Bread: Given by God
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Bread holds a significant place in the biblical narrative, symbolizing God's provision and sustenance for His people. Throughout Scripture, bread is not merely a physical necessity but also a spiritual metaphor for God's care and presence.

Old Testament Provision

In the Old Testament, bread is often associated with God's miraculous provision. One of the most notable instances is the manna provided to the Israelites during their 40-year journey in the wilderness. As recorded in Exodus 16:4 , "Then the LORD said to Moses, 'Behold, I will rain down bread from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out and gather enough for that day.'" This daily provision of manna was a tangible reminder of God's faithfulness and care, teaching the Israelites to rely on Him for their needs.

The significance of bread is further emphasized in Deuteronomy 8:3 , where Moses reminds the Israelites, "He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you with manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD." Here, bread serves as a symbol of God's word and His sustaining power.

Bread in Worship and Covenant

Bread also plays a crucial role in the religious life of Israel. The showbread, or "bread of the Presence," was placed on a table in the Tabernacle as a perpetual offering before the Lord (Leviticus 24:5-9). This bread symbolized the covenant relationship between God and His people, representing His continual provision and the people's dependence on Him.

New Testament Fulfillment

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ embodies the ultimate fulfillment of God's provision of bread. In John 6:35 , Jesus declares, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst." Here, Jesus identifies Himself as the spiritual sustenance that satisfies the deepest needs of humanity, offering eternal life to those who believe in Him.

The feeding of the 5,000, as recounted in John 6:1-14, further illustrates Jesus' role as the provider of bread. In this miracle, Jesus multiplies five loaves and two fish to feed a multitude, demonstrating His divine authority and compassion. This act not only meets the physical needs of the crowd but also points to the greater spiritual nourishment He offers.

The Lord's Supper

Bread takes on additional significance in the context of the Lord's Supper, instituted by Jesus during the Last Supper. In Matthew 26:26 , it is written, "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, 'Take and eat; this is My body.'" In this sacrament, bread becomes a symbol of Christ's body, broken for the salvation of humanity, and serves as a reminder of His sacrificial love and the new covenant established through His death and resurrection.

Spiritual Implications

Throughout the Bible, bread is a powerful symbol of God's provision, both physically and spiritually. It serves as a reminder of His faithfulness, His covenant with His people, and the ultimate fulfillment of His promises through Jesus Christ. As believers partake in the physical act of eating bread, they are invited to reflect on the spiritual nourishment and eternal life offered through faith in Christ.
Torrey's Topical Textbook
Ruth 1:6
Then she arose with her daughters in law, that she might return from the country of Moab: for she had heard in the country of Moab how that the LORD had visited his people in giving them bread.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Matthew 6:11
Give us this day our daily bread.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Jesus the Bread of Life.
... They ask for the bread of life, but they can only ... believers, Gentiles as well as
the Jews, are given to the ... Christ is God's gift to men, but the believers are ...
/.../johnson/the new testament commentary vol iii john/jesus the bread of life.htm

The Story of Israel Crossing Jordan under Joshua is Typical of ...
... For the manna, though it was given by God, yet was bread of travel, bread supplied
to those still under discipline, well fitted for those who were under tutors ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/26 the story of israel.htm

Prayer and Faith
... Bread given for today is the strongest sort of pledge that there will be bread tomorrow. ...
to be focussed upon the present, We must trust God today, and ...
//christianbookshelf.org/bounds/the necessity of prayer/i prayer and faith.htm

The Cry for Bread
... make common cause with them in our petition for bread. ... supposes, can scarcely regard
his possessions as given to himself ... and poor, we all hang on God for the ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture a/the cry for bread.htm

On the Lord's Supper
... can the bread and wine be separated, that, when the bread is held ... more strengthened
towards the promise of grace which has been given by God, and concerning ...
/.../arminius/the works of james arminius vol 2/disputation lxiv on the lords.htm

The Ten Commandments of God.
... into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father ... Christ, the same night
in which He was betrayed, took bread; and when He had given thanks, He ...
/.../luther/the large catechism/the ten commandments of god.htm

Righteousness is not Placed in Jewish Rites but in the Conversion ...
... after the seven days of eating unleavened bread, God commanded them to ... Behold, I
have given Him for a witness to ... escape unto Thee, because of Thy God, the Holy ...
/.../chapter xiv righteousness is not placed.htm

John Chapter xiii. 26-31.
... in giving it had revealed the betrayer of the Bread, He said ... the wages he wished,
but had also given him, against ... be kept by His saints, but that God should not ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate lxii john chapter xiii.htm

The Disappointment of the People.
... Tiberias nigh unto the place where they ate the bread after the Lord had given thanks):
when ... shall give unto you; for him the Father, even God, hath sealed ...
//christianbookshelf.org/barton/his life/the disappointment of the people.htm

The Bread of God
... There was to be a given quantity daily, and twice as much ... God willed to let His gifts
come in this hand-to ... to cling to Him, and that their daily bread might be ...
/.../maclaren/expositions of holy scripture k/the bread of god.htm

Resources
What is the meaning of “Cast your bread upon the waters” in Ecclesiastes 11:1? | GotQuestions.org

What is the significance of unleavened bread? | GotQuestions.org

What does it mean to pray for our daily bread? | GotQuestions.org

Bread: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

Bible ConcordanceBible DictionaryBible EncyclopediaTopical BibleBible Thesuarus
Subtopics

