The Scriptures are a Christian tradition, it represents the doctrine of the Apostles. Jesus explains that eating his flesh and drinking his blood is believing in him, that his words are spirit and truth not literal bread and wine or literal flesh and blood. Jesus says that wherever two or more are gathered in his name he is 'present' with them, no reference to transubstantiation. In the Upper Room Jesus tell them to do this in remembrance of him, no further instructions other then by this all men will know you are my disciples, if you have love one for another (John 13:35).
He said a fair bit more than that.
And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me.
-- St. Luke 22:19 (DRA)
Now, I've noticed that Protestants tend to only remember the last seven words of that passage and think "Golly, I guess that's all there is to it, herp a derp!"
But He said "This is my body". He didn't say "This represents" or "This is comparable to" or "This is a metaphor". He said "This IS my body."
That's the key to any figurative language in the Scriptures, using 'like', 'as' or it's literary equivalent as a basis for a comparison. The bread represents his body, he didn't say anything about it becoming his body. On the contrary, the New Testament makes clear that the Church is the body of Christ. Paul drives this home conclusively (1 Corinthians 11:28-29). In the immediate context Paul describes how the rich are mistreating the poor in their love feasts. James is describing the same thing in James 2 asking the rhetorical question, is this even saving faith. In both instances, the body of Christ is clearly believers.
It's not as complicated as you're making it.
I would agree that it's not complicated.
Catholics commemorate Our Lord by receiving His Body and Blood. That's the Eucharist.
You'll never get that from the New Testament, the Church, the body of believers is the body of Christ. You receive Christ through faith, the Lord's Supper is simply a memorial of Christ's atoning sacrifice. Every year the Jews had an atoning sacrifice, yet it was impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sin. So your seriously telling me now these oblations are replaced by a wafer and some grape juice?
Protestants just commemorate by drinking grape juice and eating crackers. That's not the Eucharist.
Why, because we don't believe the bread and wine are transubstantiated? This is not the traditional teaching of the church going back to the first century, some believed it some didn't. That language didn't appear until '
Hildebert de Lavardin, Archbishop of Tours' and wasn't popularized until the 12th century. Luke didn't teach any such thing, nor did Paul, Jesus simply said do this in remembrance of me and in Matt. 18:20 Jesus tells us 'where two or more are gathered in his name, "there am I with them". What you are calling a traditional teaching of the church is absent in Church tradition for over half it's history and in the clear testimony of the Scriptures.
Now I'm aware that there have been Christians who believed the bread and wine thought it became the literal body and blood of Christ. It was not an actual doctrine until some time in the 12th century. Now you want me to believe that I cannot discern the body of Christ because I don't believe that bread becomes Jesus? I no more agree with that then I do that Jesus thought himself a loaf of bread.
Grace and peace,
Mark
