--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Sometimes silences are pregnant and…" description: "\"“Sometimes silences are pregnant and sometimes not. It is hard to know what to make of the silence of much of the New Testament about the Lord’s Supper..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/ben-witherington-iii-33766_baptism_sometimes-silences-are-pregnant-and-some_212212.jpg" --- # Sometimes silences are pregnant and sometimes not. It is… ![“Sometimes silences are pregnant and sometimes not. It is hard to know what to make of the silence of much of the New Testament about the Lord’s Supper. Perhaps it is simply an accident of time and circumstance. There was not a felt need to address the matter. What we should not likely conclude is…” quote by Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/ben-witherington-iii-33766_baptism_sometimes-silences-are-pregnant-and-some_212212.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/ben-witherington-iii-33766_baptism_sometimes-silences-are-pregnant-and-some_212212.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/634/ben-witherington-iii-33766_baptism_sometimes-silences-are-pregnant-and-some_212212.jpg) > ““Sometimes silences are pregnant and sometimes not. It is hard to know what to make of the silence of much of the New Testament about the Lord’s Supper. Perhaps it is simply an accident of time and circumstance. There was not a felt need to address the matter. What we should not likely conclude is that it was not seen as an important matter in the latter part of the first century A.D. What we can observe is that the Lord’s Supper continued to be an in-home ceremony taken in the context of a fellowship meal. We also now know it was important in both Gentile and Jewish contexts in the church in the second half of the first century, and beyond. We see no evidence anywhere in this material that clerics of any kind are in charge of the meal and its distribution. Even in the Didache, prophets, who were mouthpieces for God, are only allowed to say the thanksgiving prayer as often as they like. The low ecclesiology, coupled with the ever-present eschatology, suggest that the Didache does indeed go back to the end of the first century A.D. But one precedent in the Didache does stand out: the Lord’s Supper is for baptized Christians, and in particular for those who repent of their sins. We are on the way to the church of the Middle Ages in some respects, but we have not begun to localize or confine grace to the elements of the Lord’s Supper itself and then have it controlled by clerics.”” [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early Christian worship was informal, home‑based, and not controlled by clergy, reflecting a flexible, community‑centered practice. **In simple terms:** Early church meals were informal and community driven. Key Takeaway Recognize the value of shared, non‑hierarchical fellowship. Themes community worship authority history ecclesiology Mood reflective scholarly Type historical theological analytical When to use this quote - family gatherings - church meals - modern worship planning - theological study - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts Early church practice Didache Lord’s Supper ecumenical development Questions to Reflect On - How does informal worship affect community cohesion? - What risks arise without clear leadership? A Different Perspective The lack of formal structure may have limited doctrinal consistency across regions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Baptism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/baptism/) [Clergy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clergy/) [Eucharist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eucharist/) [Lord 's supper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lord-s-supper/) [Middle ages](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/middle-ages/) [New testament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/new-testament/) [Sacrament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrament/) ## Related quotes > [“One of the things that happened when the church moved from meetings in homes to having purpose-built buildings beginning before, but accelerated during, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-witherington-iii/one-of-the-things-that-happened-when-the-church-moved-from-meetings/) [Ben Witherington III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-witherington-iii/) > [“The Didache is the earliest known document outside the NT to identify the problem of settled faith communities in conflict with traveling, itinerant preachers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clayton-n-jefford/the-didache-is-the-earliest-known-document-outside-the-nt-to-identify/) Clayton N Jefford > [“Is the Lord’s Supper only for Christians? 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We also now know it was important in both Gentile and Jewish contexts in the church in the second half of the first century, and beyond. We see no evidence anywhere in this material that clerics of any kind are in charge of the meal and its distribution. Even in the Didache, prophets, who were mouthpieces for God, are only allowed to say the thanksgiving prayer as often as they like. The low ecclesiology, coupled with the ever-present eschatology, suggest that the Didache does indeed go back to the end of the first century A.D. But one precedent in the Didache does stand out: the Lord’s Supper is for baptized Christians, and in particular for those who repent of their sins. 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