Your view of the Lord's supper

I take what I believe is the biblical view.

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The rest of the views are Biblical as well, if they don't jive with your view it does not make them any less Biblical. That is an offensive statement to be sure.

I beleive that Christ, as he did a lot, was using metaphor. Here he was at the last supper before his crucifixion sharing a meal with his disciples. Using bread and wine (two stapels at the time for survival) as a metaphor for His teaching, being that Jesus the Christ is the Good News and that to "survive" we must "live on his word".

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If he was using metaphow then why did he have them drink the wine and eat the bread? He stated this IS my body, this IS my blood. He spoke into reality. This is a valid view as well, and a more commonly accepted viewpoint.

So as we gather we share bread and wine and remember to live by His word and are also reminded of the sacrifice of body and blood on the cross for our sins. Jesus wasn't saying that he was going to magically appear when we had communion because he doesn't have to, Jesus is with us always not just in a church building or at a ceremony. You don't have to pass a test, do a course or go to a specific location to meet Jesus. Jesus is here to meet you where you are.

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The body and blood is a specific thing, not just the presence of Christ. It is plain that where two or more are gathered then He is in the midst. The point of the Lord's Supper is something much different than jus tthe presence of Christ. Paul very clearly states that sharing the wine is sharing Christ's blood:

1 Corinthians 10: 16 Is not the cup of blessing which we bless a sharing in the blood of Christ? Is not the bread which we break a sharing in the body of Christ?
17 Since there is one bread, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one bread.

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If we are sharing in the Body and Blood then what is to say we are only symbolically sharing? I believe fully in a Real Presence of Christ in the sacraments. I do not know where I stand on the mechanics of how it happens, but my view is Biblical as well.

I can't help but think that Jesus must worry that we have missed the point as we have, over the years, turned something simple and special into a huge production of which we appear to endlessly argue over semantics. I don't understand what is gained from complicating Christ's teaching. From what I understand of Jesus in the bible, I can't help but think that he would be more at home breaking bread and sharing wine at a humble gathering in a small Church or simple ceremony at someones home rather that at a huge church with all the pomp and ceremony that man has developed over the centuries.
I think it is disappointing that we seem to place more emphasis on "how" communion is cebrated, than "why", and therefore miss the message.

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There is nothing wrong with debating the different beliefs on communion. Paul did not think of it as a simple ceremony in passing. He advised specific methods of observance and went so far as to say that you should be in the right frame of mind when you take, and then blamed the sick among the church on not being in the proper mindset when partaking of the Body and the Blood. He went even farther and said to make sure that you have eaten before church so that you are not consuming the sacraments to fill your hunger. This is not a simple ceremony and should not be presented as such. It is one of the most important things we can do as Christians, it is an act of obedience, a holy and mysterious thing. The emphasis in church should always be the why, but what is wrong with wondering and debating about the how? We desire to further our knowledge.

flesh99 said:

If he was using metaphow then why did he have them drink the wine and eat the bread?

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If Jesus meant that the bread and wine were truly flesh and blood, then why didn't he turn the bread and wine into flesh and blood? It was certainly within His power to do so?

flesh99 said:

He stated this IS my body, this IS my blood. He spoke into reality.

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Notice, He said this is my body, this is my blood. He never said this is me. I can spill my own blood or tear off a limb, but my blood or a limb do not possess my spirit or soul . . .

Please clarify your point that "He spoke into reality."

flesh99 said:

The body and blood is a specific thing, not just the presence of Christ. It is plain that where two or more are gathered then He is in the midst. The point of the Lord's Supper is something much different than justhe presence of Christ. Paul very clearly states that sharing the wine is sharing Christ's blood:

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Yes, but exactly what does "sharing Christ's blood" entail?

flesh99 said:

If we are sharing in the Body and Blood then what is to say we are only symbolically sharing?

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Who says we are symbolically sharing? The act of sharing or communing is not symbolic. The bread and wine are symbols representing Christs body and blood, aka: spiritual nourishment.

flesh99 said:

I believe fully in a Real Presence of Christ in the sacraments.

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Real Presence as in literal/physical presence or His spiritual presence?

flesh99 said:

I do not know where I stand on the mechanics of how it happens, but my view is Biblical as well.

