THE LORD’S SUPPER Garland M. Robinson I grew up hearing brethren say (at the Lord’s table from time to time) that the Lord’s supper was a remembrance of the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord. I never questioned it. Never thought anything about it. Even repeated it. And then, many years ago, I heard a sermon where the points discussed showed that the Lord’s supper was a memorial of the Lord’s suffering and death, not His resurrection. Having never heard that before, it was new to me. But, after considering the subject, I understood it more perfectly (cf. Acts 18:26). When we learn better, we do better. These are the verses which speak about the Lord’s supper. Matthew 26:26-29, “And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed [it], and brake [it], and gave [it] to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave [it] to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Mark 14:22-25, “And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake [it], and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave [it] to them: and they all drank of it. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Luke 22:14-20, “And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide [it] among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake [it], and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup [is] the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.” I Corinthians 11:23-30, “For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the [same] night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake [it], and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also [he took] the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink [it], in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink [this] cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of [that] cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this cause many [are] weak and sickly among you, and many sleep.” Both Matthew and Mark say nothing more than the bread was the Lord’s body and the cup (fruit of the vine) was his blood (that was shed for many for the remission of sins) and that the Lord would not partake of these things with them any more until the kingdom had come (e.g. the church was established). Luke adds a little more by saying the bread was His body “which is given for you” and they were to eat it in “remembrance of me” (a memorial). First Corinthians 11 gives more detail. The bread is His body which is to be eaten “in remembrance of me.” Also, the cup is “the new testament in my blood” and they would drink it “in remembrance of me.” In partaking of the Lord’s supper (both bread and cup), they would be showing “the Lord’s death till he come.” Verse 29 also says that in the observance of the Lord’s supper, it would be “discerning the Lord’s body.” That is, we make a distinction between the bread and cup of the Lord’s supper and a common meal. We must be thinking of and mindful of the Lord’s body. That includes his suffering and death. It is not a time to be thinking of worldly things. We must focus our mind on things at hand. The text says, “the Lord’s body.” Adding together all that is said about the observance of the Lord’s supper, we find: 1) The bread (unleavened) represents and reminds us of the Lord’s body. 2) The cup (fruit of the vine) represents and reminds us of the Lord’s blood that was shed for the forgiveness of sins. 3) Both are to be eaten in remembrance of the Lord. 4) Both are to be eaten in remembrance of the Lord’s death. 5) We must make a distinction between a common meal and the Lord’s supper. That involves focusing our minds on his suffering and death — the very things He gave us instruction about. In observing the Lord’s supper, we are “mindful of” and “concentrate upon” the Lord’s body, His blood, His death. These are the things specifically mentioned in connection with the observance of the Lord’s supper. No mention is made in any of these passages of the Lord’s resurrection having a connection or link to the Lord’s supper. That does not, by any stretch of the imagination, minimize the importance and essentiality of the resurrection. We know very well, that had He not been raised from the dead, we are of all men most miserable (cf. 1 Cor. 15:19). In the total picture of the Lord’s scheme of redemption, the resurrection is paramount. However, all we’re able to observe in what the Scriptures reveal is that inspiration did not directly connect the resurrection with the observance of the Lord’s supper. Had God wanted it to be a part, he would have included it. The fact that the church meets on the first day of the week is, in a sense, a remembrance of the Lord’s resurrection. The Lord arose from the gave on the first day of the week (Mark 16:1-6). The apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-4). The church was established on the first day of the week (Acts 2:1-4). We are to give of our means on the first day of the week (1 Cor. 16:2). The church in