Bread and Wine

In this post I will explore the Christian symbols of bread and wine and connect them with a Biblical and cultural context.

Bread, or grain, and wine are a reoccurring theme in the Hebrew Scriptures.  The first instance is found in Genesis, in the encounter between Abram (Abraham) and the king-priest Melchizedek.  Bread and wine may be symbols of food and drink, generally, but it is hard to avoid the impression that this meal was more than ordinary, that it had a festive character to celebrate a significant occasion— a victory in battle.  Notice that there is a blessing associated with this occasion— and that God is acknowledged as both creator and deliverer.

Genesis 14:18–20 NRSV 

And King Melchizedek of Salem brought out bread and wine; he was priest of God Most High. He blessed him and said, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, maker of heaven and earth; and blessed be God Most High, who has delivered your enemies into your hand!”

In the following text from Proverbs, the context is entirely symbolic, a personification of wisdom; wisdom “mixed her wine” and “set her table” with bread and invites the “simple” to eat and drink.  In this context, the parallelism in the last two sentences connect the eating of bread and drinking of wine with a way of living— “in the way of insight”.

Proverbs 9:1–6 NRSV

Wisdom has built her house, she has hewn her seven pillars. She has slaughtered her animals, she has mixed her wine, she has also set her table. She has sent out her servant girls, she calls from the highest places in the town, “You that are simple, turn in here!” To those without sense she says, “Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight.”

In another text from Proverbs, we find bread and wine connected with another way of life.  Notice the parallelism between “the path of the wicked” with “bread of wickedness” and “way of evildoers” with “wine of violence”.  These two texts alone, this one along with the previous one, illustrate that bread and wine are already rich with symbolism within Israelite culture, centuries before Jesus applied them as symbols to himself.

Proverbs 4:14–17 NRSV

Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of evildoers. Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. For they cannot sleep unless they have done wrong; they are robbed of sleep unless they have made someone stumble. For they eat the bread of wickedness and drink the wine of violence.

We find a similar connection between the symbols of bread and wine and a way of life in this text from Ecclesiastes— note the parallel between eating with “enjoyment” and drinking with a “merry heart” and the instruction to “enjoy life”.

Ecclesiastes 9:7–9 NRSV

Go, eat your bread with enjoyment, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has long ago approved what you do. Let your garments always be white; do not let oil be lacking on your head. Enjoy life with the wife whom you love, all the days of your vain life that are given you under the sun, because that is your portion in life and in your toil at which you toil under the sun.

Bread and wine are linked to life itself in the following text.

Lamentations 2:12 NRSV

They cry to their mothers, “Where is bread and wine?” as they faint like the wounded in the streets of the city, as their life is poured out on their mothers’ bosom.

Bread and wine are also used as symbols of the produce of the land— in the following text, “bread” is used in parellel with “grain” and “wine” is parallel with “vineyards”.

Isaiah 36:16–17 NRSV

Do not listen to Hezekiah; for thus says the king of Assyria: ‘Make your peace with me and come out to me; then everyone of you will eat from your own vine and your own fig tree and drink water from your own cistern, until I come and take you away to a land like your own land, a land of grain and wine, a land of bread and vineyards.

In the blessing that Isaac gave to Jacob, grain and wine are used as symbols of prosperity.  Deuteronomy 33:28— “in a land of grain and wine, where the heavens drop down dew”— and Zechariah 8:12— “the vine shall yield its fruit, the ground shall give its produce, and the skies shall give their dew”— help illustrate this connection between grain and wine and abundance as a gift from God.

Genesis 27:28 NRSV

May God give you of the dew of heaven, and of the fatness of the earth, and plenty of grain and wine.

As with many other texts, the following text links grain and wine, along with oil, to prosperity and God's blessing.  Of special note is the connection between these blessings and a condition— “if you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them”.

Deuteronomy 7:12–13 NRSV

If you heed these ordinances, by diligently observing them, the LORD your God will maintain with you the covenant loyalty that he swore to your ancestors; he will love you, bless you, and multiply you; he will bless the fruit of your womb and the fruit of your ground, your grain and your wine and your oil, the increase of your cattle and the issue of your flock, in the land that he swore to your ancestors to give you.

There are many references to grain, wine and oil in the Hebrew Scriptures: Num 18:12; Deut 7:13; 11:14; 12:17; 14:23; 18:4; 28:51; 2 Kings 18:32; 2 Chr 31:5; 32:28; Neh 5:11; 10:39; 13:5, 12; Jer 31:12; Hos 2:8, 22; Joel 1:10; 2:19, 24; Hag 1:11.

Clearly, bread and wine— with the related grain and the vine— are full of symbolism in the Hebrew Scriptures.

We find in John chapter 6 the text of a discourse that Jesus gave using bread as a symbol.  Only in the light of later events— the “last supper”— can we also see wine in this talk; the connection is found in verses 53 through 55 and Luke 22:19-20.