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Well, if a change truly does occur as in Transubstantiation, mechanics are not important. Christ performs miracles, none of which we can explain the mechanics. We just know He has the power to perform miracles. If you endorse a spiritual presence, change isn't really necessary, so mechanics are not a consideration.

flesh99 said:

There is nothing wrong with debating the different beliefs on communion. Paul did not think of it as a simple ceremony in passing. He advised specific methods of observance and went so far as to say that you should be in the right frame of mind when you take, and then blamed the sick among the church on not being in the proper mindset when partaking of the Body and the Blood. He went even farther and said to make sure that you have eaten before church so that you are not consuming the sacraments to fill your hunger. This is not a simple ceremony and should not be presented as such. It is one of the most important things we can do as Christians, it is an act of obedience, a holy and mysterious thing. The emphasis in church should always be the why, but what is wrong with wondering and debating about the how? We desire to further our knowledge.

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First, I don't think the debating is about "why." That's pretty simple. We are commanded to do so in "remembrance of Me." That's the why. And I think that's what is important, that we obey a command given directly from Christ. He said "do this," and that command did not say that part of "doing this" was believing in any type of mystery. Please explain what in Christ's command alludes to a "mysterious thing."

Second, just because someone holds the the symbolic/memoriam view does not mean they believe that "communion" is a "simple ceremony." It's a very deep and spiritual thing.

If Jesus meant that the bread and wine were truly flesh and blood, then why didn't he turn the bread and wine into flesh and blood? It was certainly within His power to do so?
...
Notice, He said this is my body, this is my blood. He never said this is me. I can spill my own blood or tear off a limb, but my blood or a limb do not possess my spirit or soul . . .

Please clarify your point that "He spoke into reality."

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Spoke into reality, this is a simple statement. When he said this is My Body this is My blood then it became so. He is there. The sacrements are the body and blood. If you deny that then you deny what Jesus himself said. He did not say this represents my body and this represents my blood, He said this IS. This is speaking it into existence. It is really very simple, if he said it is then it is. I am not one to doubt Christ's very words or the meaning of them. The language that he spoke in has plenty of words that would have meant something else, he chose not to use them, he chose to use the words that meant it IS[.

Yes, but exactly what does "sharing Christ's blood" entail?

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Since the Greek has words that would have ment to symbolicly partake, and Paul chose to use the words he did we can assume that he meant exactly what he wrote, and that is that we share in Christ's blood when we partake of the wine. This does not mean that this is some sybolism, it is Christ's blood.

Real Presence as in literal/physical presence or His spiritual presence?

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Again, the langauge is the key. This is the very real manifestation of Christ. We partake of His Body and His Blood. It is a literal presence. The lanhaunge in the scriptures makes this clear if you study it out.

Well, if a change truly does occur as in Transubstantiation, mechanics are not important. Christ performs miracles, none of which we can explain the mechanics. We just know He has the power to perform miracles. If you endorse a spiritual presence, change isn't really necessary, so mechanics are not a consideration.

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I subscribe a real, literal presence. The mechanics are not important, but they are fun to debate.

First, I don't think the debating is about "why." That's pretty simple. We are commanded to do so in "remembrance of Me." That's the why. And I think that's what is important, that we obey a command given directly from Christ. He said "do this," and that command did not say that part of "doing this" was believing in any type of mystery. Please explain what in Christ's command alludes to a "mysterious thing."

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It is a mysterious thing. This is the only thing Paul blames sickness in the church on, and futhermore goes into detail about eating first so you are in the right mindest. The mechanics are mysterious, how does the Real Presence take place. Why is this the one thing that sickness is blamed on? There are many other question that could be asked as well. It is mysterious as we cannot define or describe the manifestations that communion imparts to us. You will probably take that the wrong way, if you do I will explain.

Second, just because someone holds the the symbolic/memoriam view does not mean they believe that "communion" is a "simple ceremony." It's a very deep and spiritual thing.

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This sort of ceremony should have as much import as needed to impart the seriousness of taking communion. The idea that Christ would be more comfortable in a small church with little ceremony may well be right, but you seem to running down those churches that use ceremony to impart the importance of this act of obedience and that is not right at all.

What is Calvin's view, if not a memorial? Because it is a work.