the New Testament ate the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week (Acts 20:7). Obviously, saints are always mindful of the Lord’s resurrection. We are so thankful for the love of God that sent Jesus to die for our sins, that he was buried and that he arose from the dead for our justification (Rom. 1:4). He ascended back into heaven and sat down on the right hand of God. We therefore follow His instructions in all things, “till He comes again.” He gave instruction concerning the Lord’s supper. It is to be observed (eaten) upon the first day of every week (Acts 20:7). In so doing, we are mindful of the Lord’s body, blood and death. We therefore think of the suffering He endured in His body and His subsequent death. We think of the sacrifice He made for us. Four questions have been asked in respect to these things. Let’s examine them. 1) Betrayal was also mentioned in 1 Cor. 11:23 as well as our Lord’s return in v.26 “till He come.” Are these part of our “remembrance” also? — to be added to death and suffering. It appears that the Lord’s betrayal is not directly connected to the observance of the supper since it is not represented in the bread or cup. It appears to be an “incidental“, in that it is simply identifying the “time” at which the Lord instituted the supper. It was on the same night in which He was betrayed. It’s obvious He was betrayed, the text says so. We are certainly aware of that fact and don’t deny it. But, is it necessarily an essential part of the supper? I don’t see the connection. The fact that the supper is to be observed till he comes again simply informs us that the Lord’s supper is to be observed as long as the world stands. It is a continuous memorial. Man has no right to dismiss it or change it in any way. 2) Our remembrance would be: betrayal, suffering, death ( ) come again. How could we leave out resurrection? Of course we’re always mindful of the resurrection; and, so thankful for it. No faithful Christian denys that. But, the Scriptures do not directly link it to the Lord’s supper. All the text says is that in the Lord’s supper we remember: 1) the Lord’s body that was given for us, 2) His blood that was shed for us and 3) by observing the supper, we show His death till He comes. In 1 Corinthians 11:27, the text says that if we eat the bread and drink the cup unworthily, we are guilty of the body and blood — we are eating and drinking damnation to ourselves (v.29). Nothing is said of being guilty of the body, blood and resurrection. Nothing is said about showing His resurrection till He comes. We do that by meeting on the first day of the week. Notice the words, body, blood and death. The resurrection is not mentioned. 3) Would it be a sin to mention Jesus’ resurrection in one’s prayer at the table? To claim that in observing the Lord’s supper we are partaking of a memorial in which we remember the Lord’s body, blood, death and resurrection, is saying more than the Bible says. The scriptures specifically mention (link) the Lord’s body, blood and death, but it does not mention (link) the resurrection to the observance of the Lord’s supper. It is misleading to include the resurrection when the Scriptures do not include it. Again, this in no way diminishes the resurrection, it is essential to salvation. When we pray at the table, we simply seek to do Bible things in Bible ways. It may well be an opportune time to teach on the subject of the Lord’s supper and what the Bible says about it and also of the resurrection and what the Bible says about it. But, while we, on the one hand, are so grateful for the Lord’s resurrection, on the other hand, in observing the Lord’s supper, we are particularly mindful of the Lord’s body, blood and death. As Aquila and Priscilla expounded unto Apollos the way of God more perfectly (Acts 18:26), it would be appropriate that we do the same in informing brethren about the Lord’s supper and the resurrection. 4) Is it sin if one thinks about Jesus’ burial and resurrection during the Lord’s supper? It seems appropriate that what has been discussed in question 3 above would fit here. We deem it more fitting to have in our minds what the Scriptures tell us to have in our minds and not add anything to it. In all acts of worship, our minds are filled with the totality of everything involved in our redemption (i.e. everything the Scriptures say on every subject that is connected with redemption, salvation, worship, etc.). But, more specifically, during that part of worship which is the eating of the Lord’s supper (1 Cor. 11:20), communion (1 Cor. 10:16), the Lord’s table (1 Cor. 10:21), we focus our minds upon that about which the Lord gave us instruction; namely, the body, the blood and the death of our Lord. Let us all study to show ourselves approved unto God, being a workman that is not ashamed, rightly dividing, handling correctly, the word of truth (cf. 2 Tim. 2:15).
Posted on: Thu, 25 Jul 2013 22:04:21 +0000
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