Someone recently commented that it was patently unsatisfying to reduce the Lord's supper to a little wafer and a half-swallow of juice - that we were meant to celebrate Him and that it should be so much more than that. It should be a feast.
I must admit that I never saw it along those lines before, because it was the symbolism that always got me, not the amount or tastelessness of the bread. (Okay, those wafers really taste awful.)
But my friend had a point. Sometimes we do things a certain way just because it's always been done that way. There isn't any good reason for it. When Jesus first instituted the Lord's supper, as we call it, He didn't give them a little bite. He told twelve men to share the "loaf" among themselves - yes, Judas hadn't left yet. I put "loaf" in quotation marks because of course this was the Passover and all that was available was unleavened bread...matzoh.
I personally believe the "loaf" He used was the middle one - the one the Jewish people saved aside during the Passover meal and put between two layers of cloth (unknowingly symbolizing the second person of the Trinity going into the ground). It was kept sacrosanct, uneaten - nobody knew its purpose. And He married another Jewish ceremony into the mix to highlight the reason why He would soon die for them : a betrothal ceremony - see my post "It's Just like Jesus" (click here for the link).
What He wanted when He instituted communion was one thing only: "Remember Me." In other words, always be grateful: never forget what I'm about to do for each of you, the price I'm going to pay for you, the lengths to which I will go in order to have an intimate, personal relationship with you. Remember that - often. Remember Me - together. Don't let your remembering turn into a dead ritual. Keep it alive. Don't "observe communion." Behold the Lamb of God.
I must admit that I never saw it along those lines before, because it was the symbolism that always got me, not the amount or tastelessness of the bread. (Okay, those wafers really taste awful.)
But my friend had a point. Sometimes we do things a certain way just because it's always been done that way. There isn't any good reason for it. When Jesus first instituted the Lord's supper, as we call it, He didn't give them a little bite. He told twelve men to share the "loaf" among themselves - yes, Judas hadn't left yet. I put "loaf" in quotation marks because of course this was the Passover and all that was available was unleavened bread...matzoh.
I personally believe the "loaf" He used was the middle one - the one the Jewish people saved aside during the Passover meal and put between two layers of cloth (unknowingly symbolizing the second person of the Trinity going into the ground). It was kept sacrosanct, uneaten - nobody knew its purpose. And He married another Jewish ceremony into the mix to highlight the reason why He would soon die for them : a betrothal ceremony - see my post "It's Just like Jesus" (click here for the link).
What He wanted when He instituted communion was one thing only: "Remember Me." In other words, always be grateful: never forget what I'm about to do for each of you, the price I'm going to pay for you, the lengths to which I will go in order to have an intimate, personal relationship with you. Remember that - often. Remember Me - together. Don't let your remembering turn into a dead ritual. Keep it alive. Don't "observe communion." Behold the Lamb of God.
Now YOU have ME thinking... I didn't realize the significance of the meal or the bread on the table.
ReplyDeleteGreat thoughts Judy! Thanks :)