Bread

Bread by Idolaters

Bread in Times of Scarcity, Sold by Weight

Bread of Christ

Bread was Baked in Ovens

Bread was Baked: On Coals of Fire

Bread was Baked: On Hearths

Bread was Formed Into: Cakes

Bread was Formed Into: Loaves

Bread was Formed Into: Wafers

Bread was Kneaded

Bread with Water, the Food of Prisons

Bread: (Eating Without Scarceness) of Plenty

Bread: (Fulness of) of Abundance

Bread: (Of Adversity) Heavy Affliction

Bread: (Of Deceit) Unlawful Gain

Bread: (Of Idleness) Sloth

Bread: (Of Tears) Sorrow

Bread: (Of Wickedness) Oppression

Bread: (Partaking of) Communion of Saints

Bread: (Seeking of Begging) Extreme Poverty

Bread: (Want of) Extreme Poverty

Bread: (When Broken) the Death of Christ

Bread: Barley

Bread: Broken for Use

Bread: Called the Staff of Life

Bread: Christ

Bread: Corn Ground for Making

Bread: Crumb of, Used to Wipe the Fingers, Thrown Under the Table

Bread: Figurative

Bread: First Fruit of, offered to God

Bread: Given by God

Bread: How Prepared in Pans

Bread: How Prepared: Baked in Ovens

Bread: How Prepared: Cakes

Bread: How Prepared: Cracknels

Bread: How Prepared: Honey

Bread: How Prepared: Kneaded

Bread: How Prepared: Made Into Loaves

Bread: How Prepared: Mixed With Oil

Bread: How Prepared: On Coals

Bread: How Prepared: On Coals of Dung

Bread: How Prepared: On Hearths

Bread: How Prepared: Wafers

Bread: Kept in Baskets

Bread: Kinds of Bread of Affliction

Bread: Kinds of Leavened (Made With Yeast)

Bread: Kinds of Unleavened (Made Without Yeast)

Bread: Made by Men

Bread: Made by Women

Bread: Made of Barley

Bread: Made of Beans, Millet

Bread: Made of Manna (In the Wilderness)

Bread: Made of Wheat

Bread: Made of Wheat Flour

Bread: Making of, a Trade

Bread: Manna

Bread: Meal

Bread: Multitudes Miraculously Fed by Christ With

Bread: Nutritious and Strengthening

Bread: Offered With Sacrifices

Bread: Often Given As a Present

Bread: Often Put for the Whole Substance of Man

Bread: Ordinary, Called Common Bread

Bread: Placed on Table of Shew Bread

Bread: Plenty of, Promised to the Obedient

Bread: Publicly Sold

Bread: Sacred, Called Hallowed Bread

Bread: Sacrificed

Bread: Scarceness of, Sent As a Punishment

Bread: Served Round After Funerals

Bread: Sometimes Unleavened

Bread: Symbolical of the Body of Christ

Bread: The Principal Food Used by the Ancients

Bread: Traffic In

Bread: Troughs Used for Kneading

Bread: Usually Leavened

Bread: when Old, Dry and Mouldy

Bread: Yielded by the Earth

Tibbath

Related Terms

Show-bread (15 Occurrences)

Bread-maker (8 Occurrences)

Bread-makers (2 Occurrences)

Bread-basin (2 Occurrences)

Bread-meal (1 Occurrence)

Bread-paste (1 Occurrence)

Bread-basins (1 Occurrence)

Bread-corn (1 Occurrence)

Bread-making (1 Occurrence)

Barley-bread (1 Occurrence)

Bread-yeast (1 Occurrence)

Shew-bread (1 Occurrence)

Bake (13 Occurrences)

Cake (25 Occurrences)

Yeast (48 Occurrences)

Baked (26 Occurrences)

Camest (27 Occurrences)

Showbread (18 Occurrences)

Cakes (65 Occurrences)

Shewbread (16 Occurrences)

Agape

Cooking (14 Occurrences)

Crust (3 Occurrences)

Arrangement (18 Occurrences)

Supply (40 Occurrences)

Supplied (22 Occurrences)

Basket (40 Occurrences)

Broke (153 Occurrences)

Containing (12 Occurrences)

Clusters (12 Occurrences)

Crumb

Abib (5 Occurrences)

Satiety (12 Occurrences)

Anxiety (24 Occurrences)

Cooked (35 Occurrences)

Buy (71 Occurrences)

Parched (37 Occurrences)

Satisfy (32 Occurrences)

Breaking (69 Occurrences)

Bit (46 Occurrences)

Blessing (357 Occurrences)

Broken (559 Occurrences)

Barley (35 Occurrences)

Succoth (18 Occurrences)

Zalmun'na (8 Occurrences)

Ate (138 Occurrences)

Bunches (7 Occurrences)

Basins (33 Occurrences)

Beans (2 Occurrences)

Baking (4 Occurrences)

Bakers (6 Occurrences)

Beggar (5 Occurrences)

Celebrated (24 Occurrences)

Crumbs (8 Occurrences)

Continuing (24 Occurrences)

Companions (58 Occurrences)

Customary (8 Occurrences)

Appalment (10 Occurrences)

Amounts (12 Occurrences)

Summer (28 Occurrences)

Shew-loaves (1 Occurrence)

Sustained (20 Occurrences)

Sop (3 Occurrences)

Scant (4 Occurrences)

Alway (26 Occurrences)

Asses (68 Occurrences)

Consecrated (101 Occurrences)

Supplies (23 Occurrences)

Zalmunna (9 Occurrences)

Spent (76 Occurrences)

Yourselves (530 Occurrences)

Ziba (13 Occurrences)

Satisfied (110 Occurrences)

Zebah (9 Occurrences)

Yea (867 Occurrences)

Aught (52 Occurrences)

Alone (232 Occurrences)

Supper (17 Occurrences)

Vowed (34 Occurrences)

Bread: First Fruit of, offered to God
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