April 1, 2002, Vol.2, No.7.
Two new articles every two weeks.
Bible Question? E-mail
us.
THIS ISSUE: "What
is the Lord's Supper?" (below)
and "Was There Such a
Place as Eden?"
ANSWERING YOUR QUESTIONS:
What is the Lord's
Supper?
by Tom Rainwater
 QUESTION:
When we share the gospel with other people, are we not sharing
the Lord's Supper? After all, he said in John 6:35, "I am
the bread of life, he who believes in me will never go hungry."
Therefore whenever we share the gospel or study the Bible, are
we not also eating the Lord's Supper, which in turn happens any
day of the week and not only on Sundays?
ANSWER: Thank you for
your thoughtful question. We are happy to receive questions from
anyone looking over our web site, and will do our best to answer
each question according to the Bible.
The Context of John 6:35
Jesus said in John 6:35, "I am the bread of life. He
who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me
shall never thirst." Looking at the context of the passage,
many people were following Jesus because they simply wanted Him
to give them physical bread as He did when He feed the 5,000
(John 6:1-14). They were more interested in filling their bellies
than filling their minds with the truths He was teaching and
demonstrating. Jesus said:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because
you saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were
filled. Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the
food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man
will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him."
(John 6:26-27).
He said in verses 32 and 33:
"Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give
you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread
from heaven. For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven
and gives life to the world."
In this chapter, Jesus continues to appeal to them to believe
on Him since it is the Father's will that "everyone who
sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and
I will raise him up at the last day." (verse 40). In verse
47, He says, "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes
in Me has everlasting life." Yet, these materially minded
people refused to listen to Jesus and believe that He was the
bread of life sent from heaven.
Jesus is like physical bread, in that He provides sustenance
for life. Yet He is superior to physical bread because
the life He provides is spiritual and eternal.
If we partake of His flesh and blood, recognizing Him as "the
bread of life," we will never hunger or thirst (verse 35),
we will live forever (verses 51,57,58), have eternal life (verses
54), be raised at the last day (verse 54), and will abide in
Him as He abides in us (verse 56).
I don't believe that this context has any connection with
the Lord's Supper that was later commanded by Jesus. The partaking
of His blood and flesh here refers spiritually to our consuming
the truths about Jesus, believing in Him with all our heart,
and taking on His character as true disciples. Jesus must become
the very core of our lives here on earth as we take in the evidence
of his Sonship. The Apostle Paul spoke of this when he said:
"I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I
who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live
in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me
and gave Himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).
Certainly we need to share the gospel with people every day
of the week and teach them about Jesus, the bread of life sent
from heaven. However, this does not equate to taking the Lord's
Supper.
The Act of Partaking the
Lord's Supper
is Commanded of All Christians
The night of His betrayal, Jesus commanded the apostles to
eat the unleavened bread and drink the fruit of the vine left
from the Passover dinner (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke
22:15-20, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25):
"Take, eat; this is my body." (Matthew 26:26).
"This is My body which is given for you; do this is remembrance
of Me." (Luke 22:19).
"Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it
to them saying, 'Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood
of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission
of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of
the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with
you in my Father's kingdom." (Matthew 26:27-29). "This
do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."
(1 Corinthians 11:25).
Jesus implied that His disciples would partake of it again:
(1) "As often as you drink it." (There would
be several occasions for observance.) (2) "In remembrance
of Me." (His body and blood had not yet been given.
The supper would be a memorial after His crucifixion.) (3) "Until
that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."
(It would be observed when His kingdom was established, and be
an occasion of communion with Him).
On the first Pentecost after Jesus' crucifixion, resurrection
and ascension to Heaven, His apostles announced to the Jewish
assembly that "God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified,
both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36). God had raised Christ
up "to sit on his throne" (Acts 2:30) and was "exalted
to the right hand of God." (Acts 2:33). Jesus was ruling
over his spiritual kingdom, the church (Ephesians 1:20-23; Colossians
1:13-14). Those who believed the words of Peter and the other
apostles were commanded to "Repent, and let every one of
you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission
of sins..." (Acts 2:38). "Then those who gladly received
his word were baptized; and that day about three thousands souls
were added to them." (Acts 2:41). "And the Lord added
to the church daily those who were being saved." (Acts 2:47).
These new Christians "continued steadfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers"
(Acts 2:42). Their "breaking of bread" in verse 42
implies they were partaking of the Lord's Supper by the apostles'
inspired instruction.
The Manner of Partaking
In the first epistle to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul
rebuked the brethren in Corinth for abusing the Lord's Supper
(1 Corinthians 11:17-34). They had changed it into an ordinary
meal instead of observing it exactly as they had been commanded.
Paul said:
"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered
to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was
betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke and
said, 'Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do
this in remembrance of Me.' In the same manner He also took the
cup after supper, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in My
blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.'
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death till He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Obviously, the Apostle Paul understood that the Lord's Supper
was required of all Christians everywhere. He reminds the brethren
at Corinth exactly how they were supposed to observe it.
"Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this
cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body
and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and also
let him eat of that bread and drink of that cup. For he who eats
and drinks in an unworthy manner eat and drinks judgment to himself,
not discerning the Lord's body." (1 Corinthians 11:27-29)
Not only are we expected to observe the Lord's Supper, we
are expected to do so properly else we will be judged for our
neglect. The Lord expects each Christian to: (1) "Examine
himself." One must not observe the Lord's Supper carelessly
or irreverently. He must treat it as a solemn occasion and prepare
himself for it, reflecting on his place before the Lord. It is
a time to look inward. (2) "Eat of that bread and drink
of that cup." This is an actual partaking of those elements
that Christ commanded. (3) Discern the Lord's body. Jesus
wants us to remember His great sacrifice -- how He gave his flesh
and blood for our sins. Our minds must think upon the suffering
He endured on Calvary's cross.
The Frequency of the Lord's
Supper
In Acts 20:7, we read that the Christians came together to
break bread on the first day of the week. This passage identifies
for us the time and frequency with which New Testament Christians
observed the Lord's Supper. If they did so on the first day of
the week, then so should we. In addition, Paul said that "as
often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim
the Lord's death till He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26).
That implies that we should continue this weekly remembrance
until Jesus returns.
Conclusion
Jesus requested that we remember Him and proclaim Him in this
way. Let's honor and obey Him, and not defy His will.
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