Pão
O pão é símbolo central na Bíblia: do maná no deserto ao pão da vida — Jesus. A Escritura usa o pão para ensinar sobre provisão divina, comunhão e dependência espiritual.
O maná do céu
Deus alimentou Israel no deserto com pão do céu. O maná era diário, fiel e suficiente — retrato da provisão constante de Deus.
And the Lord spake with Mosheh, saying, The tumult of the children of Israel is heard before Me. Speak with them to say, Between the evenings you shall eat flesh, and in the morning be satisfied with bread, and you shall know that I am the Lord your God.
And it was in the evening that the quails came up and covered the camp; and in the morning a dew descended round about the camp; And when the dew which had fallen had gone up, behold, upon the face of the desert, a small (substance) without covering, small like hoar frost, heaped on the earth. And the sons of Israel saw, and said, a man to his brother, Mana-hu! For they knew not what it was. And Mosheh said to them, This is the bread which the Lord will give you to eat.
And the house of Israel called the name of it Manna; and it was as the seed of Gida white, and its taste was like cake broiled with honey.
O pão da vida
Jesus declarou: 'Eu sou o pão da vida.' Quem vem a Ele nunca terá fome, e quem nele crê jamais terá sede. Ele é o sustento eterno.
And He humbled (or afflicted) thee, and let thee hunger, and fed thee with the manna which thou knewest not, nor did thy fathers know; that He might make thee to know, That not by bread only is man sustained, but by every forth-coming word from before the Lord shall man live.
Partilha e comunhão
O partir do pão une o corpo de Cristo. Na Ceia, na generosidade e na partilha, expressamos a comunhão com Deus e uns com os outros.
Provisão divina
O justo não é desamparado e seus descendentes não mendigam pão. Deus provê com fidelidade o alimento de cada dia.