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10250 North Freeway @ West Road
Houston, Texas 77037
Tel: (281) 447-8484
KEEPING HOUSE FOR
THE LORD
Written by H. Frank Fort
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House for the Lord,
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LESSON # 12
"The
Lord's Supper" No. 1
Today we begin the study of the "Lord's
Supper" as to the time, participant, purpose, and elements involved.
The Time.
"Upon the first day of the week when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul discoursed with them" Acts 20:7 A.S.V.. This is to break bread in the sense of Acts 2:42, as an act of worship enjoined in "the apostle's doctrine and fellowship". In Acts 2:46, we have reference to a common meal, "daily…breaking bread from house to house did eat their meat", etc. The "breaking bread" of vs. 42 was not daily, but on the first day of the week. Pentecost being 50 days from the morrow after the Sabbath occurred, of course, on the first day of the week Lev. 23:15‑17. Christ arose on the first day of the week Jn. 20:19, and "This is the day which the Lord hath made"
Ps.
118:24, for
on thus day was fulfilled the prophecy, "I shall not die but live and
declare the works of the Lord" Ps.
118:17, and thus "became the head stone of the corner" Ps. 118:22, "was dead…alive forever more" Rev.
1:18. By comparing Ps. 118:17, with
Ps. 102:24, we can see the meaning of both. Not that Christ would
not die, but that he should not see corruption Acts 2:31, since it was not possible that death could hold him Acts
2:24. This was demonstrated on the first day of the week, on which the
Church was "found breaking bread" Acts
2:42. This is the day for the observance of the Lord's Supper. The disciples
broke bread on the first day of the week; exactly as we are told in Acts
20:7. Some, however, seeking to rob the first day of the week of any
religious significance, say that they did not eat until Monday morning. They
base this false statement on vs.11, where we read, "When he (Paul) was come
up again, and had broken bread and eaten, and talked a long while, even till
break of day, so he departed". Surely, one can tell the difference between
the disciples meeting "to break bread" on the first day of the week,
and Paul only, eating on Monday morning, a common meal.
Notice now the adverb of time as related to the fact
of assembling, "When". Paul speaks of the matter of discipline as
related to sin among the members of the body, and says, "When ye are
gathered together" 1 Cor. 5:4.
He shows that this is the tune to exercise the authority by which they are
"to deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh".
It is obvious that he refers to some stated and customary time of gathering.
Again, "When ye come together in the Church" 1 Cor. 11:18 "When ye come together therefore into one
place" 1 Cor. 11:20, which, of
course, would be equal to "every place" 1 Cor. 1:2 where a Church assembles, that is, in Colosse, Philippi,
etc. That which is done "in the Church" 1 Cor. 14:19, is done in one of "the churches"
1
Cor. 14:34
when "the whole Church be come together" 1
Cor. 14:23. The expression here "whole Church" refers to a local
assembly, as no other can "come together into one place". The members
of such an assembly could obey the apostolic instructions to "let every one
of you lay by him in store as God hath prospered him, that there be no
gatherings when I come" 1 Cor. 16:2.
This was to be done "upon the first day of the week". Why? Because
this was the day of their "gathering together" to worship. Now notice,
"Wherefore my brethren, when ye come together to eat" 1
Cor. 11:33. The eating here is that of "the Lord's Supper", for
the Church is not to assemble, as a religious responsibility, for any other kind
of eating. The members of a Church may assemble and eat, but they are not to do
it as a religious act, nor do it in connection with the Lord's Supper, as were
the Corinthians. The point, however, we make is this. The Church was to
assemble. It assembled on the first day of the week, Among other things; the
assembling was for the purpose of observing the Lord's Supper.
We turn now to the consideration of the scriptures
treating of the Lord's Supper. First 1
Cor. 10:16,17 "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? For we being many are one bread and one body:
for we are all partakers of that one bread". There are three expressions in
this passage we wish to consider now:
·
"The
cup"
·
"The
bread"
·
"We…one
body"
Whenever a Church, I speak of the Church of the
Bible, "shew the Lord's death", 1
Cor. 11:26, there is involved two elements,
·
"bread"
·
"this
cup"
These
two elements represent life given. While we are accustomed to refer to them as
symbolizing the literal body and blood of Christ, strictly speaking, thus is not
so. They symbolize rather, "the gospel of your salvation", Eph.
1:13, which, of course, is "the gospel…how that Christ died" 1 Cor. 15:1,3, as far as the Lord's Supper is concerned. We know
this because Christ translated the terms "My flesh…my blood", Jn.
6:54 into "the words that I speak" Jn.
6:63, which Peter called, "the words of eternal life", Jn. 6:68, and Christ said, "He that believeth on me hath
eternal life" Jn. 6:47.
