Brief Comparison of Approaches to the Lord's Table

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0><tr> <td valign="top" colspan=2 height=100 BGCOLOR="#CCCCFF" TEXT="#080000" bgproperties="fixed" background="0c900640egdysm.jpg"> <div> <FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000066" FACE="Arial" ><B>Grace Bible Fellowship</B></FONT><FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#000099" FACE="Arial" ><B> </B></FONT><B>    |     </B><A HREF="index.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Grace Bible Fellowship"><B>home</B></A><B><IMG SRC="0e7523c0.png" border=0 width="82" height="60" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="10" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <div> back to<B>  </B><A HREF="id23.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Studies on the Lords Supper"><B>Studies on the Lord's Supper</B></A></div> <div> </div> </td> </tr><tr> <td valign="top" width=200 BGCOLOR="#0000BF" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <bR> <div> <A HREF="id24.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="Harmony of the Gospels and the Last Supp">Harmony of the Gospels and the Last Supper</A></div> <div> <B><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="Symb075c00b700c8ffcccc00.png" HEIGHT="13" WIDTH="24" ALIGN="bottom" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">Brief Comparison of Approaches to the Lord's Table</B></div> <div> <A HREF="id87.htm" TARGET="_top" TITLE="The Dispensation of the Mystery, the Lor">The Dispensation of the Mystery, the Lord's Supper and Ceremonies.</A></div> <bR> </td> <td valign="top" height=380 width="100%" BGCOLOR="#FFFFFF" TEXT="#080000"> <div> <B>Brief Comparison of Approaches to the Lord's Table</B></div> <bR> <div> [The following edited notes are based on a table compiled by the eldership of Trinity Grace Fellowship, Pittsburgh.  Used with permission.]</div> <bR> <div> Below we make a few comparisons between the traditional practice of the Lord's Table and our current practice, particularly in light of I Cor. 11:23-6.  This is followed by several additional comments.  <U>Sequens</U>, unless indicated otherwise, a verse number refers to I Cor. 11.  </div> <bR> <bR> <div> <TABLE BORDER="2" CELLPADDING="2" CELLSPACING="1" WIDTH="765" BORDERCOLORLIGHT="#C0C0C0" BORDERCOLORDARK="#808080" FRAME="BOX" RULES="COLS" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0" BGCOLOR=#FFFFFF > <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#0099FF HEIGHT= 39 WIDTH="368"><div> <B><U>Traditional View</U></B></div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#0099FF WIDTH="378"><div> <B> </B><FONT SIZE="3" COLOR="#FFFFFF" FACE="Arial" ><B><U>Alternative View</U></B></FONT></div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 478 WIDTH="368"><div> A.  Paul intends in I Cor. 11:23-6 to place a requirement upon the Body to state Verse 24 or the equivalent over what is eaten, usually understood as literal pieces of broken bread, and to state Verse 25 or the equivalent over what is drunk, usually understood as the fruit of the vine.  In rabbinical terms, Paul is requiring the Body to <B>midrash</B> the Lord's Table</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> A.  Paul intends in I Cor. 11:23-6 to explicitly remind the Body that when it eats jointly under the hospitality of (the officers of) the assembly, it is eating that which represents the body and blood of Christ: the Body's jointness in eating and drinking should reflect their jointness in Christ which was purchased by the body and blood of Christ, as the context (10:16-11:34) repeatedly points out, and in this way the meal of fellowship represents the body and blood of Christ.  It was also this way for Messianic Israel: they will form one joint-nation (Ezek. 37:16-24, John 10:16, etc), and when this Israel eats in <B>'Erub</B>  (jointness or communion), their meal also reflects the atonement of Christ which so purchased; and the "Last Supper" was eaten as an 'Erub since these 13 men co-registered to so eat (Matt. 26:17-9, Mark 14:12-6, Luke 22:7-13); in which case both the rabbinical requirements of Pesach (Passover) and 'Erub applied and were followed (Matt. 23:2-3).  And so Christ gave a midrash for the broken "bread" = jointly eaten bitter herbs, unleavened bread, sweet sauce, and dry roasted Lamb, as <B>required</B> by the rabbis of the head of the table at Pesach, but which midrash (for the many cups as well) reflected the Last Supper's character as an <B>'Erub</B> for Messianic Israel.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99FFFF HEIGHT= 415 WIDTH="368"><div> B.  