So what is the meaning behind the bread? In the Passover Seder (meal), there is an interesting pile of unleavened bread separated by white linen napkins. There are 3 layers. There is a prescribed ceremony concerning this arrangement. At a certain point, the leader of the feast takes the middle piece of matzah from the layers and breaks it according to a pattern. Before we get to the pattern, let’s look at little closer at the bread itself. This is unleavened bread. Leaven in the scripture has been used as a symbol of sin, where a little bit goes through all the lump of dough changing its nature (1 Cor. 5:6). As unleavened bread it has been made in a different way with 2 unique things about it apart from its flatness. The baking has created the appearance of being striped. Small holes (piercings) have been uniformly placed to allow for even baking. This causes the breaking of the bread to occur in straight line pathways much like a perforated edge allows straight tearing. The middle piece of bread is to be divided in two pieces. One is immediately wrapped in a linen and quietly hidden away when the children are unaware.  It is called the afikomen (dessert). The other is immediately distributed in small pieces for consumption.

Since the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed according to law, this meant that lamb had to be sacrificed at the temple. Jews who could not get to Jerusalem at the time of Jesus, and all Jews who lived after the temple was destroyed, came to regard the unleavened bread as a symbol of the sacrifice. This way they could still celebrate the commanded observance. It had similar characteristics symbolically to the lamb. It was without blemish or fault. (leaven)

Rabbis have understood that the three pieces were a unity. They have struggled for years to figure out its meaning. The Creator has set out wonderfully graphic pictures in his rituals and instructions that lead us to appreciate how many nuances God leaves us to discover.  Let’s look at a few ideas that have been discussed.

Some have postulated that the three may represent the patriarchs. But the question comes, Why do we break Isaac? The Christian can answer this question if he understands the story of Abraham being first commanded then forbidden to offer up his son and then sees how Jesus indicates that this is my body. There are wonderful nuances to this story we do not have time for in this post.

Another idea, generally accepted is that the top and bottom are a symbol of the double portion of manna given by God for the Sabbath rest in the wilderness.  This leaves the middle matzah an unanswered question. Again nuances are possible in this explanation for the Christian that are hidden for the Jews. This statement is a generalization, not an exclusive one. Jewish believers that Yeshua is the messiah will totally get the picture. Judaism simply does not allow the symbolism within the belief system.

Another idea is that the top layer represents God and the bottom His people.  The middle matzah then is both way and barrier to God. If we view this as the Torah, which originally is the way and barrier to God, why are we commanded to break it?

This view is the most exciting to me because Jesus reveals an age old mystery with His words, “This is my body.” It shows us the truth of many scriptures and unites the overview of what God has been revealing all along. Jesus said “I am the way” John 14:6. “There is one God and one mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5-6). They will look upon him whom they have pierced (Zech. 12:10; John 19:37), by his stripes we are healed (Is. 53:5, KJV).

His body was broken. The way was opened through the act. The temple curtain split down the middle from top to bottom (Matt.27:51) revealing the previously forbidden Holy of Holies, the place where God dwelt. Later the gold doors to the holy place were opened and finally before the destruction of the temple, the huge brass outer gates opened of their own accord as prophesied in Zechariah. The way was opened and temple to be destroyed.

The law was perfect but as such it could only be a barrier to God because of the weakness and humanness of those to whom it was given. We who offend in one point are guilty of all. You can’t be 99% perfect and qualify to be perfect. But throughout the Hebrew bible the authors believed in salvation and redemption, a way that God would not deal with us according to our iniquities but according to mercy. Yet they also show recognition that He will be just. The substitutionary sacrifice was a symbol of how God would deal with us.

Let’s go back to the bread representing that very substitution. The afikomen, buried for a time away from our presence is found by the children at the end of the seder. It must be redeemed by the head of the feast. It is to eaten alone this time. The first half was eaten with bitter herbs. The afikomen is to be the last taste of food that stays with us from the meal.

So as the bread has application to our lives at two separate times, so is there significance immediately and at the time of the end. The first application of our salvation does not end our participation with suffering and temptation (bitter herb symbols) but does change our very lives by its presence and our awareness. The second application is for the time to come, the promise of life to come. Then we will be remade, fit for fellowship with the Creator.

(We’ll get to the wine in the next post.)