John 6:53–55 NRSV & Luke 22:19–20 NRSV

So Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day; for my flesh is true food and my blood is true drink.

Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had 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.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”

What kind of “bread” was Jesus talking about in John chapter six? In John 6 verse 27 Jesus compares his “bread” that “endures for eternal life” with literal “food that perishes”.  In verse 35, Jesus explains what it means to eat his flesh and drink his blood. Those who “come to” him are those who “eat his flesh” and those who “believe in” him are those who “drink his blood”.

John 6:35 NRSV

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.

Verse 56 further illustrates the symbolism. Those who abide in Jesus— obey, follow, heed, accept Jesus— are those who symbolically eat his flesh and drink his blood.

John 6:56 NRSV

Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood abide in me, and I in them.

In John chapter 15, Jesus uses different symbols but the message is the same.  In this text, Jesus uses the vine as a symbol that expresses the same concept as John 6:56— “abide in me as I abide in you”.  He expands on what this means with “my words abide in you” and “ if you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love”.  As we saw in the Proverbs texts above, the eating of the bread and wine represent a way of life, and in John chapters 6 and 15, a life where the we “come to” and “believe” Jesus and his “words abide” in us and we “keep his commandments” (Deut 7:9; 8:2, 11; 26:18; Josh 22:5; 1 Kings 8:58; Neh 1:5; Psa 78:7; Eccl 12:13; Matt 19:17; John 14:15; 1 John 2:3–4; 3:22; 5:2–3; Rev 12:17; 14:12).  This is nothing less than the “new covenant” of Jeremiah 31:31-33— “I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts”.  Luke 22:20 and 1 Corinthians 11:25 both link the new covenant with the cup (of wine) and blood— “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood”.

John 15:1, 3–4, 7, 10 NRSV 

I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower.... You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.... If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.... If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love.

We can also see the same “abiding” concept of in John 14:10; a few verses later (20-21), Jesus again presents the same message of dwelling or being “in” those who, as Jesus said, “have my commandments and keep them”.

John 14:10 NAS95

Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. (NRSV — “the Father who dwells in me”)

John 14:20–21 NRSV

On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.

Because we use bread and wine in a sacramental or ritualistic manner, it is easy for us to give undue attention to the literal symbol and neglect the message that Jesus was teaching.  Could we, in our focus on the literal symbols, be tithing ”of mint and anise and cummin” while neglecting “the weightier matters” that Jesus was teaching (Matt 23:23)?  Without any associated ritual, we are not tempted to take “I am the true vine” in any literal sense and neither are we concerned with the proper usage of a real vine in any religious rite.  Perhaps, by comparing the message in John 15 with that of John 6, we can better understand the true meaning of the bread-flesh and blood of John 6 and consequently of the message in the bread and wine of the “last supper”.


The most complete account of the “last supper” in the gospels is found in Luke.

Luke 22:15–20 NRSV

He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup [cup #1], and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had 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.” And he did the same with the cup [cup #2] after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Let us turn now to the cultural context of the bread and wine as used in the “last supper”.  We should note first that this was a Passover meal and, as with every holy day, a blessing over wine was part of the ritual observance of the day.  Notice that there are two cups mentioned in the Luke account of the event.

Kiddush (Wikipedia)

Kiddush (Hebrew: קידוש‎), literally, "sanctification," is a blessing recited over wine or grape juice to sanctify the Shabbat and Jewish holidays.

Before reciting kiddush, the challah [bread], which will be the next food item eaten in honor of the Shabbat or holiday, is first covered with a cloth. According to Halakha, the blessing over bread takes precedence to the blessing over wine. However, in the interests of beginning the meal with kiddush, the challah is covered to "remove" it from the table. 

Notice that bread and wine and their associated blessings are part of the meal ritual for Jewish holidays; bread and wine are not exclusively Christian symbols, and I argue, we misunderstand them if we ignore their ancient origin within Judaism.

Following are some passages quoted from the Talmud.  The Talmud was compiled after the New Testament period but recorded teachings that would have been nearly contemporary or prior to the time of Jesus.  (All quotes from the Talmud are from The Soncino Talmud).  The point to note is that the Talmud records that “on the nights of a Festival” there is a blessing (sanctification or kiddush) that is said over wine; also compare the “fruit of the vine” phrase used in Pesachim 106a with the uses of this phrase in the Bible— Matt 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18— all of which are in the context of the “last supper” Passover.

Berachos 27b 

When Rab said the Sabbath Tefillah on the eve of Sabbath, did he say sanctification over wine or not? — Come and hear: for R. Nahman said in the name of Samuel: A man may say the Tefillah of Sabbath on the eve of Sabbath, and say sanctification over wine; and the law is as stated by him.

