid,DivideitamongyourselvesThehistoriesnarratethatcommonleavenedbread
was used before the time of the Roman Bishop Alexander, who was the first who delighted in
unleavened bread. But I see no reason for this, unless to draw the eyes of the common people to
wondermentbyanewspectacle,ratherthantoinstructtheirmindsinsoundreligion.Iaskallwho
areintheleastaffectedbyazealforpietywhethertheydonotclearlyseebothhowmuchmore
brightlyGodsgloryshineshere,andhowmuchricher:sweetnessofspiritualconsolationcomesto
believers,thanintheselifelessandtheatricaltrifles,whichservenootherpurposethantodeceive
thesenseofapeoplestupefied.Theycallthistheholdingofthepeoplebyreligionwhentheylead
thematwilldulledandbefooledwithsuperstition.
Theodore Beza: In the mean while Satan, using every exertion to subvert entirely the church
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erectedatGeneva,whichhadbeenshakentoitsveryfoundation,foundinashorttimesomeidle
characters,who,forthepurposeofconcealingthegreatiniquityofthedecreeunderthepretextof
religion, determined that unleavened bread should be substituted for common, formerly used at
theLordstable,withaviewtoaffordanopportunityforfomentingnewdissensions.Andthegreat
enemyoftheChurchwouldhavesucceededinthisplan,hadnotCalvinseriouslyadmonishedsome
good men, so displeased with the change as to consider it their duty to refrain from taking the
Lords Supper, not to contend about a subject in itself indifferent. The use of unleavened bread
commencedinthemannernowstated,nordidCalvinonhisfuturerestorationthinkitworthwhile
tomakeanyoppositiontothepractice,thoughhedidnotattempttoconcealhisapproval
oftheuseofcommonbread.
RobertReyburn:First,arationaleisprovidedfortheuseofunleavenedbreadinthePassover
Feast.Thatis,weknowwhyitwasused.ThereasonisgiveninExodus12:34,39.
WiththedoughtheyhadbroughtfromEgypt,theybakedcakesofunleavenedbread.Thedough
was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare
foodforthemselves.And,inDeut.16:3weareexplicitlyremindedthatthesignificanceofbread
withoutyeastinthePassoverFeastwastoremindGodspeoplethattheyleftEgyptinhasteso
thatallthedaysofyourlifeyoumayrememberthetimeofyourdeparturefromEgypt.
PassoverwasaremembranceofIsraelsdeliverancefromEgyptandtheunleavenedbreadusedin
thefeastandtherequirementtoremoveyeastfromIsraelitehomesduringthefeastofunleavened
bread are recollections of Israels hurried departure on the night of the 10th plague. The other
featuresofthefeastthatservedtorecallthatgreatnightandGodsredemptionofhispeoplethe
bitter herbs, the lamb all fall away from the Lords Supper because the Supper is not a
recollection of Israels deliverance from Egypt but of the greater deliverance of which that
Passoverwasananticipation.
There is no teaching in the Bible to suggest that the remembrance of the flight from Egypt is
broughtintotheLordsSupper.BreadandWineintheSupperservewhatseemtobeverydifferent
purposes. Another redemption is being remembered in the Lords Supper, that of ourselves from
sin and death through the body and blood of the Lord Jesus. Unleavened bread does not in any
obviouswaycontributetothatsymbolism.ItisnotanywhereintheNTsaidtobethekindofbread
usedintheLordsSupperwhilethetextoftheinstitutionoftheLordsSuppermakesapointof
mentioningwine(thefruitofthevine),breadisreferredtosimplyasbreadnotasunleavened
bread. The lack of yeast was a detail belonging to the old ceremony, not the new, it seems.
