Communion

1 Corinthians 11:17-26

:17-22 The setting and context: Corinth’s divisions manifest in their common meal

Jude :12

In the pl., agápai, love feasts, public banquets of a frugal kind instituted by the early Christian church and connected with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. The provisions were contributed by the more wealthy individuals and were made common to all Christians, whether rich or poor, who chose to partake. Portions were also sent to the sick and absent members. These love feasts were intended as an exhibition of that mutual love which is required by the Christian faith, but as they became subject to abuses, they were discontinued.

        These here seem to be the Agapæ, or love-feasts, of the primitive Christians; the design of which was to maintain and promote brotherly love, from whence they took their name; and to refresh the poor saints, that they might have a full and comfortable meal now and then: their manner of keeping them was this; they began and ended them with prayer and singing; and they observed them with great temperance and frugality; and they were attended with much joy and gladness, and simplicity of heart: but were quickly abused, by judaizing Christians, as observing them in imitation of the passover; and by intemperance in eating and drinking; and by excluding the poor, for whose benefit they were chiefly designed; and by setting up separate meetings for them, and by admitting unfit persons unto them; such as here are said to be spots in them, blemishes, which brought great reproach and scandal upon them, being persons of infamous characters and conversations.

 John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament <https://ref.ly/logosres/gillexpnt?ref=Bible.Jud12&off=123&ctx=a+feast+of+faith%EF%BB%BFb.+~These+here+seem+to+b>, vol. 3, The Baptist Commentary Series (London: Mathews and Leigh, 1809), 676.

The Last Supper was a full Passover meal, and the early church had continued the tradition of celebrating a meal (“the Lord’s Supper”) of which bread and wine were only a part. Communion as a full meal was also called a “love feast.”

 Craig S. Keener, The IVP Bible Background Commentary: New Testament <https://ref.ly/logosres/bbackcom?ref=Bible.Jud12&off=4&ctx=wish+tradition.%0a12.+~The+Last+Supper+was+> (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993), Jud 12.

:23-26 The meaning of communion

cf 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 communion-sharing

Note that we have elements of cup and bread, which represent the blood and body of our Lord. They show His death.

The problem of the mass and transubstantiation. 1. John 6:51-63 Jesus was speaking in spiritual terms. He was not being literal. These words are a figure. It is not the flesh, but the spirit, that gives life. 2. The mass is re-enactment of the crucifixion in which it is believed that Jesus is crucified before the eyes of the beholder and His flesh eaten by those who partake. Thus it is that the priest holds up the chalice/cup and proclaims, “Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world!” He truly believes that Jesus is present in the form of the wine and wafer. The reality is that Jesus will not be crucified a second time, nor any more than the one time which He died. Hebrews 10:7-18 That one offering is sufficient forever.

:26 The Lord’s Supper shows His death. It is a sign and a symbol that testifies to the reality that we all share through faith in Christ.

“till He come.” Luke 22:14-18 This presents to us the remembrance of Christ’s resurrection, the promise of His coming, and the glorious hope of communing with Him forever in His eternal kingdom.

Feetwashing

John 13:1-17

First of all, let us understand that footwashing is an ordinance, yet it is not a separate ordinance from the communion service. It is a part of the communion service.

Washing feet

Washing the feet of guests was the job of the lowest of servants. It seems that there was no servant at hand to wash their feet, and they did not even wash their own feet. Now Jesus washes their feet to teach them a lesson.

 Jesus taught the disciples to be servants, as He was a servant Matthew 20:28. It is quite possible that Jesus taught this because of the disciple’s arrogant squabbling Luke 22:24-30, which seems to have taken part during the Last Supper. 

Washing with water

John 13:8 If Jesus does not wash us, we have no share in Him, no communion, and no fellowship.  Cf Hebrews 12:7-8

John 13:10 He who is washed is totally clean, except for his feet. Feet walk and, in daily life, feet get dirty and need washing. This symbolizes our need for daily cleansing.

Ephesians 5:25-28

John 15:1-3 clean through the Word

Washing one another

Galatians 6:1-3 help the fallen brother

James 5:19-20 convert the erring brother

1 John 5:16-17 pray for the sinning brother

    accept washing

    Some people won’t do the literal washing of feet, not because they don’t want to wash, but because they don’t want people seeing their feet. Likewise we often fail to willingly accept the help from those who wish to help us. Hebrews 13:17,22 We must remember Galatians 6:3 and recognize that we will need to accept washing from others. To refuse is to arrogantly assume that we are something though we are nothing.

Why call this a part of the communion service?

  1. Because it is part of the symbolism of salvation. There is the broken body and shed blood of Jesus, and then there is the cleansing Jesus gives by His Word. If we have no part with Him without the cleansing, it seems it is only right that it be signified in the communion service.
  2. Because Jesus said that we ought to do it. John 13:17

Published by JasonS