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Holy Eucharist
As the Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King observed
nearly half century ago, 11:00am Sunday morning is the
most segregated hour in the week.
There has been some effort toward remedying that
disgrace in most communions during our lifetime.
Christians can be proud of this. However, racial
discrimination was not the only cause of division in
Christianity.
The Eucharist is supposed to be a symbol, a sign of the
unity of Christians in the Body of Christ. St Paul said, "We
are one body because we eat the one bread."(1) Yet
there are many churches whose communions are
"closed" to persons who are baptized in a "communion"
that wears a different name. This is scandalous, a cause
of stumbling for persons who are not Christians and are
aware of the lack of charity between persons who claim
to be in God's family.
Is not there an attempt to bribe people into coming to
Christ for inferior reasons? Jesus, after feeding the
crowds found them following Him around the Lake of
Galilee. He said, "I assure you, you are not looking for me
because you have seen signs but because you have
eaten your fill of the loaves. You should not be working
for perishable food, but for food that remains unto life
eternal."(2)
We often appeal to secondary reasons as a justification
for people coming home to the Father. One of the inferior
reasons is the society around us would benefit by peace
and stability if our citizens embraced Christian faith and
life. Saving the government and stabilizing the social
order is not a high motive for persons to come to the
Banquet provided by our Heavenly Father.
Much of the discussion about the meaning of Holy
Communion is based on misinformation and an utter lack
of understanding of Christian History, and alas, inferior
motives.
There is little point arguing over Real Presence,
Transubstantiation, Memorial Feast, Sacrifice and
Eucharist if we have no understanding of how those
words were originally used by people who created them.
Worse still for Christians to be debating these terms if
their motive is self justification and if they don't
understand the intention of Jesus and St. Paul in regard
to the Holy Communion.
To aid our understanding, let us attempt to see what
Jesus, Paul, the New Testament writers and the early
Christian writers understood about sacraments and Holy
Communion. Then we will examine the circumstances
under which our more modern understandings and
confessions arose.
The Old Testament provides cultural background from
which Jesus and the Apostles could draw that lent
special meaning to the Lord's Supper. The first of these
is the preparation for the Passover described in Exodus
chapter 12. This meal was to be eaten as a memorial
throughout all generations showing how God rescued his
people, the angel of death passing over their households
as God brought salvation from slavery in Egypt. (3) This of
course is one fundamental meaning of Jesus' words "Do
this to commemorate me." (4)
There is more insight into the meaning of our meal of
thanksgiving (literal meaning of Eucharist) provided in
Exodus 16:1FF. After being delivered from Egypt via the
Red Sea (baptized to Moses)(5), the Israelites have their
first Communion, their first Thanksgiving (Eucharist). The
Israelites complained to Moses that they had no food,
"Then the Lord said to Moses, 'I will now rain down bread
from heaven for you. Each day the people are to go out
and gather their daily portion; thus I will test them to see
whether they follow my instructions or not.'" These
chapters of Exodus contain teaching that informs us of
the way God works with his people. These chapters lay
the foundation of Covenant Theology. At bottom there is
one covenant, "I will be your God if you will be my
people." (6)
Lines are there that found their way into the Lord's
prayer, "Give us this day, our daily bread. . . .lead us not
into temptation (the place of testing)."(7)
The Gospel of John has several sayings of Jesus that
enlightens us as to the meaning of communion
though the Lord's Supper is not recorded in John. Note
in John 6 the miracle of the loaves is at the time of the
Passover reminding us of God's provisions for his people
in Exodus both in delivering them from Egypt and raining
bread on them in the wilderness. Remember that the
Gospels are very much like sermons or evangelistic
tracts. The sayings of Jesus that are saved in them were
related orally in the first churches before being written
down. These sayings were relevant to the instruction
and worship of the first Christians.
The great discourse of the Bread of Life In John 6 gives
us the meaning of eating at the Lord's Table.
Jesus said many things that remind us of the first
covenant with Israel and instructs us as to the meaning
of his life and our weekly meal with the Lord.
He said, "You should not be working for perishable food
but for food that remains unto life eternal, food which the
Son of Man will give you. . . .God's bread comes down
from heaven and gives life to the world. . . .I myself am
the bread of life. No one who comes to me shall ever be
hungry, no one who believes in me shall ever thirst. . . .
only the one who is from God has seen the Father. Let
me firmly assure you, he who believes has eternal life. I
am the bread of life. Your ancestors ate manna in the
desert, but they died. This is the bread that comes down
from heaven for a man to eat and never die. I myself am
the living bread come down from heaven. If anyone eats
this bread he shall live forever; the bread I will give is my
flesh, for the life of the world."
