I am working with a devout Christian that questions the compatibility of spirituality with religion. We have reached a point that she would like me to explain the reasoning behind "unleavened bread" in communion. Unfortunately I have no answer and have not found a reasonable response for her. Does anyone have any ideas to this question?
2006-11-24 02:45:55 · 12 answers · asked by Meatball ;) 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Unleaven bread comes from Jewish tradition and passover. It's in the Old Testament. While we Christians do not celebrate many of the Jewish holidays, some of the traditions are still alive in our religion.
2006-11-24 02:48:26 · answer #1 · answered by sister steph 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Unleaven bread was used in the Jewish passover, and it was at a Jewish passover that Jesus introduce commuunion. The Bible made it very clear that in the passover it must be unleavened bread, nothing else was acceptable, but in communiom there is no place that it says unleavend bread, it just says bread. It is a symbol, and the symbolism is the important thing, not the actual elements. (My personal opinion) The same with the cup, which was wine at the Jewish passover but in communion it is only called the "cup" and wine is never mentioned. Jesus said "do this in rememberance of me". I think if you do that, remember Jesus' death, you have met the requirements of communion.
2006-11-24 10:59:36 · answer #2 · answered by oldguy63 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Faith in the Eucharist is the same faith we need to believe in the Incarnation. Even though Scriptural passages prove beyond a doubt the Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist , it really takes faith to believe it. That is why Jesus connects Judas' disbelief in the Eucharist to his betrayal. Tell your friend (even before you get into the Scriptures) that if they can believe in the awesome mystery of the Incarnation (that the unseen God became one cell, then two cells, then four cells, then eight cells, etc. in the womb of the Virgin Mary), then the Eucharist is no problem! The Eucharist is simply an extension of the Incarnation. Those who disbelieve in the Eucharist are seriously underestimating the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives, who is carrying on the work of Christ in the Church today. Let us pray for all who have the faith of Judas, so that they can have the faith of Peter!
We have the MOST personal relationship with Jesus because we eat His flesh and drink His blood in the Eucharist, as Jesus commanded us to do in John 6:52-70. Protestants who are outside the Church don't have this kind of relationship with Jesus. They only have a spiritual relationship. Catholics have a spiritual and physical relationship with Him. This is the greatest gift Jesus left with us - the gift of Himself. That is why Jesus called His institution of the Eucharist the New Covenant. A covenant is an exchange of persons (unlike a contract which is just an exchange of property or services). A covenant is an interpersonal communion. This is why Catholics have the most intimate and personal relationship with Jesus Christ more than any non-Catholic Christian could ever have while outside the Church. We become one with Jesus in the Eucharist. That is as "personal" as it gets.
2006-11-24 11:35:25 · answer #3 · answered by Gods child 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unleavened bread is simply bread without yeast. When the Israelites were commanded by Pharaoh to leave Egypt they did so without having time to add yeast to their bread dough. Then they walked in the desert for years eating unleavened bread and this is what the tradition stems from.
2006-11-24 10:58:18 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
It comes from Jewish Passover tradition where the Hebrews fled Egypt without time to let the bread rise. We use it today because that's what Jesus used. The Last Supper was on Passover, and it was unleavened bread that he held up when he said "This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me."
2006-11-24 10:53:14 · answer #5 · answered by Caritas 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unleavened bread is used in the West as it hearkens to the Passover rule of "no leaven". Leaven is seen as "sin" in allegorical ways.
However....the Eastern Orthodox use "leavened" bread. Why? Because it is "risen" - and Christ "has risen" from the dead.
The rubrics only say that it needs to be "wheat" bread. The rest is tradition and "style over substance". In a pinch, I'd use either if that was all that was available.
I am a western Catholic...so I prefer unleavened wafers. Again - it's a choice. If I was Eastern Orthodox I'd say something different.
2006-11-24 10:52:24 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
at the last supper, Jesus told the deciples to take a piece of the unleavened bread and eat it in remembrance of his flesh, and take the wine and drink it in remembrance of his blood. I think he's refering to when he was crucified. Most Churches pass around bread and grapejuice or water (for wine) and do that in remembrance of those. read 1 corinthians 11;24. read that verse and down. Pray and read before it, to get the whole story.
2006-11-24 11:00:56 · answer #7 · answered by stephanie 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the bread is unleaven because in Biblical parables yeast or leaven is symbolic of sin. therefore the bread (or Jesus' body, which bread is symbolic of) is without a rising agent (sin).
2006-11-24 10:54:23 · answer #8 · answered by ♥Poetic1♥ 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Since Jesus was without sin, the unleavened bread represents his life. As he is the only way we may even communicate with God, we must stand in his shadow or become one with him in his walk with God in order for us to be acceptable to God.
2006-11-24 10:51:54 · answer #9 · answered by Sparkle1 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Communion is a ritual where Christians practice symbolic cannibalism by eating and drinking the body and blood of their dead god. It is barbaric in nature and silly in reality. There are no gods and certainly none to eat.
2006-11-24 11:52:34 · answer #10 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