Episode 12: What is the Sacrament of the Altar

Part one of three episodes on the Sacrament of the Altar. We will go over the different views, what Lutherans believe, and why Lutherans are right. You can follow along to the outline of the Bible study at Christforus.org. 

#theology #Lutheran #Lord'sSupper #LutheranConfessions #BibleStudy

1. What is the Sacrament of the Altar.
   It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself, for us Christians to eat and to drink. 
2. Where is this written? 

The holy Evangelists Matthew, Mark, Luke, and St. Paul write:  

Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you. This do in remembrance of Me.”  

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when he had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. This do as often as you drink it in remembrance of Me.” (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-30; 10:16)

1. The Formula of Concord states, “All three evangelists (Matthew 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-24; Luke 22:19-20) and St. Paul, after Christ’s ascension, received the same <institution of the Lord’s Supper> (1 Corinthians 11:23-26). Unanimously and with the same words and syllables they repeat these distinct, clear, firm, and true words of Christ about the consecrated and distributed bread, ‘This is My body.” They repeat these words in one way, without any interpretation, turn of phrase, <figure,> and change. Therefore, there is no doubt about the other part of the Sacrament. The words of Luke and Paul, ‘This is the new covenant in my blood,’ can have no other meaning than what St. Matthew and St. Mark give: ‘This is My blood of the covenant,’ whereby I establish, seal, and confirm with you men this: My testament and new covenant (i.e., the forgiveness of sins).

• Who instituted the Sacrament of the Altar?
  Jesus Christ instituted it on the night he was betrayed.
  I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 1 Corinthians 11:23-24
  • The formula of Concord says of this, “This very opinion, just stated (that the body and blood of Christ are present in the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper), is founded on the only firm, immovable, and undoubtable rock of truth. It comes from the words of institution, in the holy, divine Word. This is how it was understood, taught, and spread by the holy evangelists and apostles and their disciples and hearers.” (SD VII:42) The Formula goes on to site Matthew 17:5, “Listen to Him,” Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away,” and Matthew 28:18, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me.”
• People refuse to believe that the Lord’s Supper is truly Christ’s body and blood, because it is impossible for our human reason to comprehend. Would God ever ask you to believe something you could not understand?
  Yes.
  “Jesus answered him, ‘What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” John 13:7
  “But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Matthew 3:15
  “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than that we ask or think…” Ephesians 3:20
  “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26
• How do we know that Jesus wasn’t just using picture language when he said that the bread and wine were his body and blood?
  • These words of Jesus are his last will and testament. A person’s last will and testament cannot be changed once a person dies.
    “This cup is the new covenant (testament) in my blood.” 1 Corinthians 11:25
    “Even with a man-made covenant (will), no one annuls it or adds to it once it has been ratified.” Galatians 3:15
  • God’s Word clearly teaches us that the bread and wine in the sacrament are a communion (or participation) in Christ’s body and blood.
    “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation (communion) in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 10:16
  • God’s Word clearly teaches that those who misuse the Sacrament sin not against bread and wine, but against Christ’s body and blood.
    “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread and drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. … For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” 1 Corinthians 11:27, 29
• Do unbelievers also receive Christ’s body and blood in the Sacrament?
