Expert: Pastor Don Carpenter - 10/12/2007

Question
QUESTION: Why do Baptist's believe that in Communion we are receiving Christ's  SYMBOLIC body and blood?  Please spare no detail, I want to know all that you have on this subject. It is a sticking point in my marriage and we really need to understand why that Baptist's/Reformed believe this way.  Also please comment on why we stray from the words "This is my body" it looks literal to me. What does the Greek say actually say? Please back it up if you can. Its alot but I need answers and am hard pressed to find any. I have read many books but to no avail.

ANSWER: Hi Nate,

Thank you for this great question.  I have several reasons why I believe that this is not the literal flesh and blood of the Savior in some kind of a cannibalistic pagan ritual:

1.  The OT law strictly forbids consuming blood of any kind, let alone human flesh and blood.

Lev 17:12  Therefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that sojourneth among you eat blood.
Lev 17:13  And whatsoever man there be of the children of Israel, or of the strangers that sojourn among you, which hunteth and catcheth any beast or fowl that may be eaten; he shall even pour out the blood thereof, and cover it with dust.

Lev 17:14  For it is the life of all flesh; the blood of it is for the life thereof: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall eat the blood of no manner of flesh: for the life of all flesh is the blood thereof: whosoever eateth it shall be cut off.


2.  Simple literary construction tells us that a metaphor could exist by saying this IS my Body, and a simile would be this is LIKE my body.  Both could be symbolic.  The Greek is the same as the English.  We find it to be symbolic when we compare it with other scripture.

3.  At the last supper when he said this IS my Body which IS broken for you, it could not be his literal body because it was not YET broken!  He did not say WILL BE broken.

4.  Roman Catholics teach that the Mass shows that Jesus is giving a perpetual sacrifice.  If every time the Mass is celebrated, then the Blood flows again.  Notice how many times that God says that the crucifixion was a one time event!  Notice how it is contrasted with the Old Testament Priestly ritual that was repeated over and over.

Heb 9:6  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.
Heb 9:7  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:


Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Look how many times the word ONCE was used!  One more verse:

Heb 10:10  By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

5.  Roman Catholicism exists because they have added pagan practices to true Christianity.  They tried to assimilate the world's religions and make their traditions "Christian".  The idea that one could become cleansed by drinking blood or eating flesh is right from old fashioned paganism. When you take scripture as a whole, rather than a few selected verses, then you realize that Jesus could not have meant that His sacrifice would be required over and over as the Mass tradition suggests.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: One last question for you. In John 6 Jesus gives the sermon about him being the Bread of Life does this passage relate to the Communion texts of Matthew, Mark and Luke? Or are they two separate teachings?

Answer
Hello again!

Thank you for this follow up.  I believe that John 6 is a seperate teaching from the Lord's Supper.  The eating in John 6 is belief, not a literal consumption of flesh. Much like belief being linked with drinking everlasting water in John 4.

I hope that this helps you.

In Christ
Pastor Don