The Meaning of the Holy Communion
In the Old Testament era, there are various holy ceremonies like the five major sacrifices, circumcision, purification rites, the three major feasts, the Day of Atonement, and the Year of Jubilee. The common characteristic of these ceremonies is that God Himself established them and commanded the Israelites to observe them as His people.
Even in the New Testament era, sacred ceremonies exist, and they are called sacraments. The Catholic Church recognizes seven sacraments (Baptism, Eucharist, Confirmation, Confession, Anointing of the Sick, Ordination, and Matrimony) while Protestant churches acknowledge only Baptism and Holy Communion as sacraments. This is because although the other five are significant in Christian life, they are not essential for salvation. Today, we will reflect on the meaning of Holy Communion, one of the two sacraments.
- A Ritual of Eating and Drinking Jesus’ Flesh and Blood
In Matt 26:26-28, Jesus shared bread and wine with His disciples, telling them that it was His body and blood. Therefore, the Holy Communion is a ritual of eating and drinking the flesh and blood of Jesus. The way the Holy Communion is understood varies slightly among denominations and fractions, resulting in five different perspectives:
- Transubstantiation
Transubstantiation is the view held by the Catholic Church. According to this doctrine, during the Holy Communion, the external appearance (accidents) of the bread and wine remained unchanged, but their essence (substance) transforms into the actual body and blood of Christ. Thus, the bread and wine cease to be mere bread and wine.
- Consubstantiation
Consubstantiation is the view held by the Lutheran Church. It teaches that Christ’s body and blood co-exist with the bread and wine during the Holy Communion.
- Memorialism
Memorialism is the perspective held by Anabaptists and Baptists. This view asserts that the bread and wine do not change in substance but serve as a symbol commemorating Jesus’ death on the cross.
- No Holy Communion
This is the view of the Quakers and the Salvation Army. They believe that true sacraments are not rituals but the practice of Jesus’ teachings in daily life, and therefore, they do not observe the Holy Communion.
- Spiritual Presence
What, then, is the position of our denomination, and Pyungkang Cheil Church and the Lord’s Covenant Church?
The Reformed tradition upholds the doctrine of Spiritual Presence:
- The bread and wine do not physically transform into Christ’s flesh and blood. However, believers experience the real presence of Jesus through the Holy Communion.
- Holy Communion is not merely as symbolic memorial: it is a sacred mystery in which, through the work of the Holy Spirit, we spiritually partake in the body and the blood of Christ.
Through Holy Communion, we experience the spiritual presence of Christ. It is a sacred act in which Jesus comes into our bodies, and a victorious celebration of God dwelling and walking with us.
May today’s Holy Communion be a moment of deep communion with God, and may the blessing of His in-dwelling and abiding presence be upon you all.
- A Ritual of Understanding Jesus’ Heart
In 1 Cor 11:27, the Bible warns us that receiving the body and the blood of the Lord in an unworthy manner is equivalent to crucifying Christ a second time. Even in human law, killing someone results in a severe penalty for murder. How much greater would the punishment be for those who crucify Jesus and oppose God?
Therefore, to partake in the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner, we must strive to understand the heart of Jesus.
- He Desires to Replace the Blood of Death with the Blood of Life
There is an old Korean story about a mother whose child was dying due to illness. The family was so poor that they could not afford medicine or even proper food. In desperation, the mother bit her own finger, let her blood drip into the child’s mouth, and saved her child’s life.
Giving one’s blood to another signifies a deep, self-sacrificial love – a willingness to die so that the other may live. Likewise, Jesus commands us in the Lord’s Supper to partake of His blood, demonstrating His earnest desire to give us life.
As the descendants of fallen Adam, we carry the blood of death within us. The Bible states that anyone who touches a dead body becomes unclean, which means all human beings are naturally spiritually impure. However, the body and the blood of Jesus are not impure. Though He came to this world in human flesh, Jesus was and is God Himself, completely sinless (Heb 9:14).
- He Asks Us to Remember Him
On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus knew that He would no longer be physically present with His disciples. He knew that He would soon be unseen to them. And so, He pleaded with them : ”Remember Me. Do not forget Me. Do not forget the Word of Life, the path of eternal life that I have promised you.” This is the scene of the Last Supper (1 Cor 11:24-25).
John 1 tells us that the invisible God existed as the Word and then took on human form to dwell among us. After His resurrection, Jesus returned to His unseen form as He ascended into heaven.
Conclusion: A Ritual of Becoming One with Jesus
1 Cor 10:16 teaches us that through the Holy Communion, we partake in Christ. The word used here is ‘koinonia’ in Greek, which means “to commune”, “to share”, or “to be united.” This means through the Holy Communion, we become one with Jesus.
The reason why being united with Jesus is so crucial is that we are truly one with Him so that the enemy has no place to enter.
The Lord's Covenant Church Malaysia 