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Act 2:42 ... and in the breaking of bread, ....

~ scriptures are from the Hebraic Roots Bible, and HBR Bible Notes in italics.
Bible Commentries and Notes.

Breaking of Bread
The breaking of bread mentioned in Acts that is being broken, mentioned in several chapters, is not what christianity claims as the "communion" or "the Lord's Supper" being partaken of when they desired to.
The memorial of Messiah, as He established in Mat 26:26-29, Mar 14:22-25, Luk 22:14-20 for the replacement of the passover sacrifice - which points to him and He is the Passover Sacrifice, was the symbolizm of the bread and wine. It is always to be held once a year on passover - fourteenth Nisan, not every week, month or quaterly depending on what version of Christianity you belong to. It is a specific set aside Time of YAHWEH's.
And it requires one to have entered into the covenant (Baptism in Messiah's Name Only) relationship with Him first .

Scriptures from the Book of Acts
Act 2:42 And they were continuing steadfastly in the doctrine of the apostles, and in fellowship, and in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.

~ Acts 2:42 Keeping the proper doctrine that was taught by the elders was extremely important in the early congregation.
Also, 'breaking bread' is an ancient phrase and simply means eating a meal together. (Act 2:46)

Act 2:46 And continuing steadfastly with one mind day by day in the sanctuary†, and breaking bread from house to house,
they shared food in gladness and simplicity of heart,

Adam Clarke Commentry
Acts 2:46 Breaking bread from house to house - This may signify, that select companies, who were contiguous to each other, frequently ate together at their respective lodgings on their return from public worship. But κατ’ οικον, which we translate from house to house, is repeatedly used by the Greek writers for home, at home, for though they had all things in common, each person lived at his own table. Breaking bread is used to express the act of taking their meals. The bread of the Jews was thin, hard, and dry, and was never cut with the knife as ours is, but was simply broken by the hand.

Albert Barnes Notes
Acts 2:46 Breaking of bread - The Syriac renders this the Lord’s Supper. It cannot, however, be determined whether this refers to their partaking of their ordinary food together, or to feasts of charity, or to the Lord’s Supper. The bread of the Hebrews was made commonly into cakes, thin, hard, and brittle, so that it was broken instead of being cut. Hence, to denote “intimacy or friendship,” the phrase “to break bread together” would be very expressive in the same way as the Greeks denoted it by drinking together, συμπόσιον sumposion. From the expression used in Act 2:44, compare with Act 2:46, that they had all things common, it would rather seem to be implied that this referred to the participation of their ordinary meals. The action of breaking bread was commonly performed by the master or head of a family immediately after asking a blessing.

E.W.Bullinger - Companion Bible
Acts 2:46 breaking of bread. This was the common meal. Compare verses: Mat 14:19. Isa 58:7.

Act 20:11 And going up, and breaking bread†, and tasting, and he continued to speak until daybreak, and then he departed on his journey by land .

~ Acts 20:11 Breaking bread is an ancient Semitic term that simply means eating together.

Albert Barnes Notes
Acts 20:11 And had broken bread, and eaten - Had taken refreshment.
As this is spoken of Paul only, it is evidently distinguished from the celebration of the Lord’s Supper.

Act 27:35 And saying these things, and taking bread, he gave thanks to YAHWEH before all; and breaking, he began to eat.

Albert Barnes Notes
Acts 27:35 And gave thanks ... - This was the usual custom among the Hebrews. See the notes on Mat_14:19. Paul was among those who were not Christians; but he was not ashamed of the proper acknowledgment of God, and was not afraid to avow his dependence on him, and to express his gratitude for his mercy.

Other New Testament Scriptures
Mat 14:19 And commanding the crowds to recline on the grass, and taking the five loaves and two fish, gazing up to Heaven, He blessed. And breaking, He gave the loaves to the disciples, and the disciples gave to the crowds.