Pesachim 105a

On the nights of the Sabbath and on the nights of a Festival there is sanctification [kiddush] over the cup [of wine] and a reference [to the Sabbath or Festival] in the Grace after meals.

Rosh Hashana 29a

What is the rule with regard to the blessing for bread said over the mazzah and the blessing for wine said in the sanctification? 

Pesachim 106a

Our Rabbis taught: Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy: remember it over wine. I know it only of the day; whence do we know it of the night? Because it is stated, ‘remember the Sabbath day, to keep; it holy.’ [You ask], ‘Whence do we know it of the night?’ — on the contrary, the principal kiddush is recited at night, for when he sanctifies, he must sanctify [from] the beginning of the day. Moreover, [you say,] ‘whence do we know it of the night? Because it is stated, "remember the sabbath day to keep it holy"- the Tanna seeks [proof] for the night, while he adduces a verse relating to the day[time]? — This is what he means: ‘Remember the Sabbath, day, to keep it holy’: remember it over the wine at its commencement. I know it only of the night: whence do we know it of the day? Because it is said, ‘Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.
What blessing does he recite by day? -Said Rab Judah: ...who createst the fruit of the vine. R. Ashi visited Mahuza. Said they [the Mahuzaeans] to him, let the master recite the Great kiddush for us.’ They gave him [the cup of wine]. Now he pondered, What is the Great kiddush? Let us see, he reasoned,  for all blessings [of kiddush] we first say ‘. . . who createst the fruit of the vine’ [So] he recited’. . .who createst the fruit of the vine,’ and tarried over it, [and then] he saw an old man bend [his head] and drink. Thereupon he applied to himself [the verse], The wise man, his eyes are in his head.

Pesachim 106a

I stood many times before Rab: sometimes he preferred bread [and] recited kiddush over bread; at others he preferred wine [and] recited kiddush over wine.

The English translation of the words of the blessing over the wine are as follows, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who creates the fruit of the vine.”  The blessing over the bread is similar, “Blessed are You, Lord our God, King of the universe, who brings forth bread from the earth.”

A video may be helpful.  At the end of the following video, notice how the wine is distributed and then recall the words in Luke 22, “Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves’”.



We can see a blessing over the bread in the following video.  As you watch the bread being divided, recall the words in Luke 22, ”Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them”.



The references from the Talmud indicate that the kiddush is an ancient tradition.  Does  the  Kiddush  Precede Christianity?, a paper by Herbert Tarr Slater, Jr., discusses in detail the ancient origin of the Kiddush.  Following is part of the conclusion of the paper.

Was the Kiddush Known at the Time of Jesus?

... we may safely conclude that in the early Christian community a prayer closely identical to or at least based on the Kiddush prayer was known and used. This prayer can be reconstructed to contain three parts: a blessing over (the fruit of) the vine, a prayer dealing with creation and redemption, and a blessing over bread which the Lord brought from the earth. We can conclude from the similarity of this reconstructed eucharistic prayer and Kiddush that Kiddush was well known, well accepted, and therefore old at the time Christianity was born.

Now, if (1) bread (or grain) and wine are frequently mentioned in the Hebrew Scriptures,  (2) the references in the Hebrew Scriptures sometimes use bread and wine symbolically, (3) prior to the “last supper”, Jesus used bread and the vine as symbols, (4) bread and wine were part of an already established Sabbath, Passover and other festival ritual, the Kiddush, and (5) Jesus presented them as part of a real meal— how would the disciples interpret the use of the bread and wine in the “last supper” Passover meal?

It seems highly unlikely that these elements would be absent from any festive meal, and they are an expected part of the Passover Seder.  Since bread and wine are part of the weekly, Friday evening Kiddush to open the Sabbath, we would expect that the disciples experienced and would continue frequent experience with the ritual use of bread and wine.

When Jesus said, “Do this in remembrance of me", would the disciples have understood “this” to be a new ritual or would they understand Jesus to be saying that “this ritual that you are already doing, do it in remembrance of me”?  If Jesus intended the bread and wine to be used in a new ritual, how were the disciples to distinguish it from the already existing Kiddush? Would they have thought to practice it apart from a real meal? Would they have thought to perform it at a time different from the already established practices?  Given that the Kiddush was generally practiced in a home with the father presiding, would the disciples have thought to restrict the use of this ritual to a select few? Would they have recalled the miraculous creation of wine at Cana (John 2) or the miraculous creation of bread for the five-thousand (John 6)?  Would they have recalled the words of Jesus after the feeding of the five-thousand, “I am the bread of life”, and the interpretation of the symbols that Jesus gave? Would they have understood the ritual to be of primary importance or was Jesus merely using conveniently available symbols as one more illustration of a “weightier” message?

I don't have an answer to these question, but I believe, upon studying these contexts, that our Christian “bread and wine” traditions are lacking the full experience and meaning of the ritual that Jesus enacted with his disciples.