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Preface |
3 |
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Table of Contents |
5 |
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Reprint Guidelines |
9 |
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References and Abbreviations |
10 |
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Introduction |
13 |
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What Is the Lord’s Supper? |
13 |
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When Did the Original Lord’s Supper Take Place? |
13 |
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What Kind of Bread Was Used? |
14 |
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What Kind of Wine Was Used? |
14 |
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How Is Christ Present in Communion? |
14 |
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Practices of the Lord’s Supper |
15 |
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1. My Body, My Blood – Literal or Figurative? |
17 |
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The Words of Institution |
17 |
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The Argument for a Literal Interpretation of the Words of Institution |
18 |
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The Argument for a Figurative Interpretation of the Words of Institution |
19 |
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The Body and Blood of the Lord |
20 |
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Not “Mere Symbols” |
21 |
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Actions on the Bread and Wine |
21 |
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Words of Sacrificial Offering |
22 |
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Verbs of Eating and Drinking |
23 |
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2. Remembering and Proclaiming Christ’s Death (Lk 22:19b; 1 Cor 11:23-26) |
25 |
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The Command to “Do This” Continually (Luke 22:19b) |
25 |
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Passover as a Memorial Feast |
26 |
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In Remembrance of Me |
28 |
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The Words of Institution in 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 |
28 |
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Proclaiming the Lord’s Death (1 Corinthians 11:26) |
29 |
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3. Being Sharers in the Sacrifice (1 Corinthians 10:16, 18) |
31 |
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Participation, Communion, Koin?nia (1 Corinthians 10:16) |
32 |
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Eating a Portion of the Sacrifice for Sin |
33 |
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Sharers in the Altar (1 Corinthians 10:18) |
33 |
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Sharers in the Cross |
34 |
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Communion |
34 |
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4. My Body Given for You (Luke 22:19b) |
36 |
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My Body which Is Broken for You (1 Corinthians 11:24b, KJV) |
36 |
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Jesus’ Body Given for You (Luke 22:19b) |
37 |
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Jesus’ Body as a Sacrifice |
37 |
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Paintings of Christ’s Body – Pietà and Lamentation |
39 |
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Jesus Gave Himself to Rescue and Ransom Us |
40 |
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He Voluntarily Laid Down His Life to Defend Us |
41 |
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5. My Blood Poured Out for Many (Matthew 26:28) |
44 |
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Blood Reserved for Atonement |
45 |
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Blood Sacrifices in the Old Testament |
45 |
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Sacrificing the Paschal Lamb |
46 |
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Poured Out |
47 |
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Poured Out for Many |
48 |
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Christ’s Blood in the New Testament |
48 |
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Depictions of the Blood of Christ |
50 |
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Songs about the Blood of Jesus |
50 |
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Poured Out for the Forgiveness of Sin |
51 |
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6. A New Covenant in My Blood (1 Corinthians 11:25) |
53 |
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Covenants in the Old Testament |
53 |
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Provisions of the Old Covenant |
54 |
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God’s Promise of a New Covenant |
55 |
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Provisions of the New Covenant |
56 |
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Confirmation of the Covenant at a Meal |
57 |
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The Lord’s Supper as Confirming the Covenant |
58 |
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The Meal as Giving and Receiving Hospitality |
58 |
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Invitation to the Covenant |
59 |
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7. The Cup of Blessing and the One Loaf (1 Corinthians 10:16-17) |
61 |
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The Cup of Blessing |
61 |
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We Partake of the One Loaf (1 Corinthians 10:17) |
64 |
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Bread Making in Ancient Times |
64 |
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The One Loaf as a Symbol of Unity |
65 |
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It’s Me, O Lord |
66 |
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The Scandal of Christian Divisions |
