Question 78
Section 29: Lord’s Day 29
Do then the bread and wine become the very body and blood of Christ?
Not at all: but as the water in baptism is not changed into the blood of Christ, neither is the washing away of sin itself, being only the sign and confirmation thereof appointed of God:a so the bread in the Lord’s supper is not changed into the very body of Christ;b though agreeably to the nature and properties of sacraments, it is called the body of Christ Jesus.c
a. 1 Corinthians 10:1–4; 1 Peter 3:21; John 6:35, 62–63
1 Corinthians 10:1–4
10:1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 10:2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; 10:3 And did all eat the same spiritual meat; 10:4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ.
10:1 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud, and that they all passed through the sea. 10:2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 10:3 They all ate the same spiritual food 10:4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ.
1 Peter 3:21
3:21 The like figure whereunto even baptism doth also now save us (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God,) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ:
3:21 And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also-not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God-through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
John 6:35; John 6:62–63
6:35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. 6:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
6:35 Jesus answered, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst. 6:62 Then what will happen if you see the Son of Man ascend to where He was before? 6:63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.
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b. 1 Corinthians 10:16ff; 11:20ff
1 Corinthians 10:16–33
10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 10:17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. 10:18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? 10:19 What say I then? that the idol is any thing, or that which is offered in sacrifice to idols is any thing? 10:20 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. 10:21 Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table, and of the table of devils. 10:22 Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? 10:23 All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. 10:24 Let no man seek his own, but every man another’s wealth. 10:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake: 10:26 For the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof. 10:27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 10:28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that shewed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof: 10:29 Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience? 10:30 For if I by grace be a partaker, why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks? 10:31 Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God. 10:32 Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God: 10:33 Even as I please all men in all things, not seeking mine own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.
10:16 Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? 10:17 Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. 10:18 Consider the people of Israel: Are not those who eat the sacrifices fellow partakers in the altar? 10:19 Am I suggesting, then, that food sacrificed to an idol is anything, or that an idol is anything? 10:20 No, but the sacrifices of pagans are offered to demons, not to God. And I do not want you to be participants with demons. 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons too; you cannot partake in the table of the Lord and the table of demons too. 10:22 Are we trying to provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than He? 10:23 "Everything is permissible," but not everything is beneficial. "Everything is permissible," but not everything is edifying. 10:24 No one should seek his own good, but the good of others. 10:25 Eat anything sold in the meat market without raising questions of conscience, 10:26 for, "The earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof." 10:27 If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you want to go, eat anything set before you without raising questions of conscience. 10:28 But if someone tells you, "This food was offered to idols," then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who told you and for the sake of conscience- 10:29 the other one's conscience, I mean, not your own. For why should my freedom be determined by someone else's conscience? 10:30 If I partake in the meal with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks? 10:31 So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all to the glory of God. 10:32 Do not become a stumbling block, whether to Jews or Greeks or the church of God- 10:33 as I also try to please everyone in all I do. For I am not seeking my own good, but the good of many, that they may be saved.
1 Corinthians 11:20–34
11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper. 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 11:22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. 11:23 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: 11:24 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. 11:25 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. 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 11:27 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. 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 11:30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 11:31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 11:32 But when we are judged, we are chastened of the Lord, that we should not be condemned with the world. 11:33 Wherefore, my brethren, when ye come together to eat, tarry one for another. 11:34 And if any man hunger, let him eat at home; that ye come not together unto condemnation. And the rest will I set in order when I come.
11:20 Now then, when you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat. 11:21 For as you eat, each of you goes ahead without sharing his meal. While one remains hungry, another gets drunk. 11:22 Don't you have your own homes in which to eat and drink? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What can I say to you? Shall I praise you for this? No, I will not! 11:23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread, 11:24 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." 11:25 In the same way, after supper He took the cup, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. 11:27 Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. 11:28 Each one must examine himself before he eats of the bread and drinks of the cup. 11:29 For anyone who eats and drinks without recognizing the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. 11:30 That is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep. 11:31 Now if we judged ourselves properly, we would not come under judgment. 11:32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are being disciplined so that we will not be condemned with the world. 11:33 So, my brothers, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 11:34 If anyone is hungry, he should eat at home, so that when you come together it will not result in judgment. And when I come, I will give instructions about the remaining matters.
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c. Genesis 17:10–11, 14; Exodus 12:26–27, 43, 48; Acts 7:8; Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:24
Genesis 17:10–11; Genesis 17:14
17:10 This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. 17:11 And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 17:14 And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant.
17:10 This is My covenant with you and your descendants after you, which you are to keep: Every male among you must be circumcised. 17:11 You are to circumcise the flesh of your foreskin, and this will be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 17:14 But if any male is not circumcised, he will be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."
Exodus 12:26–27; Exodus 12:43; Exodus 12:48
12:26 And it shall come to pass, when your children shall say unto you, What mean ye by this service? 12:27 That ye shall say, It is the sacrifice of the Lord’s passover, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt, when he smote the Egyptians, and delivered our houses. And the people bowed the head and worshipped. 12:43 And the Lord said unto Moses and Aaron, This is the ordinance of the passover: There shall no stranger eat thereof: 12:48 And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised, and then let him come near and keep it; and he shall be as one that is born in the land: for no uncircumcised person shall eat thereof.
12:26 When your children ask you, 'What does this service mean to you?' 12:27 you are to reply, 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the LORD, who passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He struck down the Egyptians and spared our homes.'" Then the people bowed down and worshiped. 12:43 And the LORD said to Moses and Aaron, "This is the statute of the Passover: No foreigner is to eat of it. 12:48 If a foreigner resides with you and wants to celebrate the LORD's Passover, all the males in the household must be circumcised; then he may come near to celebrate it, and he shall be like a native of the land. But no uncircumcised man may eat of it.
Acts 7:8
7:8 And he gave him the covenant of circumcision: and so Abraham begat Isaac, and circumcised him the eighth day; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat the twelve patriarchs.
7:8 Then God gave Abraham the covenant of circumcision, and Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eighth day. And Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.
Matthew 26:26
26:26 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.
26:26 While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, "Take and eat; this is My body."
Mark 14:24
14:24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
14:24 He said to them, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.
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