The Lord’s Supper: Celebrating, Remembering, & Proclaiming Jesus’s Death

Overview

The Lord’s Supper centers on remembering Jesus’s death on our behalf, which Jesus instituted as part of a Passover meal:

14 When the hour came, he reclined at the table, and the apostles with him. 15 Then he [Jesus] said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks, he said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 And he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them, and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 20 In the same way he also took the cup after supper and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. (Luke 22:14–20)

The Lord Jesus commanded his people to take bread and wine to remember his death—his sacrificial, sin-atoning death that both established the new covenant and accomplished the salvation of his people. Jesus knew how easy it is to forget, even those things we claim to be of central importance in our lives. Like the first-century Christians, we celebrate the Lord’s Supper in the context of meals.

Detailed Explanation

What follows are seven statements that outline the meaning and practice of the Lord’s Supper. For many Christians, points 1, 3, and 4 below will be the most useful for rethinking how we practice the Lord’s Supper within Christian community.

1. “The Lord’s Supper” is just one way the Bible refers to this Christian ritual.

The Bible uses different terms for the Lord’s Supper, each of which shapes how we view and observe Jesus’s command to remember his death.[1]

The Breaking of Bread (and the Cup of Blessing / the Cup of the Lord)

  • “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.” (Acts 2:42)

  • “Every day they devoted themselves to meeting together in the temple, and broke bread from house to house. They ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts.” (Acts 2:46)

  • “On the first day of the week, we assembled to break bread. Paul spoke to them, and since he was about to depart the next day, he kept on talking until midnight.” (Acts 20:7)

  • “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16)

  • “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons.” (1 Cor. 10:21)

These expressions almost certainly refer to the Lord’s Supper, particularly since they are embedded in such theologically-rich contexts. For example, the early Christians “devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer” (Acts 2:42); in such a list, it seems unlikely that “the breaking of bread” there can be reduced to merely eating food. Also, it is instructive that they “broke bread from house to house” AND they also “ate their food with joyful and sincere hearts” (Acts 2:46)—which means, in that context, that “breaking bread” and “eating food” had different meanings.

The Eucharist

  • “And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves.” (Luke 22:17)

  • “And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”” (Luke 22:19)

  • “23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”” (1 Cor. 11:23–24)

The Greek word eucharisteo is a verb and often means “I am thankful” or “I give thanks”—a word used to express Jesus’s gratitude to God before he distributed the cup of wine and broke the bread. (The Greek word eucharistia is a noun that means “thankfulness” or “thanksgiving.”) These verses teach us an essential truth regarding how we should take the Lord’s Supper—with thanksgiving for God’s gracious provision. Yes, we are thankful to God for the food and drink we receive. But how much more should we be grateful for Jesus’s death on our behalf!

The Participation (or Sharing / Communion / Fellowship)

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:16)

The Greek word koinonia points to our individual and collective participation in Christ’s death on our behalf. In 1 Corinthians 10:16, the word can be variously translated in English as participation, sharing, communion, or fellowship. As Christians, we are integrated vertically into the life of the triune God through Jesus’s death and resurrection, and therefore we are integrated horizontally into the body of Christ (Rom. 6:3–4; 1 Cor. 10:16; 12:12–26).

The Lord’s Table

You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot share in the Lord’s table and the table of demons. (1 Cor. 10:21)

Here “the Lord’s table” is contrasted with “the table of demons.” Both parts of the term are important: it is the Lord’s table (which emphasizes Jesus’s rightful position as the Lord of the universe and the Lord of his table!), and it is the Lord’s table (which prompts us to remember that the Lord’s Supper was part of a fellowship meal).

The Lord’s Supper

When you come together, then, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. (1 Cor. 11:20)

The Corinthians may have thought they were eating the Lord’s Supper, but their sinful hearts and practices had perverted it beyond recognition. May God help us to take the Lord’s Supper correctly.

2. The Lord’s Supper is both an ordinance and a sacrament.

Oftentimes, Christians have a strong preference for referring to the Lord’s Supper as either an ordinance or a sacrament. Both are acceptable terms, because both accurately describe the ritual.

