Perrydox.com is devoted to the pursuit of truth, whether plain or paradoxical, whether simple or sublime, or simply absurd yet absolute.
Does the Lord’s Supper Include Jesus’s Resurrection?
Why do we share the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week? Many answer, “That’s when we have an example” and cite Acts 20:7.
May I suggest that the wrong question is “Why shouldn’t we follow the example of the church in the first century as to when to take the Lord’s supper?” Thank about it this way, if Christians are not our authority, and the church consists of Christians, then how can we cite the first century church as our authority?
May I suggest that the right question is, “Why did the first century church take the Lord’s supper on the first day of the week?”
If we look at the context of Acts 20:7-11, Luke records a resurrection story. Since so many miracles occurred that are not recorded, when one is, we need to ask “Why?” Admittedly we are not always told so we must infer what is implied by the miracle’s inclusion.
Here is what is missing in our understanding of the symbolism pertaining to the Lord’s supper. The bread represents the body of Jesus. The blood represents the blood of Jesus. The first day of the week is part of the symbolism of the Lord’s supper too and represents the resurrection of Jesus.
When people object, “Jesus did not say remember my resurrection, he said remember my death”, they are missing some valuable information. When Paul wrote, “for as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death” (1 Corinthians 11:26), the word “death” encompasses everything associated with it. The technical term for this is synecdoche, that is, when the part represents the whole.
How do we know this? 1) Paul says, “until he comes” showing the resurrection and second coming which involves our resurrection since Jesus is the first-fruits (1 cor.15:23). 2) Paul already used synecdoche in 1 Corinthians, which all agree is being used: “I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified” (2:2). For Paul, that doesn’t mean just Jesus’s death because he spends a lot of time “knowing” and trying to get the Corinthians to “know” the resurrection (ch.15). So, Jesus’s “death until he comes” includes Jesus’ resurrection. That is why we observe this meal on the day of resurrection. If we don’t think the Lord’s supper includes His resurrection, then why do we take it on the day of resurrection instead of the day of his death?
Comments