Bible Studies

A Study on Communion

by Jon Fallows
10/15/16
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A Study on the Communion (The Lord’s Table)

Jon Fallows, August 2015

The subject of the communion is rather large and would take some considerable time. This is but a small portion of this great subject.

Primary Scripture: John 6:30 onwards. Eating and Drinking the Bread of Life.

The Law of Moses in Lev 17:10 states that any man who eats blood, whether an Israelite or a ‘stranger’, is to be ‘cut off’ (H3772) from among his people. Today, we would likely say, excommunicated. So the law definitely established that blood was not to be consumed (eaten, or for drink).

Lev 17:      Lev 17:10  And whatsoever man^{H376 H376} there be of the house^{H4480 H1004} of Israel,^H3478 or of^H4480 the strangers^H1616 that sojourn^H1481 among^H8432 you, that^H834 eateth^H398 any manner^H3605 of blood;^H1818 I will even set^H5414 my face^H6440 against that soul^H5315 that eateth^{H398 (H853)} blood,^H1818 and will cut him off^{H3772 (H853)} from among^{H4480 H7130} his people.^H5971

Lev 17:11  For^H3588 the life^H5315 of the flesh^H1320 is in the blood:^H1818 and I^H589 have given^H5414 it to you upon^H5921 the altar^H4196 to make an atonement^H3722 for^H5921 your souls:^H5315 for^H3588 it^H1931 is the blood^H1818 that maketh an atonement^H3722 for the soul.^H5315

Lev 17:12               Therefore^{H5921 H3651} I said^H559 unto the children^H1121 of Israel,^H3478 No^{H3808 H3605} soul^H5315 of^H4480 you shall eat^H398 blood,^H1818 neither^H3808 shall any stranger^H1616 that sojourneth^H1481 among^H8432 you eat^H398 blood.^H1818

To eat blood was also a figure of speech for murder, so to ‘eat’ was an allegory for ‘consume’.

However, in John 6:53, Jesus Himself said that ‘except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you have no life in you’.

Joh 6:53  Then^G3767 Jesus^G2424 said^G2036 unto them,^G846 Verily,^G281 verily,^G281 I say^G3004 unto you,^G5213 Except^G3362 ye eat^G5315 the^G3588 flesh^G4561 of the^G3588 Son^G5207 of man,^G444 and^G2532 drink^G4095 his^G846 blood,^G129 ye have^G2192 no^G3756 life^G2222 in^G1722 you.^G1438

Joh 6:54  Whoso eateth^G5176 my^G3450 flesh,^G4561 and^G2532 drinketh^G4095 my^G3450 blood,^G129 hath^G2192 eternal^G166 life;^G2222 and^G2532 I^G1473 will raise him up^{G450 G846} at the^G3588 last^G2078 day.^G2250

Joh 6:55    For^G1063 my^G3450 flesh^G4561 is^G2076 meat^G1035 indeed,^G230 and^G2532 my^G3450 blood^G129 is^G2076 drink^G4213 indeed.^G230

After He said this, some of His disciples many ‘went back’ and walked with him no more (John 6:66). Why did they do this? Simply because of what the Law said, for they knew the law, as most did, because it was a requirement for every male to be able to repeat by rote, the book of Leviticus by age seven.

The question is, why did Jesus say that, because it seems to be directly contrary to the Law of Leviticus 17:10? It is clear that Jesus faithfully kept all the law (otherwise we are in real trouble!!), so there must be something hidden in these apparently contradictory words, something we are to ‘dig’ for.

This is pretty clear from Paul’s account in Corinthians that the bread was His body and the wine was His blood. So, even in this, there is a thought back to the law, which we have been told was ‘done away with’. However, Jesus Himself said, in Mat 5:18, that the law stands ‘until all be fulfilled’. So, given this, He must have been saying something else, using these words to hide the real meaning of His intent. I have found that most of the Word is written in allegory of some sort.

In Western thought, we ‘see’ the form of things, but they (Hebrews) saw the function. So if I mention a mouth, you would picture for form, a mouth, but to the Hebrew, it was what the mouth could do, like eat (consume), or speak, drink, etc. The Hebrew for eat is G398, aw-kal which is also translated, ‘consume’

Jesus also asked His father during His wonderful prayer just before His crucifixion to, “Sanctify them through thy truth, thy word is truth”. Jesus is clearly saying here that His Word (He was the Word) is truth, which He also claimed in John 14:16, saying that He WAS the truth, so here we have a multifaceted scripture that, by extension, people were to be sanctified by or through Him.

