Lord's Supper

Francis Chan recently implied that the reformers relegated the Lord’s Supper to a “symbol,” elevated the pulpit and preaching in its stead, and caused division in the church—which now has 30,000 denominations. Any clip excised from a full message (as this one) almost necessitates miscommunication. Almost certainly this is the case here. 

Still, many cite narrative that Chan gave above concerning communion to criticize the Reformation. For this reason, it is worth asking whether or not the argument about the Lord’s Supper is correct. As I see it, the major problem with the Lord’s Supper narrative is that it is entirely wrong. 

The reformed did and do believe in the real presence of Christ, the pulpit did not replace the Lord’s Supper but complemented it, and there is no where near 30,000 protestant denominations. And besides, a denomination in Protestant theology means a denomination of the whole—it is a practical subgrouping of the catholic church.  [Read more…] about Is Francis Chan Right about the Lord’s Supper?

Christians today understand the Lord’s Supper by comparing common Reformation-era debates concerning the meal with the New Testament. The most important theological notions then become whether or not one holds to the real presence, spiritual presence, or memorial view of the Supper. 

While such distinctions help us understand the Supper, we should not omit the wealth of historical and theological witnesses we have from the first and second century.

We have a number of writings that explain how the Lord’s Supper was understood and celebrated during the time of the apostles and while the New Testament still was being written. And we have additional witnesses that follow the apostolic age who adopted already established practices from the apostolic era.  [Read more…] about How Did New Testament Era Christians Understand and Celebrate the Lord’s Supper

When Jesus hung on the cross, Roman soldiers “pierced his side with a spear” (John 19:34). And something entirely unexpected happened. Jesus did not just bleed. Water and blood flowed from his side. 

This event so impressed the early Christians that about sixty years later, John records this event and emphasized that “He who saw it has borne witness” (John 19:35). John needs his readers to know that an eyewitness saw it happen. And he emphasizes: “His testimony is true, and he knows he is telling the truth.” 

Why did John (likely himself the eyewitness) so strongly remember this event sixty years in his past and want his readers to know about it for perpetuity?  [Read more…] about Why Did Blood and Water Flow from Christ at the Cross?

Christians from across time and space have affirmed that Christ becomes present to us at the Lord’s Supper through which we receive spiritual nourishment. Yet while most Christians have affirmed this basic idea, the particulars of how Christ becomes present have proved divisive.

Views on the Supper

Reformed believers tend to say that Christ becomes present by the Spirit. Lutherans may affirm this but also claim that Christ truly and really appears bodily within the bread. Roman Catholics define presence as transubstantiation.

Some others simply affirm the mystery of the Supper without naming the exact relationship. Lastly, a common belief today among evangelicals is that the Supper functions to bring Christ’s past work and God’s grace to mind—it is a memorial in this sense.

If we return to the Biblical text, we can, I believe, gain a clearer grasp of the meaning of Christ’s presence at the Supper. In so doing, we will ground our theology in the Bible. One key place to look is Paul’s explanation of the Lord’s Supper in 1 Corinthians 10.

[Read more…] about How Paul Explains Christ’s Presence at The Lord’s Supper

The bread of the Lord’s Supper replaces the Bread of the Presence, and in it Christians have a sign of God’s invisible presence within the visible signs of bread (and wine).

When instituting the Lord’s Supper, Jesus cited Exodus 24–25. In these chapters, Moses and the elders feasted with God in heaven, made the covenant with blood, saw the heavenly tabernacle and then replicated it on earth (which includes the bread as eternal covenant offered as a memorial), the wine flagons, the menorah, and other elements within the tabernacle.

The bread, in particular, played a key role in Israel’s religion. Every Sabbath priests used to offer the twelve loaves of the bread of the presence before enjoying the meal with the bread. The bread of presence literally translates as “bread of face” (lechem panaim).

“Bread of face” probably refers to YHWH’s presence. So the loaves represent the visible presence of the invisible God, with the light of the tree (menorah) shining upon the twelve loaves that represent Israel (cf. Num 6:25).

Let me outline how this works step-by-step and then conclude by asserting how this Old Testament background leads to a keener understanding of Christ’s Spiritual or real presence at the Lord’s Supper. And as a general rule, my argument follows Brant Pitre’s book Jesus and the Last Supper.

[Read more…] about The Lord’s Supper Is the New Bread of Presence