  Yes, everyone who receive the Lord’s Supper receive Christ’s body and blood whether they believe or not. But those who eat or drink it in an unworthy manner, eat and drink to their own judgment.
  “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord.” 1 Corinthians 11:27
• What do other denominations believe about the Lord’s Supper?
  • Symbolic View: The bread and wine only represent Christ’s body and blood. But Christ’s body and blood is not present. (Baptists, Pentecostals, most non-denominational churches). Baptists think of Baptism and the Lord’s Supper as ordinances instead of Sacraments, which means that they are law instead of gospel. Baptists teach that the bread and “fruit of the vine” are symbols of Christ’s body and blood, but are not actually present.
    • “Baptists usually use the term “ordinances” rather than “sacraments” when referring to baptism and the Lord’s Supper. Even if “sacraments” is used, it is never intended to imply that either of these two is necessary for a person to be saved. … Jesus indicated that the bread was symbolic of his body and the fruit of the vine symbolic of his blood. The unleavened bread symbolizes the purity of Christ, for he was without sin (Hebrews 4:15) and thus his body was an unblemished sacrifice for our sins. The juice from crushed grapes symbolizes the blood that Christ shed for us. In partaking of the bread and the cup, Christ’s disciples are to remember his sacrifice on the cross of Calvary as he gave his body and shed his blood for our sins. Baptists believe the Bible teaches that the elements used in the Supper are not literally the body and blood of Christ. They are symbols of his body and blood. In eating the bread and drinking from the cup, a person does not actually partake of Christ’s flesh and blood. Rather, it is an opportunity to obey a command of Christ and to recall his sacrifice for us, his presence with us and his certain return (1 Corinthians 11:24-28).” (https://www.baptistdistinctives.org/resources/articles/two-ordinances-baptism-and-the-lords-supper/)
  • Reformed/Calvinist: The body and blood of Christ is not physically present in the Sacrament, but Jesus is “spiritually present.” (Methodists, Presbyterians, Episcopalians)
    • “It is here declared, that thereby no Adoration is intended, or ought to be done, either unto the Sacramental Bread or Wine there bodily received, or unto any Corporal Presence of Christ’s natural Flesh and Blood. For the Sacramental Bread and Wine remain still in their very natural substances, and therefore may not be adored; ( for that were Idolatry, to be abhorred of all faithful Christians;) and the natural Body and Blood of our Saviour Christ are in Heaven, and not here; it being against the truth of Christ’s natural Body to be at one time in more places than one.” Book of Common Prayer (Official teaching of the Church of England and the Episcopalian Church.
  • The Eastern Orthodox: The bread and wine turn into Christ’s body and blood through a mystery and are a propitiatory Sacrifice.
    • “It is the only Sacrament offered by the Church in which the elements of bread and wine not only carry the Grace of God, as a mysterion, but are “changed” into and “are” the very Body and the very Blood of Christ, being a propitiatory sacrifice.” (https://www.goarch.org/-/the-fundamental-teachings-of-the-eastern-orthodox-church)
    • It is correct that the body and blood of Christ are truly present, but it is wrong that the bread and wine no longer are present and that this is a continued propitiatory sacrifice. Jesus suffered once and for all on the cross.
  • The Roman Catholic Church: Transubstantiation: “through the consecration of the bread and the wine there occurs the change of the entire substance of the bread into the substance of the Body of Christ, and the entire substance of the wine into the Blood of Christ – even though the appearance or ‘species’ of bread and wine remain.” Catechism of the Catholic Church, 902.
    • This is wrong, because they say that the bread and wine are no longer present, but they are. The greater error is that they believe that the Lord’s Supper is a continuation of the propitiatory sacrifice of Christ. See 1367, 1368, 1371 in CCC.
  • Lutheran View: It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and to drink.” We leave this a mystery how this can be. This is not a continued sacrifice, but God feeding us what Christ earned for us on the cross.