I think it's a little bit of a straw man argument to say that those who believe in the Real Presence think you can't meet Jesus anywhere, at any time. I do think that Jesus is there everywhere, and all the time, but too often I let myself see nothing but slush and sirens and stone buildings--and to be forced to step out of that, on a Sunday morning when I really should be doing my homework, is a great thing. Church usually makes me do that. But all the more so on the weeks we take communion.

I don't have anything but my own experience to go on, here. But I think that taking communion, for me, is something that makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross something more than words. It's taking that out into my own life. But precisely because of that, it's not something I can easily describe in words. Talk is cheap. C.S. Lewis said something that starts to get at it, for me--we are not pure spiritual beings. We have the natures of animals. And doing sometimes has a psychological impact much greater than saying does. I think that's what creates the psychological difference, for me, between eating bread and wine and thinking about Jesus, versus eating bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus--even if not in a completely literal sense. It makes me humble and nourished and peaceful (how can I think of hurting anyone if I believe I have a piece of Jesus in me?).

I am pragmatic enough that if I can't decide what is True, and I can't decide what is better, I'll go with what works for me.

Oh come on flesh99, give me a break. How can you say that I am being offensive. The OP asked for anyones communion view (not just your view). I gave my view. I used the word biblical not as a provocative or inciteful statement, simply that I align myself more with what is in the bible than Jesus said and did, rather that what has evolved from it with man's interpretation.
I am not trying to change anyones mind or make people think like me. I am only faithfully stating what I feel. I think you need to be less literal and judgemental when you read posts. You seem to be unsure of what a metaphor is and have misinterpretated my use of word simple to decribe communion, as if I mean it is insignificant. On the contrary I feel it is very significant, and I personally approach it with reverence and awe, my point was that it was once an uncluttered and clear expression of devotion and reflection, which has evolved into a complicated ceremony which can overshadow the act itself. If you had read and understood my post you would have seen I explained why I tend to have this view. I thought I explained quite simply that by using the word biblical I was meaning what Jesus had said and done as recorded in the bible, as opposed to what man has created since. This is not to say the man's evolved interpretation is wrong, it may well be inspired and led by the Holy Spirit, it is not for me to say. I was simply replying to the OP with my view on communion. I am not inviting a debate.

Bless Ya
Col <><

What is this complicated ceremony, that I am so often hearing about?

Arikereba said:

I think it's a little bit of a straw man argument to say that those who believe in the Real Presence think you can't meet Jesus anywhere, at any time. I do think that Jesus is there everywhere, and all the time, but too often I let myself see nothing but slush and sirens and stone buildings--and to be forced to step out of that, on a Sunday morning when I really should be doing my homework, is a great thing. Church usually makes me do that. But all the more so on the weeks we take communion.

I don't have anything but my own experience to go on, here. But I think that taking communion, for me, is something that makes Jesus' sacrifice on the cross something more than words. It's taking that out into my own life. But precisely because of that, it's not something I can easily describe in words. Talk is cheap. C.S. Lewis said something that starts to get at it, for me--we are not pure spiritual beings. We have the natures of animals. And doing sometimes has a psychological impact much greater than saying does. I think that's what creates the psychological difference, for me, between eating bread and wine and thinking about Jesus, versus eating bread and wine as the body and blood of Jesus--even if not in a completely literal sense. It makes me humble and nourished and peaceful (how can I think of hurting anyone if I believe I have a piece of Jesus in me?).

I am pragmatic enough that if I can't decide what is True, and I can't decide what is better, I'll go with what works for me.

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An outstandingly good series of points.

My son and grandkids live 700 miles away. Now I can write to them at any time, I can telephone them long distance, and sometimes they have access to the Internet and we could exchange e-mails or go on AIM. But there's nothing like being there, seeing the grin on his face when we're sharing a joke or reminiscing about good times -- seeing the kids' faces light up when I show up, and feeling them hug me. They're present to me in memory, by mail, by phone, by the Internet, right now -- but there's nothing like being physically with them. In the words of the old popular song, "Ain't nothing like the Real Thing, baby!"