In Romans 10:17, we have the statement that Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. So, just like John in Revelation, we are to read and hear the Word of God (Rev 10:9). So we are to ‘eat’ the Word. The question is, how? Well, clearly the use of the word ‘eat’ is an allegory, using one word to express different meanings. So, we could be said to be ‘eating’ (consuming, taking into ourselves) the Word, therefore Jesus, when we read and study it. So when we study it, we read (drink through the eyes) and hear (eat through the ears) the Word, so one could then say that we eat with our ears and drink with our eyes (now there is an allegory!!)

The correct use of the Blood.

Exo 30:10    And Aaron^H175 shall make an atonement^H3722 upon^H5921 the horns^H7161 of it once^H259 in a year^H8141 with the blood^{H4480 H1818} of the sin offering^H2403 of atonements:^H3725 once^H259 in the year^H8141 shall he make atonement^H3722 upon^H5921 it throughout your generations:^H1755 it^H1931 is most holy^{H6944 H6944} unto the LORD.^H3068

The blood was commanded to be used as an atonement as seen in Ex 30:10. Therefore the correct use of blood was to atone for sin. If blood was used in any other way, it was therefore, not according to law and therefore rebellion, so, when Paul spoke of the “table of devils” (as opposed to the Lord’s table), he was talking about a direct reference back to Leviticus 17:7, the Law of Sacrifice. 

Lev 17:7      And they shall no^H3808 more^H5750 offer^{H2076 (H853)} their sacrifices^H2077 unto devils,^H8163 after^H310 whom^H834 they^H1992 have gone a whoring.^H2181 This^H2063 shall be^H1961 a statute^H2708 for ever^H5769 unto them throughout their generations.^H1755

If you don’t do with the blood what you’re supposed to do—that is, to offer it on the altar of God—then you are in essence partaking at the table of devils [saiyr, “satyrs”].  So anyone who does not consider the blood of Jesus Christ to be the sacrifice for sin is in agreement with the Accuser. 

Eating His flesh and drinking His blood

This is what Jesus was referring to when He said, to drink His blood and eat His flesh, as He said,

Joh 6:56  He that eateth^G5176 my^G3450 flesh,^G4561 and^G2532 drinketh^G4095 my^G3450 blood,^G129 dwelleth^G3306 in^G1722 me,^G1698 and I^G2504 in^G1722 him.^G846

Joh 6:57    As^G2531 the^G3588 living^G2198 Father^G3962 hath sent^G649 me,^G3165 and I^G2504 live^G2198 by^G1223 the^G3588 Father:^G3962 so^G2532 he that eateth^G5176 me,^G3165 even he^G2548 shall live^G2198 by^G1223 me.^G1691

So, it was in atonement for sin. In John 6, verse 26 and 27, Jesus alludes to this in His statement. In effect what He was saying was;

If you ‘eat’ my flesh (the Word),

And ‘drink’ my blood’ (the Word), then

In doing so you will learn of me (Mat 11:29)

Then you will dwell (live) in me (the correct atonement for sin)

I live by the Father

I want you to live by me by eating and drinking me.

This is verified by the statement Jesus made at the loaves and fishes event.

Joh 6:26  Jesus^G2424 answered^G611 them^G846 and^G2532 said,^G2036 Verily,^G281 verily,^G281 I say^G3004 unto you,^G5213 Ye seek^G2212 me,^G3165 not^G3756 because^G3754 ye saw^G1492 the miracles,^G4592 but^G235 because^G3754 ye did eat^G5315 of^G1537 the^G3588 loaves,^G740 and^G2532 were filled.^G5526

Joh 6:27  Labour^G2038 not^G3361 for the^G3588 meat^G1035 which perisheth,^G622 but^G235 for that meat^G1035 which endureth^G3306 unto^G1519 everlasting^G166 life,^G2222 which^G3739 the^G3588 Son^G5207 of man^G444 shall give^G1325 unto you:^G5213 for^G1063 him^G5126 hath God^G2316 the^G3588 Father^G3962 sealed.^G4972

He is that meat (food and drink) that endures to eternal life. John 11:25, “I am the resurrection and the life”.

