Bread

Bread is the Bible's everyday picture of God's provision. God rained manna — bread from heaven — on Israel in the wilderness, teaching them to gather it daily and depend on him; the tabernacle held the bread of the Presence before God; and Jesus taught his disciples to pray, give us this day our daily bread. Bread is the staff of life, and a reminder that we live by God's hand.

Jesus claimed to be its fulfilment: I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger. Where manna fed the body for a day, he feeds the soul for ever. At the last supper he broke bread and said, this is my body, and Christians have gathered around bread ever since — for the true Bread came down from heaven to give life to the world.