Do you view Holy Communion as Literal or Symbolic?

  • Christian Chat is a moderated online Christian community allowing Christians around the world to fellowship with each other in real time chat via webcam, voice, and text, with the Christian Chat app. You can also start or participate in a Bible-based discussion here in the Christian Chat Forums, where members can also share with each other their own videos, pictures, or favorite Christian music.

    If you are a Christian and need encouragement and fellowship, we're here for you! If you are not a Christian but interested in knowing more about Jesus our Lord, you're also welcome! Want to know what the Bible says, and how you can apply it to your life? Join us!

    To make new Christian friends now around the world, click here to join Christian Chat.
XavierJesusLovesIndia

XavierJesusLovesIndia

Banned
#1
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
#1
In the Gospel, the Lord says, we will live by Him if we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Later on, when instituting Holy Communion at the Last Supper, He said, "This is My Body" and "For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt 26:28). Literal? Symbolic?

Here is the Bread of Life Discourse in John Ch. 6: "

48 I am that bread of life.

49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."
 
crossnote

crossnote

Senior Member
#4
Nov 24, 2012
30,742
3,670
113
#4
I've been in the middle of Church splits over this issue. Let each read/listen to the words spoken and decide.
 
XavierJesusLovesIndia

XavierJesusLovesIndia

Banned
#5
Nov 26, 2021
1,125
545
113
India
#5
1 Cor 10 seems to indicate it is literal. When we eat of the Bread which is blessed, we have Communion with the Body of Christ. When we drink of the Cup of Blessing that we bless, it is Communion with the Blood of Christ. We should see it as a Consolation from God imo. It strengthens us to know the Blood of Christ did not only wash us from our sins in the beginning when we are born again, it also continually sanctifies us whenever we receive that Precious Blood again in Holy Communion. In that way, we love God more and more.

1 Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?"

1 Corinthians 11 also has a passage which speaks against treating Holy Communion lightly. I will quote that later on. God Bless, All.
 
P

pottersclay

Guest
#6
#6
Symbolic.
In fact its very misunderstood what was happening on passover night.
 
R

Runningman

Banned
#7
Mar 4, 2020
8,614
3,691
113
#7
XavierJesusLovesIndia said:
In the Gospel, the Lord says, we will live by Him if we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Later on, when instituting Holy Communion at the Last Supper, He said, "This is My Body" and "For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt 26:28). Literal? Symbolic?

Here is the Bread of Life Discourse in John Ch. 6: "

48 I am that bread of life.

49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."
Click to expand...
Communion is literally a memorial service to Jesus. "Do this in remembrance of me." What you would do in remembrance of Jesus is eat bread and drink "fruit of the vine" like Luke 22:14-23 says. Whether or not you believe it transforms into literal flesh and blood is between you and God, but I don't see it as a problem to think that since the Bible supports it. I find it unreasonable, though, because it can be proven that the bread and fruit of the vine didn't transform into human flesh after consumption. Therefore it's most certainly symbolic.
 
Aerials1978

Aerials1978

Well-known member
#9
Dec 10, 2019
1,707
987
113
#9
Transubstantiation? Nowhere does scripture indicate that.
 
ResidentAlien

ResidentAlien

Well-known member
#10
Apr 21, 2021
8,236
3,576
113
#10
XavierJesusLovesIndia said:
1 Cor 10 seems to indicate it is literal. When we eat of the Bread which is blessed, we have Communion with the Body of Christ. When we drink of the Cup of Blessing that we bless, it is Communion with the Blood of Christ. We should see it as a Consolation from God imo. It strengthens us to know the Blood of Christ did not only wash us from our sins in the beginning when we are born again, it also continually sanctifies us whenever we receive that Precious Blood again in Holy Communion. In that way, we love God more and more.

1 Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?"

1 Corinthians 11 also has a passage which speaks against treating Holy Communion lightly. I will quote that later on. God Bless, All.
Click to expand...
Look closer at what 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 is saying: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Because we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake from the one bread."

The communion is with one another in the Spirit, not the literal body and blood.
 
A

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
#11
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
778
113
#11
Literal or symbolic, a very important question indeed. For the first 16 centuries after Christ's ascension all Christian Churches, to include the Reformed Protestant Churches, took the Gospel teachings on Holy Communion literally. It's only in the last 500 years that many churches have moved to the 'symbolic' Holy Communion. For the first 1600 years it was never questioned. So did the Churches get it wrong for 1600 years? If so, how can the churches be trusted with anything today?
 
A

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
#12
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
778
113
#12
arthurfleminger said:
Literal or symbolic, a very important question indeed. For the first 16 centuries after Christ's ascension all Christian Churches, to include the Reformed Protestant Churches, took the Gospel teachings on Holy Communion literally. It's only in the last 500 years that many churches have moved to the 'symbolic' Holy Communion. For the first 1600 years it was never questioned. So did the Churches get it wrong for 1600 years? If so, how can the churches be trusted with anything today?
Click to expand...
And many Churches today take Holy Communion literally as receiving Christ Himself.
 
