What is the Eucharist and Communion in the Bible ?

[Seeding Loving]

we see the following passage

1Co 5:7 .....… For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
:8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.


is not the real question why would Jesus continually use metaphors, allegories, symbolism ?

the reason is because Jesus is taking real life situations that people are focused upon and relating these distractions and focal points upon himself, which is the real meaning of salvation, eternal life and the voice of the Spirit of God.....in his word - Logos

for example --------- when the people were focused upon the temple and selling oxen, sheep and doves, and the exchanging of money, Jesus directed their focus and attention upon himself, using a metaphor or symbolism, relating himself and his own body to the temple.

BUT IN HIS symbolism - THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND ANYTHING HE WAS SAYING, JESUS WAS DECLARING THAT HIS LITERAL BODY WAS THE LITERAL TEMPLE BUILDING STANDING THERE IN JERUSALEM



Joh 2:19 Jesus answered and said unto them, - Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
:21 But he spake of the temple of his body.


The people thought he was speaking of the literal temple but :22 When therefore he was risen from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them; and they believed the scripture, and the word which Jesus had said. This is everywhere in the New Testament, Jesus is speaking to the multitude in parables and when he is all alone with his disciples he explains the literal meaning of the metaphors or symbolism

please remember

Mar 4:34 But without a parable spake he not unto them: and when they were alone, he expounded all things to his disciples.
Mat 13:34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:


Please notice the words Jesus is saying in - “ Joh 6:55 “

my flesh is meat indeed,
and my blood is drink indeed.


Please notice that Jesus here is calling his flesh as meat and not as bread - - but his flesh is meat - so which is it ?


if we are going to take Jesus literally, - - is his flesh meat or is it bread ? ? ? ? ? ?

because he also calls himself as bread and If we continue to take Jesus literally, let’s finish what he is saying about his flesh and blood -

and remember that the Bible describes the believers also as flesh and blood of the anointing / Christ


Just directly after Jesus proclaimed that his flesh and blood was meat and drink......Joh 6:61 ……….. Jesus knew …….. that his disciples murmured at his words…….. he said unto them, Doth this offend you?

Then Jesus explains exactly what he means, literally

:62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
: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. Here Jesus is explaining that his literal flesh profits nothing: but the source of life whereby we have
life in us-
you shall live by me -
you shall live for ever -


because he is leaving the earth to go back upwards to heaven from where he came and his very words will be spirit and life and Paul continues to use this very same example by again symbolizing and metaphorically comparing the WORD OF SCRIPTURE as milk and meat…….this is how the Apostles and Disciples understand what Jesus was saying -- they continue his same example in their own writings in the same exact way that Jesus explained using parables, metaphors and symbolism,...


the bible refers to Jesus as our - passover, but what does it say about it ?

1Co 5:7 ........For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: :8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Mar 14:12 his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
:14 Jesus said............Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
:19 And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed them; and they made ready the passover.

Luk 22:8 And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and prepare us the passover, that we may eat.
:13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
:15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer:

Joh 18:28 Jesus - might eat the Passover.

 

[Seeding Loving]

in addition

The way Paul understands the Passover of Jesus is this not made clear as we see below regarding the Communion of bread

Act 2:42 And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and Communion, and in breaking of BREAD and in prayers.


Rom 15:26 ………. of Macedonia and Achaia to make a certain Communion for the POOR saints which are at Jerusalem. :28 When therefore I have performed this, and have sealed to them this FRUIT


1Co 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?



HERE BELOW PAUL IS USING THE IDEA OF EUCHARIST / thankfulness AND COMMUNION MINISTERING TO BOTH FOOD DISTRIBUTION AND TO FRUITS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS ….. again, ……… using Jesus as the focus of food distribution - COMMUNION


2Co 9:10 Now he that ministereth seed to the sower both minister BREAD for your FOOD, and multiply your SEED sown,……… and increase the FRUITS of your righteousness;) :12 For the administration of this service not only supplieth the want ; need of the saints, but is abundant also by many thanksgivings / EUCHARIST unto God;

:13 Whiles by the proof of this ministration they glorify God for your professed subjection unto the gospel of Christ, and for your liberal COMMUNION unto them, and unto all men;

Paul is showing forth an offering of food and charity to the poor and needy and applying this with the gospel for the Eucharist thankfulness of Jesus and Communion.


in final conclusion, i hope that Christians can read the original meaning of the manuscripts taking the original meaning for what it says without feeling that something has to be altered or ignored .... for with the surrounding context all things are made abundantly clear.

Both Jesus and his Apostles used the idea of COMMUNION and EUCHARIST with the idea that sharing literal FOOD and the distributing of BREAD and FOOD to the poor and to the saints were interchangeable – and united in offering to the poor and hungry. With this focus there was a distribution and sharing and literally eating food focused upon remembering Jesus with a symbolic spiritual aspect applied in the process for Jesus as main focus of spiritual nourishment .

this is the process we see happening in the Church with the COMMUNION and EUCHARIST.


1Co 11:29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. :30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many die.

This is literal food being distributed to the hungry, poor and needy who are malnourished and sick and dying…..

and a warning is given. Paul is warning and condemning Christians who participate in the Lords Supper who act irreverently by acting in a manner that is disorderly and damaging and even injuring others in the body of believers who are truly poor, needy, hungry unable to get the wine and food they need.

Yes, it is a sacred special event where they are coming together to show, preach and declare the death of the Lord by breaking bread in the memory of Jesus's death, but Paul's focus is NOT centered upon those who are refusing to attend nor is he focused upon those who may have sin in their life as many Christians purport and interject in the Communion Ceremony....

Paul is writing to a group of desperate, poor and needy people who are dealing with a poor community needing food to eat - and Paul make it very clear to explain. These people know absolutely nothing whatsoever about a " Catholic Eucharist Mass " but Paul drive - home the only critical points he has in his concern …

1. memory of the death of the Lord
2. to shew, declare, preach and proclaim the death of the Lord

3. to provide adequate food and bread to the poor and hungry – making sure the poor and needy receive literal nourishment


this is all Paul has - he has nothing else to stress but these 3 points , these 3 things are all that Paul has as very crucial and desperately attempts to pull this group together - make them understand the reverence and focus, he fails to mention - and ooh by the way this is the real presence of Catholic Eucharist Mass !


his condemnation is focused upon those

- who are coming to simply get drunk and wasted - at the feast
- who are coming to simply hoard all of the food before others who are hungry and needy - at the feast
- who are coming and partaking of the food when they already have their own home's to eat and drink wine

- who are coming to simply hoard all of the food before others who are hungry and needy - at the feast

Paul says to eat and drink at home and do not shame those who have not.

yes, he is bringing all of this together to focus on the true importance of eating and drinking and attending with respect, honor because the true purpose of even having the Lords Supper is to remember and preach and show / declare Jesus.

yes, he says if people just coming to eat and drink without discerning the sick, hungry, dying and malnourished then they dishonor the Lords Body and they also disrespect God. If you cannot respect the Lords Supper - eat at home and let those whom are needy and truly hungry receive the food in the communion supper.

this is the process and tradition we see developing in real time in the early Church.