Studies on the Lord's Supper
Harmony of the Gospels and the Last Supper. Provides a chronological harmony of the Gospel accounts of the Last Supper. The event that provides the glue for the narratives is the betrayal of the Lord by Judas. Did Christ institute "communion" twice? Both before Judas leaves (according to Luke) and after (according to Matthew and Mark)? When the narratives are reconstructed relative to the betrayal event, the Gospel accounts then show that Christ did not introduce an adjunct to the Passover, but rather, precisely followed the Passover sequence of cup - bitter herbs - cup - lamb - cup. What the Gospels relate is that the Lord pronounced a Messianic midrash (commentary) over both courses (bitter herbs and lamb: "this is my body" referring to both) and the second and third Passover cups ("this is my blood").Brief Comparison of Approaches to the Lord's Table Provides a table comparing the traditional ritualistic view of the Lord's Supper with our belief and practice that the Lord's Supper is a non-ritualistic hunger-satisfying fellowship meal.The Dispensation of the Mystery, the Lord's Supper and Ceremonies. This outline examines the implications of the dispensation of the Mystery to the doctrine and practice of the Body in regard to the absence of ceremonies for the Body and the "Lord's Supper," in particular.