The breaking of bread refers to the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The use of the definite article (the
) as well as the phrase itself separates this breaking from other meals. It is also consistent with terminology used in Acts 20:7, Acts 20:11 to describe the Lord’s Supper.1 Because the Lord’s Supper focuses attention on God’s promises in Christ it would most certainly help believers to persevere in the teaching of the apostles. Additionally, being an expression of fellowship, it would also help them to see and treat each other as family.2 In the early church this Supper was often part of a larger meal known as a love feast (see 1 Corinthians 11:20–22; 2 Peter 2:13; Jude 1:12).3 This meal was connected to the worship service and had the purpose of fostering and expressing brotherly love.4
42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.