Communion

Post by **_schoel** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:00 am

Does the communion we practice in many modern Western Churches fit the biblical model?

Was communion as described by Paul more of a regular meal together than a cracker and grape juice once a month?

When Jesus said "Do this in remembrance of me.", what was the "this" He was referring to?

Post by **_Paidion** » Thu Oct 13, 2005 10:29 am

In the early church, there was "the love feast" or "the Lord's supper", an actual meal, followed by "communion" (sharing). A little later in tmie, it was called "eucharist" (thanksgiving).

Jesus was remembered and thanked for His having died for us. There was a ministry of the body of Christ. Every hymn, every prayer, every talk, centred around HIM, and what He did for us.

It wasn't "a cracker and grape juice once a month". It was unleavened bread and wine at least every Sunday.

Yes, the bread and wine were symbolic of the body and blood of our Lord, but they were more than symbolic. Though outwardly, one was merely eating bread and drinking wine, inwardly and spiritually, one was feeding upon Christ Himself.

This may not be the ONLY way to eat the body of Christ and drink His blood, but it is ONE way.

Post by **_schoel** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 8:28 am

What is the "this" that Jesus was referring to when He said "Do this in remembrance of Me"?

Is it the actual eating of unleavened bread and drinking of wine to remember Christ?
Or does He call us to remember His sacrifice every time we eat?

Post by **_Homer** » Tue Oct 18, 2005 10:51 am

Consider that when Jesus instituted this memorial ritual, they were participating in another memorial ritual; the passover. Jesus stated that He is the true Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us. Its not just any meal but a fellowship meal.

Post by **_schoel** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 11:55 pm

Its not just any meal but a fellowship meal.

What did you mean by a fellowship meal?

I was always raised that communion was more about the why than the what.

Post by **_Paidion** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 10:59 am

schoel wrote:What is the "this" that Jesus was referring to when He said "Do this in remembrance of Me"?

Is it the actual eating of unleavened bread and drinking of wine to remember Christ?
Or does He call us to remember His sacrifice every time we eat?

I think the "this" was the act of eating the bread and drinking the wine, mainly for the purpose of remembering, HIM every time we do it.

Post by **_Paidion** » Fri Nov 11, 2005 11:13 am

Homer wrote:Consider that when Jesus instituted this memorial ritual, they were participating in another memorial ritual; the passover. Jesus stated that He is the true Passover Lamb, sacrificed for us. Its not just any meal but a fellowship meal.

You are right, Homer. And just as Jesus took bread and wine after they celebrated the meal of the passover, and instituted this memorial, so the first Christians had a fellowship meal that they called a "love feast" (Jude 1:12). They also called it "the Lord's supper" (I Cor 11:20). It is obvious from the passage in I Cor 11 that the Lord's supper was actually a meal, for some of the Corinthians were coming to it merely to eat and drink, some even getting drunk.

But this meal was held in honour of the Lord, and it was culminated by the communion (sharing) of bread and wine to remember Jesus and His death for them. The communion was later called "the eucharist" which means "the thanksgiving", for thanks was given to our Lord for having died for our benefit, that is, that we might die to self and live to righteousness. ( I Peter 2:24)