At this the Jews quarreled among themselves, saying,
"How can he give us his flesh to eat?" Thereupon Jesus
said to them, "Let me solemnly assure you if you do not
eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood you
have no life in you. He who feeds on my flesh and drinks
my blood has life eternal and I will raise him up on the
last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood real drink
The man who feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood
remains in me, and I in him. Just as the Father who has
life sent me and I have life because of the Father, so the
man who feeds on me will have life because of me. This
is the bread that came down from heaven. Unlike your
ancestors who ate and died nonetheless, the man who
feeds on this bread shall live forever."
Even Jesus' disciples murmured in protest at this sermon
and Jesus said, "Does it shake your faith?"
"What, then, if you were to see the Son of Man ascend to
where he was before. . . .? It is the spirit that gives life,
the flesh is useless. The words I spoke to you are spirit
and life." Jesus even in that time early in his ministry
knew that not all would believe and keep the covenant
with him. The converse of Apostolic succession is
Apostolic failure, he said, "Did I not choose the Twelve of
you myself? Yet one of you is a devil." (8)
On the last day of the feast Jesus cried out: "If anyone
thirsts, let him come to me and let him drink; who
believes in me Scripture has it: 'From within him rivers of
living water shall flow.' Here he was referring to the Spirit
whom those that came to believe in him were to receive."
(9)
Jesus tied believing, trusting and obeying the covenant
with God, with being fed, given drink and given life.
The end of John's Gospel reiterates this theme in a
beautiful way. After Jesus death, it appeared to Peter
and the disciples that the Kingdom Jesus had promised
was not coming. They decided to revert to their old trade
of fishing on the Sea of Tiberias. They had fished all
night and as dawn was breaking they saw a familiar
figure standing on the sea shore. Jesus asked, "Have
you caught anything to eat?"
"Not a thing they answered." Jesus instructed them to
cast in their nets again and they caught 153 fish, the net
was full." This is reminiscent of the 5 loaves and two
fishes that were multiplied and also of the way the Lord
rained manna and birds on the children of Israel after the
Exodus.
Jesus emphasized that God provides by feeding them
breakfast. He provided bread and a baked fish. How
could they help but remember Jesus saying, "I am the
bread of life?" Having fed them, Jesus reminded them of
their covenant responsibilities. "Simon son of John, do
you love me?
Yes? Then feed my sheep." Having been fed, by the
Shepherd of Israel, it was their turn and their time to be
shepherds.(10)
One Anglican bishop described the Gospel according to
John as an ancient catechism; and so it is as it fleshes
out the meaning of covenant relationship with the Father,
salvation by faith in Christ, initiation into Christ by
baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit, and the nurturing
of life in Christ through the gift of the bread come down
from heaven.
The other Gospels and the Epistles enlarge our
understanding of the meaning of gathering at the Holy
Table.
Jesus taught many things by example and by parable. In
Matthew chapter 21 he has two parables that reveal the
failure of God's chosen people to keep covenant. He
ends the parable of the Tenants with the words, "For this
reason, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away
from you and given to a nation that will yield a rich
harvest." (11)
Then Jesus told the parable of the Wedding Banquet.
The King, in order to fill his banquet hall has his servants
to "go to the byroads and invite to the wedding anyone
you come upon." (12)
It is in this parable that we hear Jesus say, "Many are
called few or chosen." Another translation reads, "The
invited are many, the elect are few." In another chapter
we will discuss in depth the issues that have grown up in
Protestantism regarding predestination, but here it is
evident that the Father invites all to come to his banquet,
not everyone is willing to enter into covenant relationship
or remain in table fellowship, or be clothed with the
righteousness of Christ. Some who come in can be
thrown out.(13)
Matthew relates how on the last Passover that Jesus
celebrated with his disciples he warned his disciples that
one of the twelve would betray him. Each of the disciples
looked into his own heart and asked, "Is it I?" (14) Paul,
in teaching about the Eucharist advised each one to
examine himself so as not to eat in an unworthy fashion.
(15) Is the hand of the betrayer still on the Lord's table?
Is it I?
St Paul visited the Church in Corinth in the mid 50's,
some 20 years after Jesus' crucifixion. In the teaching of
Paul the Eucharist is a participation in the body and
blood of Christ. In Jewish teaching the life of a sacrifice
was believed to be in the blood. At Eucharist we are
demonstrating that we believe Christ is alive and we
share in his life. Paul also said the Eucharist is a means
of proclaiming the Gospel. (16)
For more information regarding preparation for Holy
Communion, see the chapter on Confession.
