Breaking Bread
There are only two documents we have that reference the meal at what we call the first Thanksgiving. There isn’t a lot in common on the menu with what most Americans have today. Those documents say the feast had on it deer, wildfowl, cod, bass, and a native variety of corn called flint eaten as a porridge and corn bread. You might have some of those things (especially the corn bread) but I bet your Thanksgiving meal looks a lot different. We all know about the turkey, but what about the sides? In my opinion side dishes are really the star of the show.
Side dishes vary a lot across the nation, depending on where you live. Farm Flavor has a website that will show you the most popular side dishes by state. You might be surprised to find out what your location likes the best. I absolutely love cornbread dressing and mashed potatoes. But the best part of the Thanksgiving meal for me was the bread. My father makes incredible dinner rolls from scratch. I could just eat those and be happy. Bread is central to quite a lot of fellowship gatherings. The term “breaking bread” is often synonymous with a friendly gathering over food. That phrase is one of the four things the apostles devoted themselves to, according to the book of Acts:
Acts 2:42-47
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. 43 Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. 44 All the believers were together and had everything in common. 45 They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. 46 Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, 47 praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.
Of the four things mentioned, you usually get three of them at Thanksgiving. But what is so special about breaking bread that elevates it to something the apostles would devote themselves to? What is so special about the act of breaking bread with others?
Well, for one thing, Jesus did it a lot.
Matthew 26:26
While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
Luke 24:35
They began to relate their experiences on the road and how He was recognized by them in the breaking of the bread.
Matthew 14:19
Ordering the people to sit down on the grass, He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up toward heaven, He blessed the food, and breaking the loaves He gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds,
Why bread? A big reason is everyone pretty much has access to it in some form. It is the oldest food that people don’t have to forage or hunt for. We have found charred bread crumbs in Jordan that are believed to be from wild wheat dating back between 14600 and 11600 years ago.
Sliced bread is not nearly that old. The first machine to slice it came from Otto Frederick Rohwedder in 1928. His machine also wrapped the bread after slicing. By World War 2 Americans were so enamored with the machine that something of a national crises was created when many lost access to such a machine. The war effort put a ban on it (and other machines) to limit resources, but that ban was lifted after only 2 months.
What happens when we break bread with someone? We communicate with them. We share something of ourselves. We build community. We foster understanding. And we remember what God has done for us. You become grateful at Thanksgiving. And gratitude is good for the body and soul. Maybe that is one reason Thanksgiving is so popular. We build community. We eat together. We feel better when we become grateful.
God Bless