Remember,itisbreadineachcase.TheLordtookbread,wearetold.Thatithappenedto
be unleavened is neither mentioned nor hinted at. What is significant is that it is
bread,notunleavenedbread.Whatismore,whenthechurchmovedintotheGentile
world, a world that had no recollection of the Passover, bread would mean for
them the ordinary bread that was the staple of life. So, in other words, as the
scholastic theologians put it, that the bread was unleavened in the first Lords
Supper belonged to the accidental circumstances of that first feast, not to the
necessityofit.[Turretin,430]
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So,inconclusion,thefactofthematteristhattheBibleneverteachesusorevenimpliesthatthe
Lords Supper was to be taken with unleavened bread. If it were to be, it never tells us what the
lack of leaven would stand for, as the only explanation ever given for its place in the Passover
ritual was as an historical recollection of Israels hasty departure from Egypt. The Lords
Supper was instituted on the occasion of a Passover meal. But it is not itself a
Passovermeal.NoristheLordsSuppertheLastSupper.Therearemanyfeaturesof
that particular meal that do not carry over into the Lords Supper of the Christian
church.Itwastwelvemenandmenonly.NowherearewetoldintheNTthatwomen
should participate. It was taken with the participants reclining about a central
table. There were the remnants of a large meal on that table. The Lords Supper is
notdefinedbyanyofthis.TheLordsSupperaroseoutofaPassovermeal,butitisitselfonly
what the Lord made it to be. The Lord, we are told, took bread and told us to take it as well:
breadnotunleavenedbread.Andhetookthefruitofthevine.Wearetodothesame.Breadand
WinearetheelementsoftheLordsSupperastheLordhimselfdefinedthatSupper.
Rev.RobertGrossman:1.InallthreeGospelswhatJesusgavethedisciplesisartos,meaning
simplybread.ItisstrikingthatHeisnotsaidtohavegiventhemazumosorazumawhichare
theproperwordsforunleavenedbread,ANDwhichareclearlyavailablesincetheyareusedin
each of the Gospels in the context to refer to the Passover. In other words, the use of artos by
Matthew,MarkandLuketotelluswhatJesusgavethedisciplesmakesthefactthatthismayhave
beenunleavenedbreadofNOimportance.Atthesametimewealsomustrecognizethatbecause
the Scripture NOWHERE calls it unleavened bread, we cannot at all be sure that it was
(throughouttheNTartosisusedforcommonorleavenedbread).Wesimplymaynotbaseour
teaching on the silence of Scripture because then we are really basing our teaching on a human
conjecture. So, the fundamental argument, Jesus used unleavened bread, therefore we should
too,isinfundamentalerror.Thisshouldclosethecase,butthereismore.
2.TouseunleavenedbreadintheLordsSupperistocommemoratethewrongthing.Thepurpose
of unleavened bread in the Passover is to commemorate the haste with which Israel left Egypt
there was not even enough time to put yeast into the bread dough. In the Lords Supper we are
NOTcommemoratingtheExodusfromEgyptwhereunleavenedbreadmakessense.IntheLords
Supper we are commemorating the sacrifice of Christ for our sins. In the Supper the bread is
brokentorecallChristssufferinganddeath,thebreakingofHisbody.
Otherthingscouldbesaid,butthereisnothinginunleaveningthebreadoftheSupperthatwould
commemorateanythinginthedeathofChristthatistaughtinScripture(unlesswereallyletour
imaginationsrunloosehereandthenwearebacktoconjecture).
3.ThususingunleavenedbreadintheSupperisanunwarrantedreturntoOldTestamentshadows
(commemorating the Passover instead of Christs death) and therefore ought to be resisted. The
historic Reformed characterization of the Mass as a return to OT shadows of pictorial
ceremonialismiscommonandfitshere.
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4.Thekingdomofheavenisnotfoodanddrink,butrighteousnessandjoyandpeaceintheHoly
Spirit(Romans10).Thisteachesusthatanemphasisonadetailoffoodisnotcharacteristicofthe
New Testament, quite in contrast with the Old. Thus the insistence on unleavened bread in the
Supper is more typical of an OT ceremony than an NT one. Ah, you say, this also applies to the
wine. Indeed it does. None, I hope, would claim that those who use grape juice are celebrating
somethingelsethantheLordsSupper.
NeverthelessthereisapositiveargumenttousewineinChristswordsfoundinallthreeGospels,
Iwillnoteatofthisfruitofthevinefromnowon,untilIeatitnewwithyouintheKingdomof
God. The proper understanding of this fruit of the vine is wine. So we drink wine, looking
forwardtotheheavenlysupperinChristspresencewhereHewilldrinkitwithus.
