Lord Jesus Christ Thou Living Bread
Lord Jesus Christ, Thou living bread
The hymn presents Christ as both the Lamb of God whose sacrifice removes sin and the living bread of eternal life, central to Lutheran sacramental theology. It emphasizes the comfort and nourishment found in Christ's redemptive work, expressing the eucharistic mystery that Christ offers himself as spiritual food for believers.
History & Background
Written by Josua Stegmann, a German Lutheran theologian and poet, around 1627 as a eucharistic hymn emphasizing Christ as the living bread and sacrificial lamb. The text was translated into English by Winfred Douglas in 1940 and has appeared in major Lutheran hymnals including The Lutheran Hymnal (1941) and Lutheran Service Book (2006).
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 640
- Lutheran Service Book — 625
- Lutheran Worship — 248
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 312
Translation
Bulletin Note
Written by Lutheran pastor Josua Stegmann in 1627, this hymn pairs the medieval Agnus Dei melody with Reformation theology, making the eucharistic mystery both accessible and profound for common worship.
Preaching Connection
This hymn amplifies the scandal and comfort of the Gospel by collapsing the distance between Calvary's judgment and the altar's mercy—Christ is simultaneously the Lamb who bears our sin and the living food that sustains us in faith.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: Law to Gospel: acknowledgment of universal sin, appeal to Christ's sacrificial work, petition for mercy and peace
Themes
Christ as Lamb of God Eucharistic mystery Sacrificial atonement Communion with Christ Peace through redemption