Troublesome Topic: They Ate Two Types of Meals in Their Homes

Acts 2:46

Translation

and continuing steadfastly

in the temple every day with one mind,

and breaking bread

in each house, and partaking of food with hearts [full of] exuberance and without stumbling stones,

Paraphrase

and they were persistently fixated on [being together] in the temple [courts] with a singular, united purpose, as well as remembering the sacrifice of Jesus together in home meetings, and eating meals together with overflowing joy for what God had done and without any of the things that damage relationships,

They Ate Two Types of Meals in Their Homes

This passage mentions “breaking of bread” twice and it also mentions partaking of food in a general way. I believe that the phrase “breaking of bread” refers to how they replicated the Passover meal with a focus on the sacrifice of Jesus, and the “partaking of food” refers to a simple act of eating a meal together and enjoying fellowship together. Fellowship is one of the priorities mentioned in the first verse of this section (v. 42). We all know that there is something about food that can unite us. But the ancient Jews (as well as others of ancient times) did not eat with anyone they were not already in harmony with. So for them the act of eating together was used to cement an already harmonious relationship. Thus this was a sign of unity on top of the statement earlier in this verse that they were of “one mind.” Notice that this verse ends with the phrase “without stumbling stones.” Many relationships are characterized by friction and strife, but the early followers of Jesus did not have that problem because they did not allow anything into the relationship that would cause friction, hindrance, or encumbrance. They really were of one mind, sharing a common purpose, united; they didn’t just say they were of one mind.

Footnotes

1

This is a compound word that comes from the preposition “towards or with” and the verb “to show steadfast strength.” It can be rendered “to persevere, continue steadfastly, endure, prevail, stay fixed in one direction, keep on, persist, to continue to do something with intense effort, give constant attention to something.”

2

This word means “one passion;” “one mind” is a close parallel. It speaks to unit of purpose and focus.

3

Once again, the phrase “breaking of bread” probably refers to celebrating what we call “the Lord’s Supper, Communion, or Eucharist.”

4

This word means “without rocks, smooth, without stones on which to stumble, without encumbrance or hindrance.”