Paul continues further in 1 Corinthians 11, 23 where he says;

1Co 11:23  For^G1063 I^G1473 have received^G3880 of^G575 the^G3588 Lord^G2962 that which^G3739 also^G2532 I delivered^G3860 unto you,^G5213 That^G3754 the^G3588 Lord^G2962 Jesus^G2424 the^G3588 same night^G3571 in which^G3739 he was betrayed^G3860 took^G2983 bread:^G740

1Co 11:24  And^G2532 when he had given thanks,^G2168 he brake^G2806 it, and^G2532 said, Take,^{G2036 G2983} eat:^G5315 this^G5124 is^G2076 my^G3450 body,^G4983 which is broken^G2806 for^G5228 you:^G5216 this^G5124 do^G4160 in^G1519 remembrance^G364 of me.^G1699

This is a reiteration of John 6:56 in saying that this was His body.

1Co 11:25  After^G3326 the same manner^G5615 also^G2532 he took the^G3588 cup,^G4221 when he had supped,^G1172 saying,^G3004 This^G5124 cup^G4221 is^G2076 the^G3588 new^G2537 testament^G1242 in^G1722 my^G1699 blood:^G129 this^G5124 do^G4160 ye, as oft as^G3740 ye drink^{G4095 G302} it, in^G1519 remembrance^G364 of me.^G1699

Here, He called it a ‘new testament’ (a will and testament if you like). It was made in blood. This is clearly reminiscent of the Abrahamic covenant, were God ‘made’ a covenant with Abraham while Abraham was asleep (Gen 15:12-18). In similar fashion, Jesus made a covenant with His disciples (man) while man was asleep (the disciples at that time were yet unsaved men and were not quite sure of what was going on). Abraham’s covenant was between God and one man who was to become the father of countless people, and was before the Law. This covenant was made by (man) the Son of Man (God in the flesh) and God with little ‘interference’ by natural man, in a time where the application of the law was to become spiritual (Rom 7:14)

1Co 11:26  For^G1063 as often as^G3740 ye eat^{G2068 G302} this^G5126 bread,^G740 and^G2532 drink^{G4095 G302} this^G5124 cup,^G4221 ye do shew^G2605 the^G3588 Lord's^G2962 death^G2288 till^{G891 G3757} he come.^G2064

We are to ‘do this’, as ‘often as you eat’, you show (G2605 – kataggello, to proclaim, declare, preach, teach) the Lord’s death, until He comes. So, every time we eat (hear) and drink (read) the Word, we are showing, proclaiming and teaching about the Lord’s death. The world is to be reproved of sin (John 16:8) which is explained further in 1 John 5:10, because they did not believe the record that God left us of His son, that of His sacrificial death. This is what Paul was talking about when He said in 2 Cor 2:2, I am determined not to know anything save Christ crucified.

1Co 11:27  Wherefore^G5620 whosoever^{G3739 G302} shall eat^G2068 this^G5126 bread,^G740 and^G2228 drink^G4095 this cup^G4221 of the^G3588 Lord,^G2962 unworthily,^G371 shall be^G2071 guilty^G1777 of the^G3588 body^G4983 and^G2532 blood^G129 of the^G3588 Lord.^G2962

So, Paul’s instruction comes with a warning. So what does “unworthily” mean? The Greek word is anaxeeoce, (G371) meaning ‘irreverently’. So what does irreverent mean? According to Dictionary.com, it means: Lack of respect, not being venerated or respected. So, it seems one can take the communion in an irreverent way. So what is that?

It appears that this could be, taking it while in the congregation without considering anything about the purpose and reason it is being taken. So the instruction continues;

1Co 11:28  But^G1161 let a man^G444 examine^G1381 himself,^G1438 and^G2532 so^G3779 let him eat^G2068 of^G1537 that bread,^G740 and^G2532 drink^G4095 of^G1537 that cup.^G4221

So here is the reason for the statement in V27. There has to be an ‘examination of oneself’ before partaking of this commanded ritual, because;

1Co 11:29  For^G1063 he that eateth^G2068 and^G2532 drinketh^G4095 unworthily,^G371 eateth^G2068 and^G2532 drinketh^G4095 damnation^G2917 to himself,^G1438 not^G3361 discerning^G1252 the^G3588 Lord's^G2962 body.^G4983

Ok, so what is ‘damnation’? This word in Greek is G2917 – krima, and according to Dr James Strong, means: a decision for or against, to avenge, condemn, condemnation, damnation, to go to law, judgement. So to make this more understandable, we could re-translate it as:

“For he that eats and drinks irreverently, eats and drinks a judgement decision to himself, because he does not discerning the Lord’s body”.