It is this midrash (and some would add, the distinctive components of the meal) which distinguishes this meal as the Lord's Table.  The pronouncement of this midrash causes people to remember the significance of the meal, and this pronouncement is necessary to shew or proclaim the Lord's death till He come (Verse 26).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> B.  What distinguishes the Lord's Table is that the Body eats a fellowship meal in assembly under the official hospitality of the bishops and deacons<B>---</B>this is indicated in the Greek in Verses 18 (<B>en ekklesia</B>) and 20 (<B>epi to auto</B>), "in assembly" and "upon the same", phrases indicating that an official meeting and meal of fellowship was in place (see the usage elsewhere).</div> <bR> <div> The word <B>anamnesin</B>, especially in the construction of Verses 24-5, <B>eis ten emon anamnesin</B>, means not "remembrance" in the sense of people having to do something to remember something, but rather <B>memorial</B>: "do this for/as My memorial.  The fellowship meal is itself the memorial and proclamation.  This alone is in keeping with the usage of <B>anamnesin</B>, especially in this type of construction, in all of LXX, Greek N. T., and the sources cited in [MM]: e.g. see Lev. 24:7 and the battle memorial described in [MM 36].  Further, this was Christ's command to Messianic Israel: there is no direct command here to the Body anyway<FONT SIZE="1" COLOR="#000000" FACE="Arial" >.</FONT></div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 344 WIDTH="368"><div> C.  Paul is placing upon the Body, not the requirement of Passover, but a ritual and symbolic meal which Christ appended to Passover.  This addendum is not inherently Jewish and in the common traditional view is distinguished by:</div> <bR> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> C.  Paul is <B>NOT </B>placing upon the Body the requirement of a ritual and symbolic meal.  Christ followed, lock-stock-and-barrel, the rabbinical format of Passover: this is proved in our outlines by comparing the harmony of the gospel accounts (Matt. 26:20-30, Mark 14:17-26, Luke 22:14-21, John 13:1-30, noting especially the Greek text.) with the description of Passover in the tractate Pesachim of Talmud.  <B>CHRIST ADDED NO ADDENDUM; THERE WAS ONLY PESACH THAT NIGHT</B>.  Christ gave a Messianic midrash (in addition to the standard midrash) as they ate the two courses and drank the various cups of Passover.  Furthermore, we have proved that the Corinthian assembly's fellowship meals came via the weekly rabbinical 'Erub, and not from Passover; indeed we have proved that the Body took over and administered the main synagogue of Corinth, and their communion was modified from the rabbis.  Further:</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 76 WIDTH="368"><div> (1)  distinctive menu handled in a distinctive way<B>---</B>bread in the traditional, Western sense, physically broken or torn, and drink of the fruit of the vine; and</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> (1)  "Breaking bread" CANNOT mean torn pieces of bread in the traditionally understood sense:</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 534 WIDTH="368"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="534" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="368" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> (a)  "Bread" to the Jews means precisely "food"; only in special contexts does it mean our word "bread".  This is proved at length in our outlines by looking at the usage of <I><B>lechem</B></I> and <I><B>artos</B></I> in Scripture and LXX.  Furthermore, "bread" in Pesach emcompasses the bitter herbs, sweet sauce, unleavened bread, and the lamb.  And the "bread" in Corinth was the food of 'Erub, on which there were virtually no limitations in the rabbis.  Also <I><B>deipnon</B></I> always means a MAIN MEAL (not a snack).</div> <div> (b)  "Breaking bread" translates in Verses 23-4 <I><B>klasai artos</B></I> or the equivalent, which in LXX translates the Hebrew <B>lechem </B><I><B>paras(h)</B></I>, which is used ONLY in the sense of the sharing/ distribution of food (Is. 58:7, Jer. 16:7, Lam. 4:4, cf. Ezek. 18:7).  The usage in Greek N.T. bears out this notion (search and see), in particular w.r.t. the Last Supper = Pesach eaten as an 'Erub and Corinthian communion = 'Erub.  Furthermore, Luke 22:17-9 parallels dividing the cup and breaking the bread, i.e. to distribute.  And this idiom continued for a century later (as seen in the <B>Didache</B>, 140 A. D., Greek text).