Therefore his "flesh and…blood" which were symbols of
"death". Thus "the bread of God…giveth life", Jn.
6:33, were translated into "words" in order to enable men to lay
hold on the promise, "he that cometh to me shall never hunger, ("my
flesh is meat indeed") Jn. 6:55.
And he that believeth on me shall never thirst" ("my blood is drink
indeed") Jn. 6:55,
Jn. 6:35. Thus, "Whoso eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood
hath eternal life", Jn. 6:54.Now
compare: Jn. 6:47,54.
·
"He
that believeth on me hath eternal life".
·
"Whoso
eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life",
Therefore,
to "believe" is equal to eating the "flesh", and drinking
the "blood" of Christ. Thus "flesh" and "blood"
equal "the truth" which believed, results in salvation. What is it?
"The gospel is the power of God unto salvation" Rom. 1:16. Thus Christ said, "The bread of God is he which
cometh down…and giveth life unto the world…he that eateth of this bread
shall live forever" Jn. 6:33,51,58.
In order for "the bread" to give "life unto the world" it
had to be "broken". It is written, "ye shall eat the blood of no
manner of flesh", Lev. 17:14;
therefore, the blood had to be shed before the flesh could be
"bread…which…giveth life unto the world" Jn. 6:33. "The good shepherd giveth life" Jn.
10:11. He said, "I lay it down", Jn.
10:18.
"Flesh" and "blood" are symbols
of "the words of life", which in turn are such "words"
because they reveal the "righteousness of God" Rom. 1:17, "his blood", (death)"his righteousness for
the remission of sins", Rom. 3:25
of "him which believeth in Jesus" Rom. 3:26. NOTICE: Since
in no language do symbols symbolize symbols, nor types typify types,
therefore the elements of the Lord's Supper, bread and wine do not symbolize the
body and blood, but rather "the words of life". Why?
·
Because
the "flesh" and "blood" were symbols of "life
given", the message of the "words of life", in John
6, as taught by Christ. Therefore:
·
"bread"
and "the fruit of the vine" Matt.
26:26,29 do not symbolize the symbols of "flesh" and
"blood" Jn. 6:54. Rather in
both instances "the words of life" are symbolized.
The facts of "how Christ died" 1
Cor. 15:3 are revealed in "the gospel"
1
Cor. 15:1, Rom. 1:16. "By which also ye are saved" 1
Cor. 15:2. It is not the symbols which save, but that which is symbolized,
"the death of Christ", which in turn was symbolized by
"flesh" and "blood". In the record in John, the message
symbolized by "flesh" and "blood" was called "the words
of life"
Jn.
6:68, and in
Matthew, "the Covenant"
A.S.V. Matt. 26:28.
THE CUP
"The Cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a
communion of the body of Christ? " 1
Cor. 10:16. The word translated "Communion", literally means
"participation ", "a
participation in the body of Christ". The word "body" is here
used as the word "flesh" is used in John 6, because "blood"
stands similarly related to both. As one actually participated in "the
blood" of Christ by means of "the words of life”, Jn.
6:47,54,68, so does one actually "participate in the blood of
Christ" 1 Cor. 10:16, but that
participation is symbolized by "the cup”. The cult' by reason of it's
contents, symbolizes "the blood". By meats of the symbolized
participation we "do shew the Lord's death" 1 Cor. 11:26. "The cup" is the means of shewing, not the
means of obtaining. The word "shew" means "to proclaim,
promulgate, declare, preach, speak of, teach".
·
Participation
in the benefits of the death is by means of "the gospel", the words of
life "blood and flesh".
·
Participation
in the "shewing the proclaiming, is by means of "The cup",
"the loaf".
Now when Christ instituted the Lord's Supper, he took
the elements that had been used to "prepare…the Passover" Matt.
26:17. As to "the Cup"…drink ye all of it, for this is my blood
of the New Testament (A.S.V. "Covenant")
which is shed for many for the remission of sins" Matt.
26:27,28.
·
"The
cup…my blood…which is shed…this fruit of the vine"
Matt. 26:27‑29.
·
"This
fruit of the vine" the content of “the cup” was the element used at
"the Passover". It is called "the pure blood of the grape" Deut.
32:14.
WHAT
WAS IN THE CUP
We believe that "the fruit of the vine" was
intoxicating, fermented juice of the grape. When the juice of the grape, through
the energy of nature, rids itself of impurities, it is wine. In the
pre‑fermentation state, it is "Must", and when, through
fermentation, it is purified, the impurities settle and is called
"lees". Thus Isaiah said, "Wines on the lees" Isa.
25:6. A people undisturbed is likened to wine "settled on his
lees", Jer. 48:11; that is,
"hath not been emptied from vessel to vessel", which would have, of
course, disturbed the "lees", that is, diffused it through the wine
above. In
Zeph.
