Why use unleavened bread during communion?

Answer 1

- From a symbolic aspect, the way unleavened bread had to be made at the time gave the bread a distinct look. In order for it to cook properly, cooking through to the center, it had to be striped (like you may see on peanut butter cookies where the preparer uses a fork to press stripes in the cookie). It also had to have holes punched in it to cook properly. So when Jesus raised the unleavened bread and said, "This is my body which is broken for you" he was holding up bread that was both pierced and lacerated as his body would be the next day (the skin of his back hanging in ribbons from the flogging and the nails which pierced his hands and feet.) To see an example simply search for matzo crackers to see unleavened bread with this piercing and striping.

- When the word leaven is used in the manner and such like manner, it represents sin. Leaven in flour for instant will permeate and cause the flour to rise and puff up and completely change the normal appearance of flour from the norm. Symbolically so sin will do the same for the christian life if allowed to enter. As the bread from flour represents the body of Christ, especially in the communion then inclusion of anything foreign is an impurity.

- Because communion is representative of the feast of Passover and God specifically commanded that bread without yeast be used for Passover.

Answer:

Two reasons come to mind...

First, is in its initial use by the Israelites in their escape from Egypt. Unleavened bread doesn't require the "time" to rise... therefore it provided an instantaneous food supply for them when they hastily escaped from Egypt.

The second reason lies in the "spiritual symbolism" of unleavened bread, beyond the sustaining of "physical life":

"...It is written, Man shall not live by BREAD alone, but by EVERY WORD that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." (Matt.4:4)

The Word of God is compared to "bread"... "unleavened bread." Plain, simple, unembellished Divinely revealed sustenance and nourshment for man's spirit [his awakened intellect, mind, heart to God's Truth].

"...Thy Word is Truth." (John 17:17)

God [Jesus Christ, the Almighty Creator God of the Old Testament - John 1:3 & 10] orchestrated in due time, the Israelites' escape from Egypt to symbolize the plan of salvation... of which, the Word of God, The Bible, Unleavened Bread... plays a pivotal part.

Egypt symbolizes "SIN" to which the Israelites were enslaved, just as mankind is in bondage to sin [the transgression of God's law - I John 3:4]. It was the "blood of the lamb" that the Israelites, through obedience to the command, struck upon the windows and doors of their homes... that caused "death" to pass over them on that night that they were commanded to do so.

But, once free from bondage to sin [Egypt]... the person cannot hang around in the midst of it. HE MUST FROM THEN ON - RUN AWAY FROM SIN... or be recaptured and pulled back into it by his "former master," Pharaoh [Satan the Devil].

That's where the believer must "eat on the run" the Unleavened Bread of God. Read the Bible... feed on it... chew on it... savor it... digest what it says... learn the Truth that's otherwise hidden there from the carnal minds of unconverted men.

The Unleavened Bread of God, the Bible, is the believer's sustenance, until Jesus returns to earth with the Kingdom of God. It's the "written" Words of Jesus Christ:

"...Our fathers did eat manna in the desert [God's bread from heaven, when the unleavened bread ran out - Ex.16]; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

"Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but My Father giveth you the True Bread from heaven.

"For the Bread of God is He which came down from heaven, and giveth Life unto the world... Then Jesus said unto them, I AM THE BREAD OF LIFE: he that cometh to Me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on Me shall never thirst." (John 6:31- 35)

The Unleavened Bread of God... Jesus Christ... is a converted man's spiritual sustenance for the duration of his mortal life, either until he dies... or Jesus Christ returns.

"So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and UNTO THEM THAT LOOK FOR HIM shall He appear THE SECOND TIME without sin UNTO SALVATION." (Heb.9:28)

The BREAD OF LIFE, Jesus Christ, sets us free from death. Faith in His shed blood does this. And the reading, studying and implementation of the Unleavened Bread, Jesus' written Word, the Bible, in our life from then on... MAINTAINS THAT FREEDOM!

"...IF YE CONTINUE IN MY WORD, then are ye My disciples indeed; and YE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, and the Truth shall MAKE YOU FREE." (John 8:31-32)

"Communion" isn't some mindless ritual to observe for a moment and forget. It's the starting point of God's mercy, forgiveness and newness of life:

"...THIS DO IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME..." (Luke 22:19).

And God's Unleavened Bread then becomes the believer's life-long source of TRUTH and LIBERTY [or, as the founding fathers wrote: Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, which is endowed by our Creator, Jesus Christ, not man's governments]... which yields inner peace [a rare commodity in the world].

The unleavened bread of "communion" is a REMINDER that symbolizes the "spiritual intake" of God's Word into the mind and heart... which serves to function in the growth and development of "Divine Knowledge, Wisdom, Understanding and Character" in the "Child of God" growing in each believer.

Answer 2

Depends on the church. Some any bread or cracker is fine, others the wafer is prefered. I went to one for a while that only allowed Matzoh suitable for Passover.