After the words about the betrayer, "Jesus took bread,
blessed it, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. 'Take this
and eat it,'he said, 'this is my body.' Then he took a cup
gave thanks, and gave it to them. 'All of you must drink
from it,' he said, 'for this is my blood, the blood of the
covenant, to be poured out in behalf of many for the
forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink this fruit of
the vine from now until the day when I drink it new with
you in my Father's reign.'"(17)
St. Luke added the line "Do this as a remembrance of me."
(18)
There were times in the church's history when abuses
arose in teaching. This was nothing new, in the Book of
Acts one of the first acts of Church Discipline was in
regard to a person who was attempting to buy the power
to work miracles; he wanted to buy an apostolic office.
He had a TV ministry in Samaria and was known as "the
great power of God." When Philip the evangelist arrived
with the Gospel, those who had been under Simon's
Magical Spells came for baptism. Simon the Magician
saw the miracles and signs that accompanied the work
of Peter and John and noticed "it was through the laying
on of hands the Holy Spirit was conferred by the
apostles." (19)
Simon offered a large sum of money so he could have this
same power of confirmation. Peter responded, "May you
and your money rot - thinking that God's gift can be
bought. You can have no portion or lot in this matter.
Your heart is not steadfastly set on God." Peter urged
Simon the Magician to repent, and Simon asked for Peter
and the others to pray for him.
If abuses arose in the days when the apostles were there
to correct, it should not surprise us that as the centuries
wore on, error and superstition would arise. We cannot
be true to history and believe that error came in the form
of only one Christian communion. Both before and after
the time we call the Protestant Reformation, reformers
both inside and outside the See of Rome taught true
spirituality, called people away from superstition and
error. Also, in the various reformations that have swept
over the various communions throughout history there
have also been errors, for all have sinned.
The real issue contested among Christian teachers is
what Eucharist means. What is happening here?
The issue of whether Holy Communion in any sense is a
sacrifice is a cause of some division among Christians.
Jesus made the point that no one was able to take his
life from him, that he laid it down of his own will. He said
that He came to do the will of the Father. Therefore, He
offered his life as a sacrifice. The language in our
Communion service reminds us of this work of Christ.
The Holy Communion service also makes clear that at
this meal we not only remember our Lord but we also
offer “our selves, our souls and bodies to be a living
sacrifice.”(20)
This is not un-Scriptural language, in fact it comes from
the writing of St Paul, “I beseech you brothers, through
the mercy of God to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice
holy and acceptable to God, your spiritual worship.”(21)
Jesus asked the question of his disciples, “Are you able
to drink the cup that I am about to drink, and be baptized
with the baptism that I am baptized with?” They said to
Him, “We are able.” (22)
That is not an idle question; it is one every generation of
Christians must answer. Are we willing to follow in his
steps?
Peter never forgot those words of his Master.
He wrote"1 Peter 2:21 For to this you were called,
because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an
example, that you should follow His steps."
Jesus also affirmed to Peter, "you will be baptized with
my baptism." Peter urges Christians to follow in the
steps of Jesus. In the case of Peter, the path led to his
own place of suffering.
Jesus affirms to all of us, you will drink my cup of
suffering and sorrow. Along with the blessing of salvation
from an evil world and an uncertain future, we also share
at the table with our Lord the blood of the covenant. It
was through suffering that Jesus was perfected. (24) The
servant is not above the Master. We too will walk
through valleys of dark shadows. We will be comforted
as we offer our lives back to the Father in concert with
the offering of our fellows in the Body of Christ. Though
we participate in the cup of sorrow, we will fear no evil
for He is really present to comfort us.
Real Presence and Transubstantiation are words that too
often are misunderstood, for want of knowledge of how
they were first used and why they entered Christian
vocabulary. Transubstantiation enters our English
language via the Greeks and the Romans. At issue is
whether an ancient Greek philosophic understanding of
the nature of matter (ousia in Greek, substantia in Latin)
is to be used to explain the Lord's Supper. Jesus
statement, "This is my body, do this to commemorate me"
does not address Greek philosophic thought. As we saw,
He was teaching within the culture of his race and their
memory of the Passover meal. The issue was not
whether he was contained within the cup or within the
loaf of bread. The issue was whether his disciples would
feast with him in the Reign, the Kingdom of God. (25)
The King in Jesus’ parable invited people to his banquet
to dine with him. It would be ridiculous to say the King
representing the Father, ate the Son. As our prayer book
says transubstantiation overthrows the very nature of a
sacrament. The sacrament is an oath, a sign that God
continues with us. In the Lord's Supper, it is a sign that
we are "proclaiming his death until he comes again." We
reverence this meal as Jews did the Passover; it too was
a sign, a memorial through all generations that God visits
and saves his people.