The word ordinance emphasizes that Jesus ordained this ritual in and for the church. He commanded that we do it.

The word sacrament emphasizes that the Lord’s Supper is a divine work of God that helps us to grow in personal holiness—but only to the extent that we participate in faith. The Lord’s Supper conveys NO benefits to someone who is either (a) unable to understand the meaning of the ritual (such as a baby or young child) or (b) unwilling to take the Lord’s Supper with a heart of faith and gratitude. However, the Lord’s Supper is one way that Jesus conveys grace to his people, including the experience of intimacy with Jesus, the assurance of forgiveness through Jesus’s death on the cross, and the joy of fellowship with other Christians. The same could be said for baptism: God conveys grace through that ordinance. But, again, we only receive grace in baptism and the Lord’s Supper if we participate by faith.

3. The Lord’s Supper was instituted and taken in the context of a meal.

Jesus instituted and the first-century church consistently took the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal (Matt. 26:26–29; Mark 14:22–25; Luke 22:14–23; Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7; 1 Cor. 10:16–17; 11:17–34). For example:

  • Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper as part of the Passover meal (Ex. 12; Deut. 16:1–8; Mark 14:12; Luke 22:7–8).

  • In Mark 14:22, we read: “As they were eating, he [Jesus] took bread…and said, “Take; this is my body.”” And two times we read that Jesus took the cup “after supper” (Luke 22:20; 1 Cor. 11:25), signaling that he used the cup as a bookend to his meal with the disciples.

  • The interrelated language that refers to the Lord’s Supper points to its celebration in the context of a meal (see point #1 above): “breaking bread” and “eating food” in such close proximity (Acts 2:46), “the Lord’s table” (1 Cor. 10:21), and “the Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor. 11:20).

  • When the apostle Paul instructed and corrected the Corinthian church, the only way his corrections and exhortations make sense is if the Lord’s Supper (as they saw it) was being celebrated over the context of hours, not a few minutes (1 Cor. 11:17–34).

4. The Lord’s Supper should be placed at the center of gatherings of Christians in homes or similar settings.

It is one thing to agree that Jesus and the first-century Christians took the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal (see the previous point), but it is possible to argue that their practice was merely descriptive, but not prescriptive (something we should do) for Christians today. For example, someone might appeal to Acts 1:26 where the apostles cast lots to determine who would replace Judas. Surely that practice was merely descriptive and not a prescription (something we ought to do) for us today, right?

True, but God expresses his expectations for us in a variety of ways in Scripture. In historical narratives (like the four Gospels and Acts), when a practice is consistently repeated and presented in a positive light, it begins to take on more prescriptive force. So if we see a consistent pattern of the first-century Christians taking the Lord’s Supper in the context of meals, perhaps something more than mere description is going on.

Moreover, if Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper in the context of a meal, if the first-century Christians in Jerusalem took the Lord’s Supper as part of a meal, and if Paul’s instructions and corrections to the Corinthians included both his teaching about the Lord’s Supper AND how they should celebrate it in the context of a meal, then what are the reasons for taking the Lord’s Supper out of the context of a fellowship meal with other Christians? In other words, if Jesus and his early followers embedded the bread and the wine in the context of a meal, why do we pull the elements out of that context?

One reason might be that many churches are not structured or presently equipped to decentralize the taking of the Lord’s Supper. While that is a legitimate concern, we do not believe that is a sufficient, long-term justification to separate what Jesus and his early followers kept together.

So, is it possible to take the Lord’s Supper in three to five minutes in a large auditorium or sanctuary? Yes. But does a three to five minute ceremony fully reflect Jesus’s intention for and the early church’s practice of the Lord’s Supper? Certainly not.

