Passages on the Holy Communion

• Matt 26:26-29
• Mark 14:22-25
• Luke 22:7-20
• John 6:51-59
• 1 Cor 5:6-8
• 1 Cor 10:16-17
• 1 Cor 11:23-26
• 1 Cor 11:27-34

Institution of the Holy Communion

• Setting

  • Time
    • First day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Passover (Matt 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:1)
    • Evening (Matt 26:20; Mark 14:17), night when he was betrayed (1 Cor 11:23)
    • As eating the Passover meal (Matt 26:19, 26; Mark 14:18)
    • After supper, the cup (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor 11:25)
  • Location
    • Upper room (Mark 14:15; Luke 22:12)
    • Reclined at the table (Matt 26:20; Mark 14:18; Luke 22:14)
  • Participants
    • With the twelve apostles (Matt 26:20; Mark 14:14, 17; Luke 22:14)

• Jesus’ actions

  • Took the bread and the cup (Matt 26:26, 27; Mark 14:22, 23; Luke 22:17, 19; 1 Cor 11:23)
  • Blessed (εὐλογέω) the bread (Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22)
  • Gave thanks (εὐχαριστέω) for the bread (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24)
  • Gave thanks (εὐχαριστέω) for the cup (Matt 26:27; Mark 14:23; Luke 22:17)
  • Broke the bread (Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24)
  • Gave the bread and the cup (Matt 26:26, 27; Mark 14:22, 23; Luke 22:17, 19)

• Jesus’ commands

  • Take (Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:17)
  • Eat (Matt 26:26)
  • Drink (Matt 26:27)
  • Divide (Luke 22:17)
  • Do this (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24, 25)

• Disciples’ action

  • Drank (Mark 14:23)

Actions of the New Testament church:

• Bless the cup

  • “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16)
• Break bread
  • “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16)
• Eat and drink
  • “For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. That is why many of you are weak and ill, and some have died.” (1 Cor 11:29-30)

• Materials
  • Bread
    • One
      • “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor 10:17)
    • Unleavened
      • Eaten on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Passover (Matt 26:17; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:1)
      • “Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump? Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Cor 5:6-8)
  • Cup
    • Fruit of the vine (Matt 26:29)
• Continuity
  • Do [footnote text=“The tense in Greek indicates repetition or continual action”] this (Luke 22:19; 1 Cor 11:24, 25)
  • As often (1 Cor 11:25)
• Manner of partaking
  • Examine ourselves as partaking
    • “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor 11:28)
    • Consequences of eating or drinking in an unworthy manner
      • Guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord (1 Cor 11:27)
      • Eat and drink judgment to oneself (1 Cor 11:29)
      • Weak, feeble, fall asleep (1 Cor 11:30)
  • Judge ourselves truly
    • “But if we judged ourselves truly, we would not be judged.” (1 Cor 11:31) (implied command)
  • Eat of the bread and drink of the cup
    • “Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (1 Cor 11:28)
  • Wait for one another
    • “So then, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another – if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home – so that when you come together it will not be for judgment” (1 Cor 11:33-34)

• Bread
  • Jesus’ body
    • “Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’” (Matt 26:26)
    • “And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’” (Mark 14:22)
    • Flesh of the Son of Man (John 6:51, 53-56)
      • “My flesh is true food” (John 6:55)
    • “Given for you”
      • “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (Luke 22:19)
      • “and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’” (1 Cor 11:2)
  • From heaven
    • Comes down from heaven (John 6:58)
  • Participation in the body of Christ
    • “The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16)
  • One
    • “Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor 10:17)
• Cup
  • Jesus’ blood
    • “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:27-28)
    • “And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mark 14:24)
    • Blood of the Son of Man (John 6:53-56)
      • “My blood is true drink” (John 6:55)
    • “Poured out for you/many”
      • “And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood” (Luke 22:20)
      • “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matt 26:28)
  • Participation in the blood of Christ
    • “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ?” (1 Cor 10:16)
  • Covenant
    • “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:27-28)
    • “And he said to them, ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mark 14:24)
    • “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” (1 Cor 11:25)
  • Cup of blessing (1 Cor 10:16)
  • Cup of the Lord (1 Cor 10:21)

• In remembrance of the Lord
  • “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19)
  • “and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” (1 Cor 11:24-25)
• Proclaim the Lord’s death
  • “You proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor 11:26)

• Eternal life
  • “If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh.” (John 6:51)
  • “So Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you” (John 6:53)
  • “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54)
  • “As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me” (John 6:57)
  • “This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” (John 6:58)
• Resurrection on the last day
  • “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day” (John 6:54)
• Abide in the Lord
  • “Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him” (John 6:56)

• The Lord’s Supper (1 Cor 11:20)
• Table of the Lord (1 Cor 10:21)