• Although Lutherans disagree with the Roman Catholics on transubstantiation, that is not the main disagreement between the Lutherans and the Roman Catholics concerning the Sacrament. That has to do with the benefits of the Lord’s Supper, which I will cover in the next episode. Regarding what the Sacrament actually is, the main opponent of the Lutheran view is the Sacramentarians, both the crude (Baptists, Anabaptists, and Pentecostals) and the subtle (Reformed, Episcopalians, Methodists, etc). To understand this controversy and what Lutherans teach from the Bible against it, we turn to The Formula of Concord: Solid Declaration VII: The Lord’s Supper.
  • “Some Sacramentarians strive to use words that come as close as possible to the Augsburg Confession and the form and way of speech in our churches. They confess that in the Holy Supper Christ’s body is truly received by believers. Still, when we insist that they state their meaning precisely, sincerely, and clearly, they all say this in unison: Christ’s true essential body and blood is absent from the consecrated bread and wine in the Holy Supper as far as the highest heaven is from the earth. For there own words state this, ‘We say that Christ’s body and blood are as far from the signs as the earth is distant from the highest heaven.’ Therefore, they understand this presence of Christ’s body not as a presence here on earth, but only with respect to faith. In other words, our faith is reminded and excited by the visible signs, just as it is by the Word preached. It elevates itself and ascends above all heavens. It receives and enjoys Christ’s body, which is present there in heaven. Yes, they say they receive Christ Himself, together with all His benefits, in a true and essential way, but nevertheless only in a spiritual way. For they hold that as the bread and wine are here on earth and not in heaven, so Christ’s body is now in heaven and not on earth. So nothing else is received by the mouth in the Holy Supper than bread and wine.” 1-3.
  • In contrast to this, the Augsburg Confession X states, “That the body and blood of Christ are truly present and distributed to those who eat the Lord’s Supper.”
  • Lutherans do not believe in transubstantiation or consubstantiation.
    • Quote from Martin Luther in the Formula, “They confess, according to the words of Irenaeus, that in this Sacrament there are two things, a heavenly and an earthly. So they hold and teach that with the bread and wine the body and blood of Christ are truly and essentially present, offered, and received. They do not believe in transubstantiation (i.e., an essential transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ). Nor do they hold that the body and blood of Christ are included in the bread locally [localiter] (i.e., otherwise permanently united with the bread and wine even after the use of the Sacrament) [This is called consubstantiation, which Lutherans are accused of and deny. Lutherans call this Capernaitic eating, because it implies that Christ’s body and blood are rent asunder by the teeth.] Yet, they concede that through the sacramental union the bread is the body of Christ, and such. For apart from the uses, when the bread is laid aside and preserved in the sacramental vessel <the pyx>, or is carried about in the procession and exhibited, as is done in popery, they do not hold that the body of Christ is present.
      Second, they hold that the institution of this Sacrament made by Christ is effective in Christendom, and that it does not depend on the worthiness of the minister who offers the Sacrament, or of the one who receives it. Since St. Paul says even the unworthy partake of the Sacrament, they hold that the body and blood of Christ are also truly offered to the unworthy, and the unworthy truly receive them. This happens if the institution and command of the Lord Christ are observed. But such persons receive them to condemnation, as St. Paul says. For they misuse the holy Sacrament, because they receive it without true repentance and without faith. For it was instituted for this purpose, that it might testify that the grace and benefits of Christ are here applied to those who truly repent and comfort themselves by faith in Christ they are incorporated into Christ and are washed by His blood.” 14-16.
    • Recap: Lutherans believe that in the Lord’s Supper, both the body and blood of Christ as well as the bread and wine are consumed. We do not teach transubstantiation, which teaches that the bread and wine cease to exist, or consubstantiation, which teaches that the bread and wine share one substance with Jesus’ body and blood, so that His body and blood are destroyed in the eating or are present outside of the use. Not the worthiness of the minister nor the worthiness of the communicant makes the Sacrament a Sacrament, but rather the words and institution of Christ Jesus.
      • “However, this is not in a crude, carnal, Capernaitic way, but in a supernatural way, beyond understanding.” SD VII 64-65.
      • “When Dr. Luther or we use the word spiritual in this matter, we understand this: the spiritual, supernatural, heavenly way that Christ is present in the Holy Supper. … By this use, we reject the Capernaitic [consubstantiation] thoughts of the crude and fleshly presence that is attributed to and forced on our churches by the Sacramentarians against our many public protests. This is how we want the word spiritually to be understood when we say that in the Holy Supper Christ’s body and blood are spiritually received, eaten, and drunk. Even though this participation happens with the mouth, the way it happens is spiritual.” SD VII 105.
    • This is why Luther writes in the Smalcald Articles III VI 1, “The bread and wine in the Supper are Christ’s true body and blood. These are given and received not only by the godly but also by wicked Christians. (1 Cor. 11:29-30)” And in the Large Catechism, “It is the Word, I say, that makes and sets this Sacrament apart. So it is not mere bread and wine, but is, and is called, Christ’s body and blood (1 Cor. 11:23-27) (LC V 10).