Do we accept the idea of Real Presence? Some
apologists for the Roman Catholic Church say that
persons who do not accept the language
"transubstantiation" in effect are preaching the "Real
absence of Christ." This is not the case.
Sons of the English Church affirm that Holy Communion is
a means of grace. This is a mystery. Paul said, “God
continues in Christ reconciling the world to himself.”
(26) We believe this act goes on in the Body of Christ
today. We say it is a great mystery; God is in Christ
reconciling the world to himself. By this we mean that we
expect an increase of the Holy Spirit in our lives; we
expect to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus
Christ. The Eucharist is also a sign of Christians growing
together in Christ, and we affirm with St Paul, "Christ in
you is the hope of glory." Any goodness, any glory of the
Church of Christ on earth is when this Body reveals the
spirit of Christ in deeds wrought in love, lives lived in joy
and mercy.
In I Corinthians 12 St. Paul lays out in detail how the
Church is to function as Christ in the world through a
variety of ministries all inspired by the Holy Spirit. St
Peter calls this body of Christ to be, "a kingdom of
priests, a Holy nation."(27)
In I Corinthians 10:14ff St. Paul says, "Is not the cup of
blessing (Eucharist) we bless a sharing in the body of
Christ? And is not the bread we break a sharing in the
body of Christ? Because the loaf of bread is one, we,
many though we are, are one body, for we all partake of
the one loaf." The Lord's Table is not only a proclamation
of the Gospel, a sign that Christ is at work in this place
bringing the salvation of God, it is also the supreme sign
of unity among Christians. It is to the shame of the whole
Christian nation, all communions that we don't share the
same table and thus demonstrate the redeeming love of
God to the world.
The Holy Supper of the Lord is a sure pledge of our
participation in the Kingdom of God. This was a source of
joy when the Holy Spirit was sent to the Church on
Pentecost, confirming this fact. The new Body of Christ
"continued steadfastly in the apostles doctrine, the
breaking of bread and in prayers. . . . .They went to the
temple area together every day, while in their homes they
broke bread. With exultant and sincere hearts they took
their meals in common, praising God and winning the
approval of all the people. Day by day the Lord added to
their number those who were being saved." (28)
This "breaking of bread" in the homes has been verified
by archaeology. Homes around the Decapolis area have
been uncovered that had simple altars with the names of
the Holy Family inscribed on the wall behind the altar.
Basilicas came later. The first churches were "upper
rooms"such as in Acts, or dining room tables such as is
described in Luke 24 where Jesus appears to the two on
Emmaus highway. When the two on Emmaus road
prevailed on the stranger to come home for supper, "he
seated himself with them to eat, he took bread,
pronounced the blessing, then broke the bread and
began to distribute it to them. With that their eyes were
opened and they recognized him." (29)
Even so, in our own times, we recognize Jesus Christ is
present and continues to give us the bread of life. His
presence with us is the essence of grace. The Giver is
also the Gift.
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(1) I Corinthians 10:17
(2) John 7:26-27
(3) Exodus 12
(4) Luke 22:19
(5) I Corinthians 10:2
(6) Exodus 19:5; Leviticus 26:2
(7) Matthew 6:11-13
(8) John 6:70
(9) John 7:37,38
(10) John 12:1-19
(11) Matthew 21:33-44
(12) Matthew 22:4-10
(13) Matthew 22:11-14
(14) Matthew 22:20-25
(15) I Corinthians 11:27-32
(16) I Corinthians 11:26
(17) Matthew 26:26-30
(18) Luke 22:19
(19) Acts 8:9-25
(20) 1928 Book of Common Prayer pg 81
(21) Romans 12:11
(22) Matthew 20:22
(23) I Peter 1:22
(24) Hebrews 2:10
(25) Article XXVIII of the Lord's Supper Book of Common
Prayer Page 608
(26) II Corinthians 5:19
(27) I Peter 2:9; cf Exodus 19:6 and Revelation 5:10
(28) Acts 2:42-47
(30) Luke 24:1-31
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