What does the Bible say about communion? | GotQuestions.org

Hi there, many others like you have asked, what does the Bible say about communion? Let's find out, shall we? You can also discover more on GotQuestions .org. What Christians commonly refer to as communion is an ordinance started by Jesus during the Last Supper with His disciples.

Communion is a way for believers to outwardly show their love and fellowship with Christ, to remember the atoning sacrifice Jesus made for them, and to look forward to the time when He will partake with us in the Kingdom.

Communion is also known as the Lord's Supper or the Lord's Table. Just prior to Judas Iscariot's betrayal of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus gathered His disciples in an upper room of a house to celebrate the Passover.

The Last Supper and the Institution of Communion

It didn't take long for the disciples to learn that there was another reason for their gathering. While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to His disciples, saying, Take and eat, this is My body.

Then He took a cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you. This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink from this fruit of the vine from now on until the day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingdom.

What the disciples thought was going to be a celebration turned into a somber prediction of the death of their master and leader. If the disciples were listening closely, these words should have seemed similar to them.

Jesus' Teaching on Eating His Flesh and Drinking His Blood

Earlier in Jesus' ministry, Jesus had told a crowd, Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day, for My flesh is real food and My blood real drink.

Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood remains in Me and I in them, just as the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on Me will live because of Me. This prediction of the death of Jesus and the need to accept His sacrifice for redemption proved to be too difficult for some.

The symbolism that Jesus used shouldn't have been a surprise to His hearers. After all, He had been speaking in parables almost since the beginning of His ministry. However, the thought of consuming Jesus' body was too much for many of them.

Communion in the Early Church and the Unity of Believers

After the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus, the early church obeyed the words of Jesus and practiced the ordinance of communion, the eating of bread, symbolizing His body, and the drinking of wine, symbolizing His blood.

Paul the Apostle brought out the idea of fellowship during communion. Is it not the cup of thanksgiving, for which we give thanks, a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

Because there is one loaf, we who are many are one body, for we all share one loaf. Communion in the church not only meets Jesus' commandment, but it also contributes to the unity of believers. Paul also gave a warning to those who might approach communion flippantly or dishonorably.

For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ, eat and drink judgment on themselves. The practice of communion is one of two ordinances in the church, the other being baptism. The Bible does not specify how often communion should be observed.

Communion as Reflection on Christ's Sacrifice and Future Coming

Communion is a time for reflection, not only in an individual's sin and need of forgiveness, but on the grace and love that Christ exhibited on the cross. In conclusion, as Christians take communion together, they demonstrate their union with each other and Christ.

Christians are reminded of Christ's sacrifice and remind each other that he is coming again as they partake of communion together. Communion is a common sharing in the spirit. Communion is an answer to Jesus' prayer that they may be as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may be perfectly united.

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