The Gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark and Luke record the story of what we now call “The Last Supper”.  In each of these accounts, Jesus is said to “bless”, or “give thanks for” the bread.  Many other words of Jesus at this Supper are recorded, but the words of this blessing are not.  It has always seemed a little strange to me that those words were not recorded because the “sacrament” [can I even write that word here?] of Communion, which The Church derives from “The Last Supper”, is so important to the Christian Community around the world.  Surely it would help us if we knew what Jesus said in His blessing of the bread. 

Well, the reason that these words of “blessing” were not written down is because these words were well-known to any Jew of that time.  They are the same words still spoken at virtually every meal served in the home of religious Jews to this day.  The blessing of the bread that was said by Jesus at “The Last Supper” was this:

                                                                    “Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu, melekh ha’olam

                                                                     Hamotzi lehem min ha’aretz.”

You may be thinking: “That just looks like gibberish”, or “It’s all Greek to me”.  Actually, it’s Hebrew.  And, some of you might kind-of recognize some of these words.  On the first line, we see “Adonai” – a word we know to mean “Lord”.  And, on the second line [it’s interesting writing that phrase on Lundi Gras!], we cannot miss “lehem” which, of course, means “bread”.  [Some of my sharp Wednesday night class students might catch the word “melekh”, and think of the husband of Naomi, Elimelech, whose name means “The Lord is my king”.]

The English interpretation of the words of blessing said by Jesus that night is this:                                                       

                                                                 “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, King of the Universe

                                                                   Who brings forth bread from the earth.”

Jesus, who said, “I Am the bread of life”, knows that we need physical bread to live on this earth.  But He knows we need a real relationship with Him even more than that, which is why He told us to “Seek FIRST the Kingdom of Heaven”[Matthew 6:33].  When we actually do that, The Father will take care of our physical needs.  And, when He does, our hearts should acknowledge Him as the One from whom all blessings flow, the One “who brings forth bread from the earth.” 

I pray that each time we hold a piece of bread in our hands and raise it to our mouths, we will remember the One who is the true bread of life. 

Ambrose Ramsey | Pastor and Shepherd | Throwback to March 2019