Albert Barnes Notes
The custom among the Jews was universal. The form of prayer which they used in the time of Christ has been preserved by their writers, the Talmudists. It is this: “Blessed be thou, O Lord our God, the King of the world, who hast produced this food and this drink from the earth and the vine.”
And brake - The loaves of bread, among the Jews, were made thin and brittle, and were therefore broken and not cut.

Luk 24:35 And they related the things in the highway, and how He was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

John Gill
Luke 24:35 and how he was known of them in breaking bread;
that so it was, that whilst he was breaking bread, and giving it to them, and they were eating together, their eyes were opened, and they saw plainly who he was: now, though this was a common meal, and not the ordinance of the Lord's supper, yet since Christ made himself known to his disciples at an ordinary meal, may not his followers expect that he will make himself known to them, and grant them communion with him at his table? and which should be no small argument to engage believers to a constant attendance on it.

1Co 5:11 But now I wrote to you not to associate intimately; if anyone is called a brother and is either immoral, or a covetous one, or an idolater, or a reviler, or a drunkard, or a extortionist, with such a one do not even break bread† to eat with.

~ 1 Corinthians 5:11 An ancient Middle Eastern term used simply for eating together with.

Referring to Passover (Lord's Supper)
1Co 10:16 The cup of blessing† that we bless, is it not a partaking of the blood of Messiah?
The bread which we break, is it not a partaking of the body of Messiah?

~ 1 Corinthians 10:16 In Jewish transition from the time of Messiah 4 cups were drank at Passover each having a special meaning.
The third cup was called “the cup of blessing”.

1Co 10:21 you cannot drink the cup of our Master and a cup of demons; you cannot partake of the table of our Master, and a table of demons†.

~ 1 Corinthians 10:21 It is unacceptable to YHWH to enter covenant relationship with Him (Baptism in His name only, and Passover) and to continue with pagan practices such as Christmas and Easter. Christmas is a pagan ceremony coming from the worship of the winter solstice and “Easter” is the name of the Babylonian goddess 'Istar' and is steeped in paganism.

Breaking of Bread the Jewish Understanding.
~ Luana Fabri.

In the days of Yahshua, a 'communal meal' was a common practice, particularly among the Jewish Sect of the Essenes. The Essenes, a community living mostly in the Judean hills, were known for their absolute community of goods. Those who came into the Community, had to give all they had: there was one purse for all, and all members had expenses, clothing, and food in common. In the second chapter of the book of 'Acts', many of the believers in Messiah began to follow the Essene lifestyle, selling their belongings, having all things in common and breaking bread (sharing communal meals) from house to house: "And all believers were together and had all things in common; and those who had possessions sold them and divided to each man according to his need. And they went to the Temple every day with one accord; and at home they broke bread and received food with joy and a pure heart." 1

With the advent of Christianity in the fourth century CE, a "Communion" ritual was introduced as part of Christian worship. This ritual involved the reconstructing of the 'sacrifice of Christ', where the worshipers partook of bread and wine, which represented the body and blood of their god.

Now, within Judaism, there is no such concept as 'communion', nor has there ever been. There is no Biblical equivalent to 'Eucharist', or 'Communion ritual'. Actual, the 'communion' practice caused many severe problems for the Jews, particularly in medieval times with the strange charges of 'host desecration'. Jews were accused and executed, for allegedly profaning the communion wafer. It was imagined in Christian circles that the Jews, not content with crucifying Christ once, continued to renew the agonies of his suffering by stabbing, tormenting or burning the host. It was said that such was the intensity of their hatred, that when the host shed blood, emitted voices or took to flight, the Jews were not deterred.

The charge of host desecration was leveled against Jews over all the Christian world, frequently bringing large scale massacre.

So, if the concept of 'communion' has no Jewish root, where did the Church's ritual originate?