</div> <div> (c)  Similar remarks for the cup.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 172 WIDTH="368"><div> (2)  the midrash which explicitly identifies, at the time of eating, this broken bread as representing the broken body of Christ, and identifies the drink as representing the blood of Christ.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> (2)  Rabbis required midrash ONLY of Pesach, not of 'Erub, not of Tabernacles, etc.  Corinthians ate the weekly 'Erub together; they COULD NOT understand Paul and Sosthenes the rabbis as imposing midrash.  No command until Verse 28.  Traditional understanding unknown for a century (<B>Didache</B>, 140 A. D.), where food is spoken of as the Body, not body, of Christ.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99FFFF HEIGHT= 363 WIDTH="368"><div> D.  This passage (I Cor. 11:23-6) is a special, self-contained revelation as indicated by the words "received" and "delivered" (Verse 23).  Hence, this passage is self-contained w.r.t. the surrounding context and should determine our understanding of the surrounding context, both fore and aft (I Cor. 10:16-11:34).</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#99FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> D.  Paul's language here in Verse 23 and in I Cor. 15:3 does NOT indicate a context-free, separate revelation.  It is the same language used in Mark 7:4,13, and in many examples in contemporaneous Greek [MM, 483,486].  All the available evidence proves that "receive" and "deliver" simply indicates that such an individual has been a faithful/accurate middleman.  In the context of the rabbis (Mark 7:4,13), the "traditions" have been handed down precisely; in the case of Paul, he is repeating faithfully what Christ told him of the midrash at Pesach; in the case of the papyri, sheep, goats, papyrus bundles, doors, verdicts of courts, etc are handed over in the same condition as received.  Paul's language does not remove Verses 23-26, yea rather ties it in explicitly with what has been previously discussed in 9:24-11:22, just as 15:3 is expressly tied in with its context.</div> <bR> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 268 WIDTH="368"><div> E.  The grievous error, worthy of death in that day (Verse 30), is that of people not understanding and practicing the Lord's Supper as stated above.  It is certainly a creedal error, worthy of disfellowship, for one not to so practice today<B>---</B>the carnal Corinthian example is for our admonition in this as in many other areas of their carnality.</div> </tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> E.  The grievous error is that some ate at the Table, but in a spirit of disunity, not in keeping with the unity or jointness of the Body, which is repeatedly stressed in 10:16-11:34.  Paul discusses the Table in a context of certain people manifesting their non-election or reprobation: I Cor. 9:24-11:34.  Those who ate divisively from the joint Table, intentionally and without reprentance, were supernaturally killed as a sign of their eternal damnation.  Paul makes it clear that THIS is the reason for citing Israel's New Covenant midrash, for Verse 23 is introduced by saying "the night in which He was <B>BETRAYED</B>".  The facts: Judas defiled the Passover Table, which was eaten that night by those men as an 'Erub, by</div> </tD> </tR> <tR> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF HEIGHT= 400 WIDTH="368"><IMG BORDER="0" SRC="1x1.gif" HEIGHT="400" ALIGN="bottom" WIDTH="368" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></tD> <tD VALIGN=TOP BGCOLOR=#00FFFF WIDTH="378"><div> (1)  putting his hand in the sauce at the same time as Christ, forcing Christ to defer to him (see the discussion on table manners in Wisdom of Sirach 31:12-8 (NAB), or the equivalent passage in Brenton's LXX, and the rabbinical rules for disfellow-shipping someone who eats divisively at an 'Erub [Pesachim, 474-6; 'Erubim, 501-2]), and</div> <div> (2)  leaving Passover before the course of the lamb which speaks of redemption<B>---</B>this divisive behavior was unprecedented.</div> <bR> <div> So Judas is yet another example, in the context of I Cor. 9:24-11:34, of an Israelite with whom God was not well pleased and who was overthrown.  Those Corinthian Jews eating divisively at the Table were emulating the behavior of Judas; they were violating the unity of the Body, and the atonement which wrought it, just as Judas violated the New Covenant unity of Messianic Israel, and the atonement which wrought that as well.</div> </tD> </tR> </TABLE></div> <bR> </td> </tr></table></body>