So, one could eat and drink irreverently by (the following are possibilities only):

1. Being a partaker within the assembly but not respecting the purpose of the ritual


2. Taking the elements (bread and wine) but not following up by studying (eating and drinking) the Word (Bible), or


3. As some do, read the Bible simply to make arguments against it (to find fault with it).

So, just what is the “Lord’s Body” here? Well, it could be one of three things:

1. It could be all the members in the assembly, or


2. It could be the Word itself (on the basis of the study above), or


3. Both.

So, the warning against eating and drinking the Word in an irreverent manner is one to be aware of and follow Pauls’ advice, and ‘examine’ (test, approve) oneself.

1Co 11:30  For this cause^{G1223 G5124} many^G4183 are weak^G772 and^G2532 sickly^G732 among^G1722 you,^G5213 and^G2532 many^G2425 sleep.^G2837

Paul continues in his discussion about the irreverence, by saying the there is a direct result, that of being sick or dying (sleep, G2837 – be asleep, be dead). This makes sense when considering what Jesus said in John 6:53.

Joh 6:53  Then^G3767 Jesus^G2424 said^G2036 unto them,^G846 Verily,^G281 verily,^G281 I say^G3004 unto you,^G5213 Except^G3362 ye eat^G5315 the^G3588 flesh^G4561 of the^G3588 Son^G5207 of man,^G444 and^G2532 drink^G4095 his^G846 blood,^G129 ye have^G2192 no^G3756 life^G2222 in^G1722 you.^G1438

If we turn this around from the negative connotation, we read; “If you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have life”. So, one of the keys in this section of scripture is “let a man examine himself”, because;

1Co 11:31  For^G1063 if^G1487 we would judge^G1252 ourselves,^G1438 we should not^G3756 be judged.^G2919

If one is brutally honest with oneself, and judge himself, then God will not judge him. The reason is that judgement in God’s eyes is correction, not destruction, therefore if we choose to correct ourselves, we have learned some wisdom, and God will not further judge because of our self-correction (this is called ‘overcoming’ – see Rev 2 and 3)

1Co 11:32  But^G1161 when we are judged,^G2919 we are chastened^G3811 of^G5259 the Lord,^G2962 that^G2443 we should not^G3361 be condemned^G2632 with^G4862 the^G3588 world.^G2889

But, if one does not take to opportunity to judge (correct) himself, then God will judge by chastening (train up, educate, discipline) us, so that we will not be condemned with the world (put under correction from which we cannot escape).

1Co 11:33  Wherefore,^G5620 my^G3450 brethren,^G80 when ye come together^G4905 to eat,^G5315 tarry^G1551 one for another.^G240

So, the continued instruction here is to ‘tarry’ (G1551 – accept, wait for) one another. In other words, give others the time to do the ‘examination’.

1Co 11:34  And^G1161 if^G1487 any man^G5100 hunger,^G3983 let him eat^G2068 at^G1722 home;^G3624 that^G2443 ye come not together^{G4905 G3361} unto^G1519 condemnation.^G2917 And^G1161 the^G3588 rest^G3062 will I set in order^G1299 when^{G5613 G302} I come.^G2064

This last verse is in reference to the ‘love feasts’ they used to have in the early church where rich people would come and feast while poorer people would have nothing, and the richer ones would not share with the poorer.

However, Jesus made an interesting statement after His resurrection when He appeared to the disciples as recorded in Luke saying,

Luk 24:39 Behold^G1492 my^G3450 hands^G5495 and^G2532 my^G3450 feet,^G4228 that^G3754 it is^G1510 I^G1473 myself:^G846 handle^G5584 me,^G3165 and^G2532 see;^G1492 for^G3754 a spirit^G4151 hath^G2192 not^G3756 flesh^G4561 and^G2532 bones,^G3747 as^G2531 ye see^G2334 me^G1691 have.^G2192

It seems He no longer has ‘blood’, simply because it is not needed. He has life in Himself (John 5:26). So this seems to reinforce the fact that His Blood and His flesh are the Word He so clearly points us to in John 15 thru 17.

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This study considers only the eating and drinking of the Lord’s flesh and blood. I highly recommend the reader see a study by Dr Stephen Jones, God’s Kingdom Ministries, called “The Testimony of the Blood”.

http://www.gods-kingdom-ministries.net/daily-weblogs/2015/08-2015/the-testimony-of-blood/, as this study takes the subject of the blood from a personal level to a universal level.

References:

The Companion Bible (KJV), Bullinger, Kregel, with Dr Strong’s numbers.

Dr Stephen Jones, God’s Kingdom Ministries.