Hymn Study - What Is This Bread?

1 What is this bread? Christ's body risen from the dead: This bread we break, This life we take, Was crushed to pay for our release. O taste and see--the Lord is peace. 2. What is this wine? The blood of Jesus shed for mine; The cup of grace Brings His embrace Of life and love until I sing! O taste and see--the Lord is King. 3. So who am I, That I should live and He should die Under the rod? My God, my God, Why have You not forsaken me? O taste and see--the Lord is free. 4. Yet is God here? Oh, yes! By Word and promise clear, In mouth and soul He makes us whole-- Christ, truly present in this meal. O taste and see--the Lord is real. 5. Is this for me? I am forgiven and set free! I do believe That I receive His very body and His blood. O taste and see--the Lord is good..

Thinking back to a being a child at church one thing stands out to me more than anything. More than choir practice, Sunday school, Christmas pageants, vacation bible school. It was the feeling of being left behind every other Sunday at communion. Was that something you experienced? I remember when I was very young my grandfather was called up separately from my mother and grandmother who was already up there. My grandfather told me to wait as my mom and grandma would be back soon and he got in line. But I wanted to as well. I got in the back of line, a few folks behind my grandpa and soon my mother was there, taking me by my hand back to my seat.

I didn't know what communion was at that age. There's a good reason that I wasn't given the Lord's Supper until after catechism, there's a good reason my then girlfriend, now wife had to wait until she was a member of our church after completing Bible information class until she was allowed to come up there with me. Paul tells us in 1 Corinthians 11:29, "For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body of the Lord eats and drinks judgment on himself." We need to have a full understanding of what it means to take in Christ's body and blood.

What does that mean? Well this hymn, appropriate for Maundy Thursday, that very first Lord's supper explains what happens in beautiful poetic detail! What is the bread? Christ's body, the life we take. What is this wine? The blood of Jesus shed for mine. 1 Corinthians 11 again, "₂₃For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ₂₄and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, "This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me." ₂₅In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me." ₂₆For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes."

The next three verses of the hymn go on to talk about what happens when we take this bread and wine, Christ's body and blood. Who am I? Unworthy. This blessing of the sacrament of communion is a complete blessing. Do you think as a child I could adequately judge my sins, reflect upon myself that I had forgiven my enemies and pleaded forgiveness for my sins. No, I just wanted to be with grandpa. Someone who is starting to attend church regularly with a friend, I imagine they feel left out, maybe a little embarrassed to be an adult left behind with little kids, sticking out of that empty pew like a sore thumb, but is that the attitude that should be wanting to take them to the Lord's supper, of course not. We have to understand that sin is to be put completely behind us, though we know undoubtedly we'll fall back in to it even shortly thereafter. We're not perfect, which is why the verse of self reflection ends by telling us the Lord is free.

And this blessing will be bestowed on the children and guests at church should they choose to allow this knowledge not only into their minds, but their hearts as well. The last verse reiterates what verse three says, is this for me? Yes! Because you believed, you are set free from sin. Christ body and blood is working in you in accordance with the Holy Spirit and strengthening your faith which continues to point you back to the cross, which at the foot forgiveness is found!

Going back to verse four we see not only is this a remembrance of what God did for His people by sending Jesus to the cross as well as the night before where Jesus gave up His flesh and blood through bread and wine to His disciples, but here too is He with us. His body and blood. 1 Corinthians 10:16 states, "Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?" Paul is writing to the Corinthians who had been abusing their communion sacraments, apart from the sins and self examination that was lacking, they were also mixing it with brunch. Paul is reminding them in this epistle that this is Jesus' body and blood. It's there, it's very real. He goes on to tell them if you're hungry eat at home. Communion as we can see demands respect, this side of Heaven and thankfully often it's the one time we get to interact physically with our Savior. You are touching Christ's body, you are touching His blood, God is real.

We receive abundant miracles and intercessions as Christians to the point that we might not even realize when they happen. But if you want to witness a miracle that you can know occurs with faithful duty, this is one that won't let you down. You can show it to someone, you can touch, taste and see. The Lord is peace, the Lord is King, the Lord is free, the Lord is real and the Lord is good!