Aerials1978

Aerials1978

Well-known member
#13
Dec 10, 2019
1,707
987
113
#13
arthurfleminger said:
Literal or symbolic, a very important question indeed. For the first 16 centuries after Christ's ascension all Christian Churches, to include the Reformed Protestant Churches, took the Gospel teachings on Holy Communion literally. It's only in the last 500 years that many churches have moved to the 'symbolic' Holy Communion. For the first 1600 years it was never questioned. So did the Churches get it wrong for 1600 years? If so, how can the churches be trusted with anything today?
Click to expand...
Jesus and his disciples where 2nd temple period Jews. To believe literal blood and flesh(Both human) could be consumed is completely against the Levitical mandates. Yes, churches ave gotten a lot wrong over the centuries. God knows man takes what He says and gives and pollutes it. That’s why He gave us scripture. When I take communion, I remember what a wretched man I am and He who took the Fathers wrath in my place.
 
A

arthurfleminger

Well-known member
#14
Aug 18, 2021
1,405
778
113
#14
Aerials1978 said:
Jesus and his disciples where 2nd temple period Jews. To believe literal blood and flesh(Both human) could be consumed is completely against the Levitical mandates. Yes, churches ave gotten a lot wrong over the centuries. God knows man takes what He says and gives and pollutes it. That’s why He gave us scripture. When I take communion, I remember what a wretched man I am and He who took the Fathers wrath in my place.
Click to expand...
You do realize that with Jesus came the New Covenant. You cite the teachings of the Old Covenant Levites. In fact, at the Last Supper, Jesus instuted His New Covenant at the Last Supper.

So, you can stick with the Levites and the Old Covenant or move to Jesus New Covenant.
 
Dino246

Dino246

Senior Member
#15
Jun 30, 2015
25,369
13,730
113
#15
arthurfleminger said:
So did the Churches get it wrong for 1600 years? If so, how can the churches be trusted with anything today?
Click to expand...
Were your parents wrong about anything? Yes. Should you therefore reject everything they taught you? No. You are an adult, and you have the responsibility to examine what they taught you to find the truth.

So it is with Church teachings: you have the responsibility to compare them with Scripture and see if they are true... and if not, toss them.
 
JaumeJ

JaumeJ

Senior Member
#16
Jul 2, 2011
21,412
6,698
113
#16
Even Jesus Yeshua said the wine is His Blood, and the Bread is His flesh, as He gave His disciples to partake of.

One more, the Blood of all creatures is considered wherein lies the life, and His Gospel, our Daily Bread. So even our Savior gave us the manner in which to partake of Him, with unleavened bread and wine.
 
JaumeJ

JaumeJ

Senior Member
#17
Jul 2, 2011
21,412
6,698
113
#17
Aside from the first mention of the New Covenant, Jer. 331:31-34, where is the mention of the New Covenant in the *man named( New Testament?

With all due acknowledgment, the blessing given to Abraham first of all, that is the Gospel, has been there for all who believe God ever since, albeit before our blessed Savior came to save us, most were blinded by the veil of Moses or simply knew nothing of the prophets, non Hebrews that is.
 
DavidTree

DavidTree

Banned
#18
Aug 2, 2021
7,317
2,048
113
#18
XavierJesusLovesIndia said:
In the Gospel, the Lord says, we will live by Him if we eat His Flesh and drink His Blood. Later on, when instituting Holy Communion at the Last Supper, He said, "This is My Body" and "For this is My blood of the New Covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matt 26:28). Literal? Symbolic?

Here is the Bread of Life Discourse in John Ch. 6: "

48 I am that bread of life.

49Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

52The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat?

53Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live for ever."
Click to expand...
i was born and raised and received my confirmation as a Roman Catholic.

What RCC claims as transubstantiation and practices with their Mass is idolatry.

This is the TRUE Communion of the Body of Christ = Acts
"
And every day they were steadfastly continuing with one accord in the temple and breaking bread at each house. They were partaking of food with gladness and sincerity of heart,"


Today , if you will hear His Voice...............
Today, i am Born-Again by the Eternal Spirit of God and washed clean in the Blood of the Lamb who died once and for all.
NEVER to suffer again and HE is Risen and Exalted to the Right Hand of God.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the High Priest and Chief Apostle of all who belong to Him - Amen
 
Magenta

Magenta

Senior Member
#19
Jul 3, 2015
59,815
29,195
113
#19
What is wine? Fruit of the vine. Who is the one true vine? Jesus said He was.

What is bread? Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life. He who comes
to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst."

And when they found Him on the other side of the sea, they said to Him,
“Rabbi, when did You come here?” Jesus answered them and said, “Most
assuredly, I say to you, you seek Me, not because you saw the signs, but
because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food
which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which
the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on
Him.' Then they said to Him, “What shall we do, that we may work the works
of God?” Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you
believe in Him whom He sent." Therefore they said to Him, “What sign will
You perform then, that we may see it and believe You? What work will You
do? Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them
bread from heaven to eat.’” Then Jesus said to them, "Most assuredly, I say
to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives
you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is He who
comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."
John 6:25-33

Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you
truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of
malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.
1 Corinthians 6:7-8
 
Aerials1978

Aerials1978

Well-known member
#20
Dec 10, 2019
1,707
987
113
#20
arthurfleminger said:
You do realize that with Jesus came the New Covenant. You cite the teachings of the Old Covenant Levites. In fact, at the Last Supper, Jesus instuted His New Covenant at the Last Supper.

So, you can stick with the Levites and the Old Covenant or move to Jesus New Covenant.
Click to expand...
The old covenant was a forerunner to the new. I think you’re missing the point I was making. At times Jesus spoke literal and at others allegorical. This is completely within the confines of what ancient Biblical writers used called Mashal. The last supper was an adage. Was Jesus literally a gate when He said “ I am the gate”?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.