    • Luther further writes in the Large Catechism (V 12-19): With this Word you can strengthen your conscience and say, “If a hundred thousand devils, together with all fanatics, should rush forward, crying, ‘How can bread and wine be Christ’s body and blood?’ and such, I know that all spirits and scholars together are not as wise as is the Divine Majesty in His little finger” [see 1 Cor. 1:25]. Now here stands Christ’s Word, “Take, eat; this is My body. … Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood of the new testament,” and so on. Here we stop to watch those who will call themselves His masters and make the matter different from what He has spoken.
      • This is we sing in that great Lord’s Supper hymn, “Yet, Savior, You are not confined to any habitation; But You are present even now Here with Your congregation. Firm as a rock this truth shall stand, Unmoved by any daring hand Or subtle craft and cunning.” Samuel Kinner, tr. Emanuel Cronenwett, LSB 622:3, “Lord Jesus Christ, You Have Prepared.”
• However, Lutherans teach that if one changes the words or their meaning, the Sacrament is no longer the Sacrament “It is true, indeed, that if you take away the Word or regard the Sacrament without the words, you have nothing but mere bread and wine. But if the words remain with them, as they shall and must, then, by virtue of the words, it is truly Christ’s body and blood.” Large Catechism V) This is why Lutherans deny that the Baptists, Pentecostals, Reformed, etc have the Sacrament.
  • Likewise, Luther also wrote, as is quoted in the Formula, “In the same way I also say and confess that in the sacrament of the altar the true body and blood of Christ are orally eaten and drunk in the bread and wine, even if the priests who distribute them or those who receive them do not believe or otherwise misuse the sacrament. It does not rest on man’s belief or unbelief but on the Word and ordinance of God—unless they first change God’s Word and ordinance and misinterpret them, as the enemies of the sacrament do at the present time. They, indeed, have only bread and wine, for they do not also have the words and instituted ordinance of God but have perverted and changed it according to their own imagination. [LW 37:367] (Solid Declaration VII 32.)
  • The Formula also quotes Justin Martyr (100-165 AD), “This we receive not as common bread and common drink. We receive them as Jesus Christ, our Savior, who through the Word of God became flesh. For the sake of our salvation He also had flesh and blood. So we believe that the food blessed by Him through the Word and prayer is the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
• The Formula distinguishes between two types of eating Christ’s body and blood, the spiritual and the oral. The one is done by faith, the other with the mouth. The eating with the mouth is not beneficial without the eating by faith. The Sacramentarians teach that Christ’s body and blood are only eaten spiritually. This will be discussed more in the next episode on the benefits of eating the Sacrament.
• How is Christ’s body present in the Supper if He is at the right hand of God? The Formula explains by quoting Martin Luther:
  • First is this article of faith, that Jesus Christ is essential, natural, true, complete God and man in one person, undivided and inseparable.
  • The second, that the right hand of God is everywhere.
  • The third, that the Word of God is not false or deceitful.
  • The fourth, that God has and knows various ways to be present at a certain place, not only the single one of which the fanatics prattle, which the philosophers call “local.” [LW 37:214] (SD VII 94-97)
• Because Jesus is not just any man, but is in fact God in the flesh, the Formula quotes Luther in explaining how Christ is able to be bodily present in more ways than an ordinary man can.
  • “Thus the one body of Christ has a threefold existence, or all three modes of being at a given place. First, the circumcscribed corporeal mode of presence as when He walked bodily on earth, when He occupied and yielded space according to His size. He can still employ this mode of presence when He wills to do, as He did after His resurrection and He will do on the Last Day, as Paul says in 1 Timothy [6:15], ‘Whom the blessed God will reveal,’… Secondly, the uncircumscribed, spiritual mode of presence according to which He neither occupies nor yields space but passes through everything created as He wills. [He then gives a crude example of light and heat not taking up space, but being present] He left the closed grave and came through closed doors, in the bread and wine in the Supper, and as people believe, when He was born in His mother. Thirdly, since He is one person with God, the divine, heavenly mode, according to which all created things are indeed much more permeable and present to Him than they are according to the second mode. … For He is one indivisible person with God, and where God is, He must be also, otherwise our faith is false.” SD VII 99-101
• Some may claim that this is getting too philosophical. However, this is what Scripture teaches. Ephesians 4:10, “He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.)” and Matthew 19:26, “with God all things are possible.” And Ephesians 3:20, “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,” This is why Luther states, “But how this happens, we do not know; it transcends nature and reason, even the comprehension of all the angels in heaven.” SD VII:102

Conclusion

The Bible teaches that that Lord’s Supper is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, although the bread and wine are still present. Jesus Christ, who is God, instituted this Sacrament, so we should believe that this is true and possible for Him. The body and blood of Christ are present despite the unworthiness or unbelief of the minister or communicant; however, if the words are changed or the meaning is changed, then it is just bread and wine. We do not believe that Christ’s body and blood become one substance with the bread and wine (consubstantiation) so that the body and blood are destroyed by the teeth (Capernaitic eating), but that Christ is able to be present in a special mode, so that His body and blood are not damaged, but are truly present.