Lesson 9 - The Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Question 1

How does the Lord’s Supper connect with the Old Testament?

Answer 1

1. ) The Lord’s Supper realizes OT sacred meals and inaugurates eschatological covenant table fellowship between God and his people.
   - - Realization
   a. ) Passover Pattern - Institution –> Event Command
   b. ) Passover Symbolism: Lamb as substitute and nourishment
   c. ) Wilderness Feeding
   d. ) Covenant Table fellowship - Exodus 24 - consummate act of the Mosaic Covenant is that they ate with God
2. ) Inauguration: the ultimate eschatological meal that God is going to have with His people.
   - - The relationship between the Lord’s Supper and the Wedding Supper of the Lamb is thus not merely between symbol and reality but that of inauguration and consummation (cf. Luke 22-24; 1 Cor 11:26): the great feast has begun!

Question 2

Explain the meaning and significance of the inauguration of the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament.

Answer 2

Inauguration: the ultimate eschatological meal that God is going to have with His people.
a.) Luke’s first cup is the first cup of the traditional Passover meal that anticipates God’s eschatological banquet: Luke 22:16-18 (Ridderbos, Coming, 411-12); cf. Isa 25; Rev 19; etc.

b. ) In the Lord’s Supper, we thus move from OT shadow to NT substance, feasting on the one whose body is “true food” and whose blood is “true drink” (John 6:55) True - eschatological significance. ultimate food. We have moved into feasting on God in his full eschatological form.
c. ) The relationship between the Lord’s Supper and the Wedding Supper of the Lamb is thus not merely between symbol and reality but that of inauguration and consummation (cf. Luke 22-24; 1 Cor 11:26): the great feast has begun!

Question 3

What is meant by “do this in remembrance of me?”

Answer 3

“Do this in remembrance of me” is a command of the Lord Jesus that is accompanied by an implicit promise of his presence and blessing: “there I will come to you and bless you” (cf. Matt 28:20)

1.) This command constitutes the institution of a perpetual rite until Christ returns.

2. ) Remembrance: not in memory of one who is absent
   - - It’s like a memorial of a birthday or anniversary. We remember it and celebrate it with the people. They’re not absent and Jesus isn’t absent.

Question 4

Is it necessary to “fence the table”? Why or why not?

Answer 4

At the Lord’s Supper, the minister acts as a representative of Christ who serves at Christ’s table (office of the keys).

• • Yes: Exodus 19-24, 1 Cor. 11, Heb. 13:10
• -Exodus 19 - wash yourself, set guards around the mountain; greatest blessing of the covenant is also the greatest danger (God’s presence is a consuming fire)
• • Fencing the table: we have no right to it, but we have been given the right to it. Only for god’s people.

Question 5

Explain the disputed points between Protestants in the Lord’s Supper.

Answer 5

Disputed Points
1.0 The hermeneutics of what the meaning of “is” is: literal or figurative? (“This is my body”)

2. ) The nature of Christ’s incarnate presence in the elements:
   a. ) Present in memory (Zwingli - memorial)
   b. ) Repletive presence/omnipresence (Luther’s View)
   c. ) Presence through the Spirit

3.) The nature of our reception of Christ in the elements: oral manducation or the “mouth of faith”

4. ) Church dividing issue?
   - - Luther: Yes
   - - Reformed: No

Question 6

How is Christ present or not present in the Eucharist?

Answer 6

Real presence, but not local presence. Present through the Holy Spirit. Real feeding, but feeding by faith through the Holy Spirit, not by mouth (WCF 29.7-8)

1. ) Reformed Instrumentalism - a real presence of Christ with his body and blood, by the Spirit, to faith, through the elements (check analogy)
2. ) Feed on him through the mouth of faith
3. ) Through these elements Christ gives his presence to us and through these elements we by the spirit feed on Him by faith.

Question 7

What are the arguments in favor of and against paedocommunion?

Answer 7

Favor

1. ) Wide, but shallow consensus - not a lot of arguments throughout church history
2. ) If infants should be baptized, they should be fed
3. ) Passover precedent: passover was given for instruction of children
4. ) Daddy, why have I been excommunicated

Against

1. ) The structure of covenant union and covenant communion: unilateral inauguration, bilateral consummation
   - - Unilateral initiation - baptism is passive
   - - Bilateral destination - Lord’s Super is active (take and eat)
2. ) Specific instructions associated with the Lord’s Supper require faith’s active participation: Matt 26:26; 1 Cor 11:28-29)
3. ) The nature of covenant nurture (not excommunication): we baptize with a view to nurturing children toward participation in the Lord’s Table