66 |
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8. Eating His Flesh, Drinking His Blood (John 6:53-57) |
70 |
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Context, Themes, and Parables |
70 |
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1. Jesus, the True Manna (6:27-34) |
71 |
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2. Jesus, the Bread of Life (6:35-51) |
72 |
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Flesh Given for the Life of the World (6:51b) |
73 |
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3. Partaking of the Son of Man (6:52-59) |
74 |
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Arguments for Taking the Passage Literally of the Eucharist |
75 |
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What Does Jesus Mean about Eating His Flesh, Drinking His Blood? |
75 |
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4. Reactions to the Teaching (6:60-71) |
76 |
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The Spirit Gives Life, the Flesh Counts for Nothing (6:63) |
77 |
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The Bread of Life Passage and the Lord’s Supper |
78 |
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9. The Lord’s Supper and the Great Banquet (Luke 22:16, 18; Matthew 26:29) |
80 |
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Jewish Expectation of the Great Feast |
80 |
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Jesus’ Teaching on the Great Banquet |
81 |
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The Marriage Supper of the Lamb |
83 |
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The Lord’s Supper Looks Forward to the Great Banquet |
83 |
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The Promise of Future Fellowship |
84 |
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The Lord’s Supper as a Promise of the Future |
84 |
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We Shall See His Face |
85 |
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10. Preparing Ourselves for the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11: 27-34) |
86 |
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Divisions between the Rich and Poor in Corinth (11:17-22) |
86 |
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Not Discerning the Body (11:29) |
88 |
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Sinning against the Body and Blood of the Lord (1 Corinthians 11:27) |
89 |
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Incurring Judgment and Discipline (1 Corinthians 11:29-32) |
90 |
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Self-Examination (1 Corinthians 11:28, 31) |
91 |
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Confession and Repentance |
92 |
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How to Prepare for Communion |
94 |
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Appendix 1: A Brief Glossary of the Lord’s Supper |
96 |
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Words for the Lord’s Supper |
96 |
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Nouns Used to Refer to the Lord’s Supper |
98 |
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The Presence of Christ in the Sacrament |
98 |
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Celebrate, Perform, Partake |
99 |
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Appendix 2: A Brief History of the Doctrine of the Real Presence and Transubstantiation |
100 |
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The Early Church Fathers |
101 |
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Symbolic Vocabulary |
101 |
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An Open Controversy |
102 |
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The Reformers on the Real Presence |
103 |
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Appendix 3: Songs, Choruses, and Hymns for Communion |
104 |
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Newer Communion Songs |
104 |
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Older Communion Hymns |
106 |
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Appendix 4: Introduction to Textual Criticism |
109 |
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Types of Copying Errors |
109 |
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Autographs and Manuscript Families |
110 |
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External Evidence: The “Earliest” Manuscripts |
111 |
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Internal Evidence: Four Guidelines in Textual Criticism |
112 |
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Does It Make Any Difference? |
113 |
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Can We Believe the Bible? |
114 |
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Appendix 5: Handouts for Classes and Groups |
115 |
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1. My Body, My Blood – Literal or Figurative? |
116 |
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Brief Glossary of the Lord’s Supper |
120 |
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2. Remembering and Proclaiming Christ’s Death (Luke 22:19b; 1 Cor. 11:23-26) |
124 |
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3. Being Sharers in the Sacrifice (1 Corinthians 10:16, 18) |
126 |
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4. My Body Given for You (Luke 22:19b) |
128 |
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5. My Blood Poured Out for Many (Matthew 26:28) |
130 |
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6. A New Covenant in My Blood (1 Corinthians 11:25) |
132 |
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7. The Cup of Blessing and the One Loaf (1 Corinthians 10:16-17) |
134 |
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8. Eating His Flesh, Drinking His Blood (John 6:53-57) |
135 |
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9. The Lord’s Supper and the Great Banquet (Luke 22:16, 18; Matthew 26:29) |
139 |
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10. Preparing Ourselves for the Lord’s Supper (1 Corinthians 11: 27-34) |
141 |