To me that's a piece of the difference between communion and the sense of Christ's omnipresence at all times. In being everywhere, He's seemingly nowhere in particular -- but He's present in a very real way in the communion elements, and I'm a participant in the Last Supper all over again, with all the rest of the Communion of Saints.

Second, it often seems like Christians seem to think that God made a big mistake in equipping us with physical bodies at all. The Sacraments serve to say that God is with us in everything, that He cleanses and nourishes us physically as He does spiritually, that He knew what He was doing in making this world and putting us in it.

flesh99 said:

Spoke into reality, this is a simple statement. When he said this is My Body this is My blood then it became so. He is there.

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According to whom or what? What is the basis for the argument that just because Jesus said "this is my body/blood" that even though there is no outward change--a change does occur? What about His spirit? Why didn't He say, "This is me?" or why didn't He say, "This is my body . . . this is my blood . . . this is my spirit?"

flesh99 said:

The sacrements are the body and blood.

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How do you substantiate that claim?

flesh99 said:

If you deny that then you deny what Jesus himself said.

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No. What I deny is what you say Jesus said.

flesh99 said:

He did not say this represents my body and this represents my blood, He said this IS.

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Here's a quick English lesson. There are metaphors, then there are similies. Metaphors do not require indicative words such as like, as or "represents." I don't know if you saw my analogy of a picture. If I have a photo of myself and hold it up, saying, "This is me," the picture is not really me, it is a representation of me.

flesh99 said:

This is speaking it into existence.

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What is the basis or foundation for this argument? Can you cite examples of other instances when Christ employed the same technique?

flesh99 said:

It is really very simple, if he said it is then it is.

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Then why was there no visible change?

flesh99 said:

I am not one to doubt Christ's very words or the meaning of them.

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What you are not doubting is your rendering of what Christ said.

flesh99 said:

Since the Greek has words that would have ment to symbolicly partake, and Paul chose to use the words he did we can assume that he meant exactly what he wrote, and that is that we share in Christ's blood when we partake of the wine. This does not mean that this is some sybolism, it is Christ's blood.

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Coulda, woulda, shoulda . . . the best we can do is speculate why Paul chose specific words. That is no basis for stating "claims" as "facts." Did John use the same language in his Gospel?

flesh99 said:

Again, the langauge is the key. This is the very real manifestation of Christ. We partake of His Body and His Blood. It is a literal presence. The lanhaunge in the scriptures makes this clear if you study it out.

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You're dodging. Do you support transubstantiation or consubstantiation?

flesh99 said:

I subscribe a real, literal presence. The mechanics are not important, but they are fun to debate.

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What's to debate in regards to Christ's ability to perform miracles?

flesh99 said:

It is a mysterious thing.

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Only if you insist that the elements truly change into the Body and Blood of Christ. Then, if that is indeed the case, then the explanation is simple, the change is manifested by the power of God. No mystery.

flesh99 said:

This is the only thing Paul blames sickness in the church on, and futhermore goes into detail about eating first so you are in the right mindest.

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So, that dictates that we must believe in a literal, physical transformation of the elements? I don't follow your logic.

flesh99 said:

The mechanics are mysterious, how does the Real Presence take place. Why is this the one thing that sickness is blamed on? There are many other question that could be asked as well. It is mysterious as we cannot define or describe the manifestations that communion imparts to us.

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It's only mysterious because you claim that a change occurs that can not be proven or verified.

flesh99 said:

You will probably take that the wrong way, if you do I will explain.

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If by wrong way you mean that I may be offended, don't worry--I'm not. However, please do explain if you can.

flesh99 said:

This sort of ceremony should have as much import as needed to impart the seriousness of taking communion.

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Why is it only important or serious if we believe in the Real Presence?

flesh99 said:

The idea that Christ would be more comfortable in a small church with little ceremony may well be right, but you seem to running down those churches that use ceremony to impart the importance of this act of obedience and that is not right at all.

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I'm lost. Where did I imply that Christ would be more comfortable in a small church with little ceremony? That has not be the direction of my argument at all. I just don't understand why you insist that there is only "ceremony" if one believes in the Real Presence. Why does symbollism rule our or negate the seriousness or the importance of communion?

I'm sorry if it sounded like I was belittling or demeaning churches that hold to a literal manifestation of Christ during communion. I didn't mean to.

