Wyatt Graham

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Lord's Supper

Nine Biblical Arguments for the Spiritual Presence of Christ at the Lord’s Supper

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The Bible teaches Christ’s Spiritual presence at the Lord’s Supper. This position, or one similar to it, had held privilege of place among Christians until the nineteenth century. Yet for many today, the Spiritual presence of Christ at the Lord’s Supper represents suspect doctrine.

I want to argue that the Bible makes the case that in the Supper by faith the Spirit nourishes our soul, heightens our experience of Christ (since the Spirit is the Lord’s Spirit), and cements our unity with the body of Christ, the church.

For clarity’s sake, I am not talking about theories of how Christ is present (transubstantiation, consubstantiation, or impanation). Nor do I intend to make the argument for the Supper as an instrument of grace. I am speaking about the general idea that Christ through his Spirit acts through our faith and in the symbols of the bread and cup.

Here are nine biblical arguments for Christ’s Spiritual presence at the Supper.

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Rediscovering the Gospel at the Lord’s Table (A Review of Remembrance, Communion, and Hope) by J. Todd Billings

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J. Todd Billings wagers that a renewed approach to the Lord’s Supper will deepen our experience of the Gospel. The reason why, he explains, is that “the Supper is God’s own instrument for conforming believers to the image of Christ” (2018: 1).

Yet he does not offer an unprecedented argument since he repeats and synthesizes the Reformed consensus on the Lord’s Supper. At the same time, he aims to be “catholic” in the sense of offering this theology to all Christian traditions, Reformed or not.

And this becomes obvious when we consider that, for example, even C. H. Spurgeon held to a spiritual presence view of the Supper: “We firmly believe in the real presence of Christ which is spiritual, and yet certain” (“Mysteries Visits,” 1894: 17; in Billings 2018: 3).

So the argument that Billings advances had, has, and still can find a home in various denominations of Christianity.

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What Do The Gospels Teach about the Lord’s Supper?

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On the night of his betrayal, Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. Jesus gave the bread and cup to his disciples so that they could remember Jesus because he was about to leave the world. Jesus explains, “do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). So during the Last Supper, the Lord’s Supper became one of two institutions that Christ left the church. Given the importance of this meal, we need to turn to the Bible to learn what it says about the Lord’s Supper. Here’s an attempt to do just that by starting with the Gospels. [Read more…] about What Do The Gospels Teach about the Lord’s Supper?

Review of An Incarnational Model of the Eucharist by James Arcadi

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Throughout the history of the church, Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper has played a key role. And yet his words have also played a controversial role. During the Protestant Reformation, the fault lines were drawn around the issue of the Eucharist. Did the bread and wine make Christ present by transforming the elements into the body and blood of Christ (Roman Catholic View) or did Christ become present in the elements without this transformation (Reformed view)?

While James Arcadi does not try to adjudicate such historical debates, he does offer a constructive proposal for how one can see the elements making Christ present on the basis of Chalcedonian orthodoxy. [Read more…] about Review of An Incarnational Model of the Eucharist by James Arcadi

Why John’s Gospel Doesn’t Record Jesus’ Institution of the Lord’s Supper

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The three synoptic Gospels record Jesus’ institution of the Lord’s Supper (Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–23; Matthew 26:26–30). They underscore the obvious import of the institution. Yet curiously John’s Gospel does not. Why is this?

The answer is that John’s Gospel shows how Christ can both be absent from the disciples and abide among them. Put simply, John answers the question, “How can Christ be among us after he ascends to heaven?” [Read more…] about Why John’s Gospel Doesn’t Record Jesus’ Institution of the Lord’s Supper