1:12, the
Lord said he would "punish the men (of Jerusalem) that are settled on their
lees". The spiritual application being they had ceased the process to
purify, ceased working, as wine does, having completed the process of
fermentation which results in "wines on the lees" Isa.
25:6.
There
are four words in the Old Testament from which are translated the word
"wine".
·
"YANI".
This is the word most commonly used. "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is
raging:
and whosoever is deceived thereby is not wise" Prov.
20:1. "Wine that maketh glad the heart of man" Ps.
104:15. It was intoxicating if drunk to excess. "Noah…drank of the
wine and was drunken" Gen. 9:20,21.
·
"TIROSH”.
The prophet said, "Whoredom and wine and now wine take away the
heart", Hosea 4:11. Certainly
the unfermented juice of the grape wouldn't do this.
·
"ASIS".
"They shall be drunken with their own blood as with sweet wine", Isa.
49:26. This word occurs only four times; above, and in Joel
1:5; Joel 3:18; Amos 9:13.
·
CHAMER".
"The pure blood of the grape" Deut.
32:14; "red wine" Isa. 27:2.
Solomon said, "Look not upon the wine when it is red…when it moveth
itself" Prov. 23:31. Vs. 29‑32
tells us why. This condition of wine is symbolical of divine judgment. "In
the hand of the Lord there is a cup and the wine is red; it is full of mixture;
and lie poureth out of the same; but the dregs thereof…the wicked of the
earth", etc. Ps. 75:8. By
comparing this passage with Jer. 48:11,
we see that the action of Ps.
75:8, is God's judgment on those of Jer.
48:11, likened unto shaking a vessel of wine that is settled after
fermentation.
All
of the four words indicate "the fruit of the wine" which is able to
intoxicate.
The New Testament word for wine is "OINOS".
That which Timothy used for his "stomach's sake and often
infirmities", 1 Tim. 5:23, was
that of which one could seem "drunk" Eph. 5:18. Which the Good Samaritan used on the "wounds"
of the man fallen on the way to Jericho, Luke
10:34, which Christ made at "Canal', Jn. 2:3‑10, wherein was "excess" 1 Pet. 4:3, which Christians are not to "drink" Rom.
14:21 as to cause stumbling.
The contents of "the Cup" used by the
Church of God at Corinth was able to cause those who had perverted the ordinance
of the Lord's Supper, to become “drunken'' 1 Cor. 11:21. In this connection, Paul said, "When ye come
together therefore, into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's Supper" 1
Cor. 11:20. The margin reads, "ye cannot eat". Paul continues,
"For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper, and one is
hungry, and another is drunken. What? Have ye not houses to eat and to drink in?
1
Cor. 11:21,22.
Then in vs. 34, Paul said, "If
any man hunger, let him eat at home". The eating, by reason of which God's
Church was to assemble, was exclusively of "The Lord's Supper" 1
Cor. 11:33, Acts 20:7. Then they were to "tarry one for another". This
was the Supper for which they were to "come together to eat", 1
Cor. 11:33. Not one word in condemnation of the contents of "the
Cup", by reason of which some in their abuse of the ordinance, were
"drunken" 1 Cor. 11:21.
It was prophesied of John the Baptist,
"He…shall drink neither wine nor strong drink" Luke 1:15. "For John came neither eating bread nor drinking
wine; and ye say he hath a devil. The Son of man is come eating and drinking and
ye say, Behold, a gluttonous man and a winebibber, a friend of publicans and
sinners" Luke 7:33,34. Solomon
said, "Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh:" Prov.
23:20, whom he called "the
drunkard and the glutton", Prov.
23:21. While the Pharisees lied when they called Christ a "gluttonous
man and a winebibber" Luke 7:34,
they did not call him such because he drank "grape juice". Solomon
speaks of the abuse of wine and food, not of their lawful use. If one uses
"grape juice" at the Lord's table, he might as well eat leavened bread
and throw in a piece of Salami along with an onion or two and make a meal of it,
for God hasn't had a thing to do with it. It is not a symbol of "the
faith" that involves "Precious blood" 1
Pet. 1:18,19 of the "Precious" Redeemer 1
Pet. 2:6, as Judas said.
"The innocent blood" Matt. 27:4
only the "blood of the grape" that through the energy of nature has
purified itself of corrupting elements resting above "the lees", is a
symbol of "the blood" of Him who "is pure" 1
Jn. 3:3. As the fine wheaten flour out of which the bread without leaven
symbolizes the purity of "the flesh" of Him who was "without
blemish and without spot".
Prepared
by:
H.
Frank Fort, Minister,
Berean Baptist Church
Oct. 16, 1956.
"It Does Make a Difference What You Believe"