In the second century CE, the Roman Church officially rejected all Jewish custom and Law, stating that Christianity had nothing in common with the Jews. In order to accommodate pagans into the new Roman Empire religion, the practices and rituals of the Mystery Religions were modified to suit Christianity. Let us take a look at the origins of the "Communion Ritual" in the Mystery Religions of Babylon and Greece:

The Ritual of Communion was a ritual called 'Omophagia'. In the Greek mysteries, Dionysus (or Bacchus - his Babylonian counterpart), was one of the main deities. His birth was celebrated on December 25. He was the god of wine. His followers, called "Bacchants" , celebrated the communion ritual of Dionysus by crushing the fruit of the vine and drinking the scarlet lifeblood pressed from its flesh. They also dismembering the animal which represented Dionysus (the bull), and worshipers would tear the bull to pieces with their hands and teeth. By practicing "Omophagia" (the dismemberment of the sacrificial victim and eating the flesh and drinking the blood), it was believed the worshiper absorbed the nature, or life of the god into his own. Thus, having consumed the flesh of the bull and the wine representing Dionysus, the worshipers took on his power and character. This was a communion in the god's own body and blood - to become like the god, they had to consume the god.

The second century Church took this concept and adapted it to 'Jesus'. For this reason, the miracle of communion was that the symbols of 'Jesus', the bread and wine, were believed to literally become his flesh and blood. This is called "transubstantiation", and is a belief of Catholics to this day.

Although the Protestant Church rejected 'transubstantiation', they kept the communion ritual, declaring that in the bread and wine, the believer partakes spiritually in the flesh and blood of the god. There are three main doctrines of the Communion rite within Christianity:

1. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that the wafer and wine of the Sacrament become the actual flesh and blood of Christ (Transubstantiation).

2. The Lutheran Church teaches that the flesh and blood of Christ are consumed in and with the bread and wine. This doctrine is called Consubstantiation.

3. The Calvinists say that the bread and wine give those who partake of them a spiritual participation of the flesh and blood of Christ.

It has been a common practice of non-Catholic denominations to simply 'spiritualize' Catholic doctrines. However, the belief still remains, that by either literally or spiritually partaking in the body and blood of the 'god', the believer receives the very life of the god.

In the Jewish faith, there is no ritual where a worshiper literally eats a symbol of God in order to 'receive Him'. We are transformed only by the Ruach (Spirit of God) in the observance of the Commandments.

If this is the case, then what did Yahshua mean when he used the symbolism of bread and wine and flesh and blood in reference to himself?
Let's look at Yahshua's words while partaking of his 'last' meal with his disciples, before he died:

"And he took bread and gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them and said,
'This is my body, which is given for your sake; this do in remembrance of me" Luke 22:19.

Most of us know, that at this time Yahshua was having a Passover Seder with his disciples. What piece of bread did he take, describing it as "my body"?
He took the Afikomen; not just any piece of matzah, but the piece which was broken and hidden at the start of the Seder, and compared this to his body. This was UNLEAVENED bread, signifying the sinlessness of Messiah. It is only at the Passover Seder, held on the Eve of Nissan 14, that the Afikomen is eaten. The Torah clearly states that we are to remember our redemption by eating unleavened bread at the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread. This is the only time at which we are commanded by God to do this. Yeshua is the unleavened bread. For this reason he said, "Do this (keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread/Passover) in remembrance of me."

Most often, at a 'Communion service', leavened bread is used. Leaven represents sin; Messiah is 'the sinless one'. It is the anti-messiah who is called the 'man of sin'.

Old Testament
Isa 58:7 Is it not to break your bread to the hungry, that you should bring the wandering poor home? When will you see the naked and cover him, and you will not hide yourself from your flesh?

Jer 16:7 Nor shall anyone break bread† for them in mourning, to comfort him for ones who died. Nor shall they give them the cup of comfort to drink for one's father or one's mother†.

Lam 4:4 The tongue of the nursling cleaves to his palate in thirst. The young children ask bread, but there is no breaking for them.

At the beginning of the family meal, this blessing is said as the bread is broken.
The blessing is referred to as "the breaking of bread".

"Baruch ata Adonai, Eloheinu Melech ha'olam, hamotzi lechem, min ha aretz."
"Blessed are You, O LORD our God, King of the Universe, Who has brought forth bread from the earth."

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