5.AnotheroldReformedargumentisthatifChristusedunleavenedbread,hewasusingthebread
athandinthePassovernotoutofsymbolismbutoutofconvenience.Hedidnotgooutoftheway
to obtain leavened bread. In the same way, runs the argument, we too should use our common
bread(whichISleavened)andnotgooutofourwaytoobtainsomethingspecial.Thisargument
stands alongside one that says that in order to preserve the meaning of the Supper that we are
nourishedspirituallybyChristsbody,weshouldusethebreadthatweordinarilyusetonourish
our bodies, and that would, of course, be leavened bread. These are theological arguments, not
directlybiblical,butIdothinkthattheydocarrytheanalogyofScripture,especiallyinlightofthe
verybiblicalfactthatthekingdomofGodisNOTdetailsoffood,aswenotedabove.
6.1Cor.5:8isnottalkingaboutWHATweeat,butHOWweeattheLordssupper.Itspeaksof
unleavened people, not about going back to replaying the Passover with its use of unleavened
bread. The unleavened bread in the Passover reflects the haste with which Israel left Egypt,
withouttimetoevenputyeastintotheirbread.TheLordssupperreflectsnotonahastyexitfrom
Egypt, but on the death of Christ for our sins, which makes HIM our passover. The bread
represents the body of Christ in the Lords Supper, unleavening the bread in the Supper has no
significance with respect to Christs sacrifice. Thus using unleavened bread would, as mentioned
above, be going back to the OT Passover as though we were still celebrating the Exodus from
EgyptintheSupper,ratherthanChristssacrificeforoursins.
7. In the rest of the New Testament the Lords Supper is often called breaking bread, the same
language that is used for ordinary meals (Acts 2:42 for example is most likely speaking of
fellowshipinamealratherthantheLordsSupperbecauseintheimmediatecontexttheyatetheir
bread from house to house.) In any case, the word artos is used for what is broken. There is
never a description of the Supper in the NT in which that which is broken or eaten is called
anythingbutartos.ThisarguesquitestronglyagainstrequiringunleavenedbreadintheSupper
becauseartosinageneralusewouldsimplymeanordinarybread.
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About Andrew Webb

AndrewJamesWebb,PastorProvidencePCA,FayettevilleNC.Born:July29,1969Rochford,EssexEnglandEducation:MA
ModernHistory,St.AndrewsUniversity,Fife,Scotland,1991M.Div.,WestminsterTheologicalSeminary,Glenside,PA,2001
PersonalDetails:HusbandofJoyWebb,FatherofMargaret(6),Victor(5),Graham(3)andIsabel(10Mos.)SecularWork
History:UpongraduationfromUniversity,IreturnedtotheUnitedStatesandworkedfortwoMadisonAveAdvertisingFirmsin
copywritingandadvertisingspacesales.AftermovingtoNorthernVirginia,Iwentintocomputing.IworkedasaSystems
AdministratorinWashingtonD.C.forboththeBureauofNationalAffairs(BNA)(alegalpublishingfirm,)andtheInternational
RepublicanInstitute.Experience:LicensedbyPotomacPresbytery,May1997andPhiladelphiaPresbyteryin1999.From1998to
2001Ididathreeyearapprentice/internshipunderDr.MarkHerzerwhileworkingwiththeChristCovenantchurchplantin
Hatboro,PA.OrdainedasanREatChristCovenantPCAin2000andasaTEbyCentralCarolinain2001whenIwascalledtobe
theOrganizingPastorforProvidencePCAMission,CrossCreekPCA'schurchplantinFayetteville,NC(hometoFt.Braggand
PopeAirforceBase).In2005whentheProvidencePCAParticularizedIwasblessedtobecalledbythecongregationtobetheir
Pastor.PresbyteryCommittees:AssistanceandMembership(Philadelphia),Candidates(CentralCarolina),Nominations
(CentralCarolina)GACommittees:BillsandOvertures,CovenantTheologicalSeminaryOther:Ihavehadanumberofmyessays
ontheologicaltopicspublishedincludingWhatistheReformedDoctrineofDivorce?andFiveReasonsNotToGoSeeThe
PassionoftheChristWhyIDon'tHaveanEnglishAccent:Idon'thaveanEnglishaccentbecausemyparentsmovedtoNew
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ThisentrywaspostedinOldSchoolPresbyterianChurches,Sacraments,TheLord'sSupper.Bookmarkthepermalink.