God Bless!!

racer said:

Here's a quick English lesson. There are metaphors, then there are similies. Metaphors do not require indicative words such as like, as or "represents." I don't know if you saw my analogy of a picture. If I have a photo of myself and hold it up, saying, "This is me," the picture is not really me, it is a representation of me.

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Just here keeping us on topic, Jesus didn't speak to his disciples and Apostles in English, I think it is not only manditory but wise to do all lessons in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Koine Greek. Lets not translate the translations!!!!!

JVAC said:

Just here keeping us on topic, Jesus didn't speak to his disciples and Apostles in English, I think it is not only manditory but wise to do all lessons in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Koine Greek.

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So, then, for us English speaking Christians, we're just taking a stab in the dark. We can't trust anything we read in Scripture?

I'm sorry but I don't know Aramaic, Hebrew, or Koine Greek, and I think God in His infinite wisdom, probably planned ahead for that. Or else, He didn't plan on us English speaking peoples to be Christians.

JVAC said:

Lets not translate the translations!!!!!

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Who's translating the translations? You're the one making more of what He said than am I.

.

* Racer read's WesleyJohn's post


* Racer read's it again



* Racer gives up trying to discern what in particular confuses WesleyJohn

racer said:

I'm sorry but I don't know Aramaic, Hebrew, or Koine Greek, and I think God in His infinite wisdom, probably planned ahead for that. Or else, He didn't plan on us English speaking peoples to be Christians.

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Sorry, but that deserves a

Come on now, you have to see that is not a logical arguement. The original languages cannot be translated perfectly into English, especially when they have multiple words for something we only have one for.

racer said:

So, then, for us English speaking Christians, we're just taking a stab in the dark. We can't trust anything we read in Scripture?

I'm sorry but I don't know Aramaic, Hebrew, or Koine Greek, and I think God in His infinite wisdom, probably planned ahead for that. Or else, He didn't plan on us English speaking peoples to be Christians.



Who's translating the translations? You're the one making more of what He said than am I.

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As a student of language, I have noted that languages are very different. Not only in wording and word order, but in the meanings of words, and how they are placed, and why they are placed.

In English we have certain writting conventions we take fourteen years of schooling to learn. Then we go on to advanced learning where we learn even more. The same is true in other languages. We cannot assume that the way we do things in English is the same way they do things in that language. That is like going to Japan and walking in to a house with shoes on, whereas here it would be fine, but there it is an insult. Customs and traditions function the same as writing styles and idioms, we cannot assume that our English way of writting and reading holds fast to another culture, especially one as ancient and far off as 70 AD (again I say CE is stupid) in the city of Antioch or the like.

This is why we have pastors and such, so they can research the culture and context of the texts and explain them better to us. We are able to grasp simple concepts, but when it comes to Real PResence and Trinitarian theology we are at a loss. It's not that God doesn't want you to understand it is just that to understand you need to give God's word much more time and thought.

Reading the English Bible is great! However, when we come to think of that is how it was written with that intended message we are leading ourselves astray. We must always keep researching context, tradition and culture to truly understand the message of the Evangelists and Paul, Peter, James and Jude (John is considered an Evangelist).

.

Wesley,

I'm glad to know what confuses you. Afraid I can't help you out much, but perhaps you feel better now that you've gotten that off your chest?

Maybe later, I'll address some of the issues that confuse you, perhaps give you a better idea regarding my beliefs.

Lotar said:

Sorry, but that deserves a

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Okay . . . . if you say so.

Lotar said:

Come on now, you have to see that is not a logical arguement. The original languages cannot be translated perfectly into English, especially when they have multiple words for something we only have one for.

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So, then we English speaking Christians who know no other languages are fumbling in the dark, and must look to those multilingual Christians to explain why Scripture doesn't mean what it says?

Racer:

Can you reply to #35, I think I drew out Lotar's point, (I don't want to misrepresent anyone so Lotar if it doesn't, just push me aside).

Thanks,

-James

JVAC said:

Racer:

Can you reply to #35, I think I drew out Lotar's point, (I don't want to misrepresent anyone so Lotar if it doesn't, just push me aside).

Thanks,

-James

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James,

I'm gittin' thar, I'm gittin' thar. I bin bizzy.