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Communion (Lord’s Supper, Eucharist)
Meaning
Communion also called the “Lord’s Supper” is a practice or sacrament held only by those who accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior. In other words, those who accept Jesus as fully God, fully man, and have faith in His sacrifice for us. Jesus commanded those who believe in Him to do this in remembrance of Him. There is also a similar and related practice by members of Judaism called the Passover Seder. Though not related to Christian communion the Jewish Passover Seder shares the same roots as the Christian communion. We cannot hope to cover both Passover and the Lord’s Supper completely. Therefore, for the purposes of this study, we will give just a brief highlight.
In order to truly understand Communion, we have to look back at the Exodus story and the final plague in Egypt. Also, we have to understand the Bible in many places gives us pictures or archetypes of something that will come later. And in the Exodus story we have one such archetype in the final plague of Egypt. Pharaoh had brought this plague upon himself and God sent the angel of death to kill all of the first born males in Egypt. Both livestock and people would be killed if they did not place the blood of a spotless lamb on the door post and lentil. Moses commanded the people of Israel to keep the Passover and to sprinkle blood on the doorposts so that the angel of death would not kill their firstborn sons, instead he would pass over the home.
This sacrificing of the “Lamb without blemish” was a picture of the Messiah to come. The Messiah is also called the spotless “Lamb of God” and we as Christians know that the Messiah to come is Jesus Christ our Lord. And we see this picture repeated over and over again with the Temple sacrifices. God had commanded Moses to keep the Passover feast, as a tradition among the Jewish people. And it was this tradition, Jesus was celebrating with His disciples at the last supper. However, during this time Jesus (who is God) applied the celebration of Passover to Himself. He proclaimed Himself the spotless “Lamb of God” come to take away the sins of the world. He then commanded all Christians to keep the Passover. And to do so in remembrance of Him and His sacrifice for us.
Now the debate amongst Christians is really a debate between Catholic and Protestant. Catholics claim a process of transubstantiation takes place. Transubstantiation is the teaching of the Catholic Church in which the bread and the wine used become, not merely a sign of remembrance, but in fact the actual flesh and blood of Christ. Whereas the Protestants say this is not true, and not what Jesus taught. But rather Communion is an act of remembrance only and not a way to re-create the flesh and blood of Christ by God.
“Now the Lord spoke to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, ‘This month shall be your beginning of months; it shall be the first month of the year to you. Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying: ‘On the tenth day of this month every man shall take for himself a lamb, according to the house of his father, a lamb for a household. ‘And if the household is too small for the lamb, let him and his neighbor next to his house take it according to the number of the persons; according to each man’s need you shall make your count for the lamb. Your lamb shall be without blemish, a male of the first year. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. Now you shall keep it until the fourteenth day of the same month. Then the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel shall kill it at twilight. And they shall take some of the blood and put it on the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses where they eat it. Then they shall eat the flesh on that night; roasted in fire, with unleavened bread and with bitter herbs they shall eat it. Do not eat it raw, nor boiled at all with water, but roasted in fire-its head with its legs and its entrails. You shall let none of it remain until morning, and what remains of it until morning you shall burn with fire. And thus you shall eat it: with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. So you shall eat it in haste. It is the Lord’s Passover.'” (Book of Exodus 12:1-11)
“When the hour had come, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say to you, I will no longer eat of it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.’ Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.” (Gospel of Luke 22:14-20)