5. The Lord’s Supper is rich and multifaceted in meaning.

Dr. John Hammett identifies five meanings of the Lord’s Supper:

  1. Remembrance

    24 And when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24–25)

  2. Communion (or Participation / Sharing / Fellowship)

    The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a sharing in the body of Christ? (1 Cor. 10:16)

  3. Proclamation

    For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26)

  4. Eschatological (End Time / Future) Anticipation

    For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. (1 Cor. 11:26)

  5. Thanksgiving

    And when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” (1 Cor. 11:24) [2]

6. The Lord’s Supper calls us to look in multiple directions as we remember Jesus’s death.

Drawing out principles from 1 Corinthians 10 and 11, Dr. Andy Naselli outlines six directions a Christian should look when celebrating the Lord’s Supper:

  1. Look Within: Examine Whether You Have Sinful Relational Tensions with a Fellow Church Member (11:27–32)

  2. Look Back: Remember Jesus’ Cross-Work, and Exult in What He Accomplished (11:23–26)

  3. Look Up: Celebrate Your Union with Christ (10:16)

  4. Look Around: Celebrate Your Union with Each Other as One Body (11:33–34)

  5. Look Outward: Proclaim the Gospel to Unbelievers Who Are Present (11:26)

  6. Look Forward: Anticipate that Jesus is Coming Back (11:26) [3]

7. The Lord’s Supper’s is reserved for believers.

With all of the previous points in mind, it is clear that the Lord’s Supper must be reserved for those who are Christians. When we take part in this ordinance, we remember not only that Jesus died, but that he died for us. Embedded within the Lord’s Supper is a call to genuinely reflect on our lives before God and (where necessary) to repent, to celebrate what Jesus did for us at the cross, and to celebrate that we are one body with fellow believers. Non-Christians cannot or will not do those things.

And yet we must always remember that the Lord’s Supper includes the proclamation of the gospel, for both Christians and non-Christians to hear:

[Jesus said] “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Co. 11:26)

A simple statement like this clarifies for Christians and non-Christians the significance of the Lord’s Supper:

“We are at this table to remember and to proclaim that Jesus died for us. His death and resurrection created the only way to know God personally; that is the gospel. If you have turned away from your sins and trusted in Jesus, then please take the bread and the cup to remember what Jesus accomplished for you. If you have not done those things, then do not partake, but please reflect on the significance of what this Christian ritual represents and how you want to respond to it.”

A statement like that encourages everyone to consider the significance of the moment and to determine if they should participate.

Questions for Reflection and Discussion

As you read the document below, use the following questions to help you analyze what you read. Come prepared to discuss your answers at your next leadership meeting—with other current or aspiring church leaders.

  1. The Nature and Practice of the Lord’s Supper

    How would you explain the nature and practice of the Lord’s Supper to someone unfamiliar with it? In other words, what is the main point and why is that so important for Christians?

  2. Five Terms that Refer to this Practice of the Church

    Review and summarize the different terms for the Lord’s Supper. For each term, what does it contribute to our understanding and/or practice of the Lord’s Supper? In other words, why is each term so important?

  3. Ordinance and/or Sacrament?

    What are the meanings of the words ordinance and sacrament? Why are some people uncomfortable with using the word sacrament to refer to the Lord’s Supper?

  4. The Lord’s Supper Embedded in a Fellowship Meal

    Why do you think that Jesus instituted and the first-century Christians took the Lord’s Supper as part of a fellowship meal?

  5. The Lord’s Supper as Part of a Meal: A Model for Us to Follow Today?

    Do you believe that Christians should take the Lord’s Supper as part of a fellowship meal? Or is a shorter celebration in an auditorium or sanctuary sufficient? Explain. What would you say to someone who said, “I don’t think it is important for me to take the Lord’s Supper as part of a fellowship meal with other Christians?”

  6. The Elements of Meaning of the Lord’s Supper

    Do you have any questions or comments about the five meanings of the Lord’s Supper? For example, what does it mean that the Lord’s Supper anticipates Jesus’s return?

  7. Six Directions to Look When Taking the Lord’s Supper

    Of the six “directions” that Christians should look when taking the Lord’s Supper, which ones are sometimes underemphasized in our churches?

  8. The Lord’s Supper and Non-Christians

    Why must the Lord’s Supper be reserved for Christians? How is the Lord’s Supper an excellent opportunity for evangelism for the non-Christians in the room? What would you say to a non-Christian who was present during the Lord’s Supper?

[1] Hammett, 40 Questions about Baptism and the Lord’s Supper, 184–187.

[2] Ibid., 205–210.

[3] Naselli, “1 Corinthians,” in the ESV Expository Commentary (Romans–Galatians), 326–328.