14 Responses to Must We Use Unleavened Bread in the LordsSupper?

JonathanHuntsays:
March5,2008at10:14pm
MayIreproducethisforsomechurchmemberstoread?
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5/28/2016
Reply
AndrewWebbsays:
HiJonathan,
Byallmeans.Unlessotherwisestatedallthearticlesonthesitemaybereproducedanddistributed.
Andy
Reply
HowieDonahoesays:
March9,2008at7:51pm
Itoopreferrealbread.Recentlyreadaverygoodnewbook,titledMakingaMealofItbyNTprofessorBenWitherington
fromAsbury.
http://www.amazon.com/MakingMealRethinkingTheologySupper/dp/1602580154/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?
ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1205092199&sr=11
Reply
HarryLudwigsays:
March11,2008at3:32am
Speakingofunleavenedvs.commonbreadinarelatedmatter,ourdenomination(FRCNA)maybegoingovertheideaofa
commoncup.Initially,asIamextremelylearyofsacramentalism(thoughthismaybeperipheral),myreactionhasbeen
negative.However,Iamwillingtolookatanyhistoricaldataand/orexegesisimpingingonthistopic,andwouldappreciate
anyreferenceswhichmightdealwithit.Thanks!
Reply
AndrewMalloysays:
April23,2008at4:46am
Justthinkingthroughthings:
Ifwinewastheonlythingpossiblethatcouldbeusedthen(timeofNT),woulditberighttoarguethatgrapejuiceisalright
todayintheinstitutionoftheLordsSupperbecauseitisalsocomesfromthevine?
I.e.whyshouldweusewineintheLordsSupper,especiallyconsideringtheabovethought/question.
Reply
Marksays:
December8,2008at10:06am
Ifordinarybreadisused,isahamburgerbunacceptable?Iwouldthinksoorahotdogbun.Seemstomethatcornbread
wouldbesuitabletoo.IhavereadofayouthgroupusingOreocookiesandMountainDew.Iamnotsurehowgoodanidea
thatwouldbe.YearsagoIreadanarticlebyaclergymaninAfricawhosaidthattheyusedthingsbesidesbread(ofanykind)
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andwine/grapejuicebecauseitwasnttypicaldailyfoodthere.IcantrecallnowjustwhattheyusedbutIthinkitwasfruits
ofvariouskinds.Amazingthemanydifferentdirectionsyoucangowiththis,isntit?
Reply
AndrewWebbsays:
December12,2008at5:04pm
HiMark,
No,Idontthinkthatsthecaseatallforanumberofreasons.First,theGreekwordintheNTisArtosmeaningloaf
andcertainlybothwhatisbeingindicatedinthetextandtheactualpracticeoftheearlychurchwouldbetouseloavesof
ordinarybread,notspecialtyitemslikehamburgerrolls,hotdogbuns,donuts,orcinnamonrolls.
Second,anOreoisnotbread,anymorethanacheeseandcrackersnackisunleavenedbread.
Thirdly,scripturecounselsusregardingworship,Letallthingsbedonedecentlyandinorderandthe
WestminsterConfessionofFaithwiselycounsels:therearesomecircumstancesconcerningtheworshipof
God,andgovernmentofthechurch,commontohumanactionsandsocieties,whicharetobeorderedby
thelightofnature,andChristianprudence,accordingtothegeneralrulesoftheWord,whicharealways
tobeobserved(WCF1.6)Weshouldntneedexplicitexamplesineverycasetoknowthatcertainthingsareneither
decentnorprudent.Forinstance,theWordtellsmetopreachthewordinseasonandoutofseasonbutIwouldbe
extremelyfoolishtousethistextasapretextforpreachingat3:30AM.Theuseofhotdogrolls,cookies,andthelikein
worshipwouldbeneitherdecentnorprudent,andthefactthatsomechurcheshaveusedimprudentelementslikeOreosis
nottobeblamedonthefactthattheReformeduseleavenedbreadincommunion,butratherthatthemodernchurchis
sadlylackinginorder,prudence,andfrankly,sanctifiedcommonsense.
Reply
Pingback:ThoughtsontheLordsSupper,PartFiveEchoesfromthePastReflectionsforthePresent
Danesays:
April14,2009at9:00am
Ihavesomethoughtsandquestionsonthis,asoursessionjustdealtwiththisissuealongwiththefrequencyquestionand
others.But,ontopic,letmelaythecommongroundandthenaskmyquestion:
Iagreethereisnoprescriptionorlegalmandatetousespecificelements,andcommonelementscanbeusedespecially
wheregrapejuice/wineorbreadisnotavailable.
TheOTisaforeshadowingoftheNewCovenantandforetellsJesus.
TheLastSupperhadnoLamb,asJesuswastheLamb,thelambinthepassovercouldhavenobrokenbones,andweagree
thatthiswasprophetic.TheLastSupperwascertainlythen,aPassovercelebration,andthebreadwouldhavebeenunleaven.
TheElementschosenbyGodtohavetheIsraelitesusewereforthepurposeofteachingorunfoldingthestoryofthe
commingLambandwhatHewoulddo.TheelementshadpropertiesthatallowedtheTheologytocomethrough.
Now,myquestion:Althoughweagreethereisnomandate,whenandwherepossible,forteachingpurposes,shouldntthe
bestsymbolbeusedhenceunleavenedbread?
Leavenwasclearlyusedintheold,andthenewTestamentsasasymbolofsin.Mark8isagoodexampleofthis.Wearetold
bewareoftheleavenofthePharieesandHerod.
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Jesuswastheunleavenedone.
DoesnottheuseofunleavenedbreadconnectustothesymbolsthatJesusused,anddoesnotthismakeforabettersymbol
asitallowsustoteachtheunfoldingofprophecyandtheconnectednesstotheOT?
Leavenwasalwaysconnectedtosinfulnessorsin.Iamnotsurealcoholhasanysuchsymbolicmeaninginscripture.Iagree
thatthefruitofthevinehadtobefermentedthen,butnotsotoday,andthereisnoteachingelementinthis.Yet,weseemto
thinkthereismoreevidencefortheuseofrealwinethanforunleavenbread?
Tellmewheremythinkingisoff?
Thanks
Reply
VickiDiNittosays:
June17,2009at4:58pm
First,THANKYOU,Andrew,forpostingthis.Ihavehadtoreallysortthisout,withmuchprayerandstudyour
denominationusesunleavenedbreadIamtheHeadDeaconess,andthus,prepareit.However,Iamveryinvolvedina
groupthatmayormaynotuseunleavenedandhavegonethegamutofitnotmattering,tonottakingCommunion.
LeavenismostoftenassociatedwithsinbutintheNT(andremember,JesuswasbringingaboutaNewCovenantelsewe
shouldallcontinuetofollowALLtheFeastDays,includingPassover)leavenisused,asthearticlesays,torepresentthe
spreadoftheGospel.
Contrarytowhatmypastorsuggested,IdoNOTbelievethatwhentheapostlesbrokebreaddailythatitwasjustacommon
mealsinceeveryoneeatsdailyanditwouldnotbeworthyofmentioning.
IhavespentmanyhoursinPrayeroverthismatter,andwhileIwillalwaysPREFERunleavenedbreadandunfermented
grapejuice,Idontthinkitissacrilegetopartakeofunleavenedbread.Thearticlepointsoutmanyoftheconclusions,I
cametoonmyown.Thus,forme,itisthatconfirmationIalwayslookforfromtheLord,whenIhavesettledamatter.
Again,thanks.
Reply
DavidBehrenssays:
March8,2010at9:41pm
HereisaScripturalinterpretationthatshowsthatleavenedbreadwasusedduringtheoriginalLORDsSupper.
[Exodus3:1415]TheLORDGod,IAMsentMosestothechildrenofIsrael.
[John8:58]JesusidentifiedHimselfas,IAMTherefore: JesusisLORD.
[Matthew26:2]TheLORDwascrucifiedonPassover.
[Numbers28:16]ThePassoveroftheLORDwasonthefourteenthdayofthefirstmonth.
Therefore:Jesuswascrucifiedonthefourteenthdayofthefirstmonth.
[1Cor.11:23]TheLORDsSupperwascelebratedonthenightofthefourteenthdayofthefirstmonth.
[Exodus12:15Leviticus23:6Numbers28:17]Therefore:TheLORDsSupperwascelebratedwithleavenedbread.
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5/28/2016
(Godcommandedthatunleavenedbreadbeeatenforsevendays,thefifteenthdaytothetwentyfirstday.Ifunleavened
breadwereeatenonthefourteenthdayofthefirstmonth,thenunleavenedbreadwouldhavebeeneatenforeightdays,and
wouldhavebeeninviolationofGodscommand.)
Reply
JonWadsworthsays:
July26,2010at1:44am
Iappreciateallthestudyyouvedoneforthisarticle.Itseemsverythoroughlythoughtthrough.Iwonderwhatthepurposeof
theargumentisthough.Isthereareasonnottousethematzahthatwasoriginallyused?Iseesomeincrediblesymbolismin
thebreadthatJesusused.ItmusthavebeenanincrediblememoryforthediscipleshavingseentheLordbreakthatbread
andsharewiththemHisdeathtocome.Thestripesonthebreadandthepiercingsthroughoutmusthavebeenquitemoving
topicturetheMessiahbreakingthatbreadandthendyingthatkindofdeath.Whywouldwewanttousesomethingwithout
thatkindofsymbolismandmemory?
Reply
DanielGardnersays:
September24,2014at9:30pm
Thankyouforcollectingthesequotesandsheddinglightfromadifferentlamponthissubject.Thereismuchtobe
consideredhere.Certainly,thekneejerkargument,AllleavenissinChristsbodyhadnosinThereforethebreadthat
representsHisbodymustbewithoutleavencanberetired.Notallleavenisusedasafigureofsin.
Iknowthisisapostfrom2008,butifyouarestillansweringcomments,wouldyouhaveanyreflectionsfromthisparagraph
fromanonlinestudy?
Throughouttheirlexicographicalhistory,artosandazumawereusedinterchangeablyforbothleavenedandunleavened
bread(Ex.29:2,Lev2:48:26)Moreover,theshowbread,althoughunleavened,isalwayssimplycalledbread(artos).Thus
theSunopticsuseofartosratherthanazumaprovesnothingexceptthattheyweremostlikelyawareofthesynonymoususes
oftheseterms.
Itisanexcerptfrompage10ofthisstudy,http://www.biblicalfoundations.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/01/Supper_6
30.pdf
Reply
RichardK.Dottersays:
Thisisaratherimportantpoint.Thepositionitwasnotunleavened,isbolsteredinthechoiceofwording.Itisalways(inthe
originalgreekoftheera.)writtenasartos.Thiswordmeans,andisusedforleavenedbread.
Whenspeakingofunleavenedbreadthewordisazumes(Withoutleaveningliterally.Zumes,meansleavening.).Azumesis
usedalwaysusedspecifically,whenspeakingofthepassoverbread.Iftheyhadmeantthelastsupperloaveswere
unleavened,theywouldnothaveusedthewordArtos.Asindeeditisusedineveryaccount.TheywouldhaveusedAzumes,
whichindeedtheydidnot.AllthisalsomeansthatitispossibletoputonyourGoodFriday(andEaster)table,thesame
breadJesusateonthelastsupper.Therearemanybreadsinthemiddleeast.Then,aswellasnow,themostcommonformis
pita.Ifthebreadwasunleavened,thereisamorethan90%chanceitwasindeedpita.
Reply
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Must We Use Unleavened Bread in The Lord's Supper

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Must We Use Unleavened Bread in The Lord's Supper

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Building Old School Churches

Must We Use Unleavened Bread in the LordsSupper?

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