# LCMS Convention Workbook_St. Louis Missouri_1983_S344 # Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration) 344 THEOLOGICAL DOCUMENTS househoid and its blood sprinkled upon the doorpost. When the angel saw the blood, he wouid “pass over.” This blood of the lamb redeemed the |ife of the firstborn even as it was a part of that action by which God led the children of Israel to freedom This great deliverance of the past was to point Israei to that future deliverance which would be won by the Lamb of God—the Mes- sian ils 53.1 Cor. 5.7) Jesus’ selection of the Passover. therefore. clothes the institution of the Lord's Supper with israel’s history In fact. as Crrist now cistributes His own body and blood. God's redemptive purpose in Israel achieves Its fulfillment and goal. The blood of the New Testament (Matt. 26:28. Jer 31:31: 1 Cor. 11 25) now replaces that of the Old (Ex. 24:8). Christ's sacrifice on Goigotha for the sins of all people is the final and complete sacrifice (Heb 8—10) Through His death for sin. ali people may now be free from sin’s curse and may live for God (Rom. 2—3)* C. The Testimony of Holy Scripture |. The Reai Presence The clear claim of Christ in Holy Scripture is that His true body and blood are truly present and distributed to those wno eat * Atl four Scrip- tural accounts {Matt 26:26-29: Mark 14:22-25: Luke 2215-20: 1 Cor. Ex 122-13 Tne Lutheran fatners were confident trat tne Sacraments were present in pretigured form in tne Ole Testament Martin Cnemnitz writes ‘God ir all ages of tme world by giving a certain Wore reveaied His wil: concerning the mystery of redemption to the "uman race concerning Ine gratuitous "econciliation and acceptance 9! pelievers to ite eternal tnrough tath because of the sacrifice of His Son as Mediator he a:$0 added to tre Word by His own divine institution. certain external signs. Dy which 10 seal and confirm more ciearly the promise of righteousness Dy faith The institution and use of Sacraments ac not therefore first begin in tne time of tne New Testament Dut the tatners in tne time of t"e Old Testamert even betore tne duplication of the Law Nad their certain signs or Sacraments divinely instituted for this use which were the seals of the ngnteousness cf fats Rom 4 But thougn *t 1s the same God the same Meciator the same grace. righteousness promise faitn satvation. etc yet those external signs or seals are sometimes changed for others, sudstitutec in tnerr place Dy Giv.ne institution so that the mode of reveia":on was Constantly rendered more clear which at first was like a :amp shining 9 a dark place atterwaras tne Morning star succeeded until at length the night be.ng gas! tne Sun of righteousness arose 9 Examination of tre Counci of Trent Yor frst Topic Sector || par 1 quoted nm Schmia Tre Doctnai Theology of the Evange-cai Lutheran Church (Minneapolis Augsburg Pubiish:ng House. 1961" p 536 cf Craries P Krautrs Tne Passover Is a Type of tne Supper in The Conservative Reformanon and ‘ts Theciogy |Minneape’s Augsburg Pup'sning House ‘963; pp §92—97 * Even those scrolars of critica: persuasion fing overwrelming evidence ‘or this Passover setting Forexampie Joact»m Jeremias wriies The ‘oureen opservahons that rave beer made above concerr not only the framework Of the narrative Dut also its substance It cannot pe saic therefore tnat only later embei.isnment nas mace the Last Supper a passover mea! It is much more tne case that the passover cnaracter of tne last mea of Jesus '$ sa" MOus-y suDPOMeEC The Eucnar sic Words of Jesus ‘Lcrcor SCM Press *964° pp 6'—62: Tre aoctrne of re Rea! Presence -s succinctly confessed in Arce X of tne ALgsp.'g Contess.or In the words of institution Jesus openly asserts that His blood is being “poured out” (Matt. 26:28. Mark 14:24: Luke 22:20) and that His body 1s being “given” (Luke 22:19). Both terms underscore the sacrificial nature of His death Further. the words of institution contain the impor- tant reference ‘for many” (Matt 26:28: Mark 14:24) or “for you” [Luke 22 19) Jesus now presents His body and blood in bread and wine as the means of divine grace “for the forgiveness of sins’ (Matt. 26:28). With His body and blood in the Sacrament. He thereby bestows all the blessings and benefits of the Atonement (Heb. 9 14-16) 3. The Lord's Second Coming Jesus clearly states the significance of the Lord’s Supper for His return in glory !n Matthew we read: “I tell you | shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when ! drink it new with you In my Father's kingdom’ ‘Matt. 26:29: cf Mark 14:25) St. Paul also links the institution of the Lord's Supper with the second coming of Christ: “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup. you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26). Thus the communicant confesses or “proclaims” confident faith in the Lord's promised return when he partakes of the Lord's Supper 4. The Church The Lord's Supper 's a corporate meal. Jesus used plural verbs and pronouns as He spoke to the disciples in the upper room (Matt. 2626-29 and parallels). St Pau! wrote to the whole church at Corinth when he learned of abuses in the celebration of the Lord's Supper * Thus there is both a vertical and a horizontal dimension to proper preparation for the Lord's Supper. Each communicant must examine himself before God (1 Cor. 11:28) and must also conduct himself in a Christian manner over against his fellow Christians (1 Cor. 11:17 ff}. To partake of tne Lord's Supper with malice toward a fellow communicant is sinful (Matt 5 23- 24). To commune without faith tn Christ's promise is to eat and drink judgment upon oneself (1 Cor. 11:29).* The Lutheran Confessions underscore the corporate nature of Holy Communion when they address the question of private self-communion - * Cor 1* 27-34 The public nature of the Sacrament ana also the impications of doctrinal contession are stressed by the Lutheran Contessions exegesis of Cor 11 2610 Ap IV 210 and Ap XXIV 35 + Martin Fraszmann in comment.ng on in an unworthy manner’ it Cor 1127) aptiy comosnes tnese two dimensions when he writes As 29 makes plain tne unworthy ness les In NOt d scerning the Dody in its sanctity and significance for man eating and aching as if the present Lord were not present but nad failed to keep His promise asif His redemptive death did not signify. as if His Drink of it all of you did not bind all His ascipies together “Concordia Gibie with Notes {St Louis Concordia Pubnshing House 1971) o 310! 11:23-26) assert: “This is my body.” “This ts my blood of the covenant {Matthew and Mark). “This cup is the new covenant in my blood” {Luke and Paul) * Scriptural passages other than the words of institution fortnightly teach the Rea! Presence. St.Paul writes in | Cor. 10:16. “The cup of blessing which we biess. 1s it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break. !s it not a participation in the body of Christ?” Or. again. in * Cor. 11:27: “Whoever, therefore. eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. A Biblical view of the Real Presence rejects two aberrations. On the one hand. it 1s wrong to reject Christ's clear words simply because our fallen human reason cannot fully understand how it comes to pass. Any effort to make the “This is” something less than a clear word. as Re- formed theology does by denying the rea! presence of the body and blood of Christ on earth, is a departure from Christ's words. On the other hand. it is also fruitless to engage in theories about how the body and biood are present in, with, and under the bread and wine. A dogma such as transubstantiation, as generally taught by Roman Catholicism. 1s not set forth by Scripture 2. The Atonement The institution of the Lord's Supper is based on Cnrist’s atonement By His work of atonement the Lord sacrificed Himself for the sins of all peopie. This action was completed in its entirety when our Lord uttered the words “It is finished’ * One stucy stands out in tne seconaary literature. namely Hermann Sasse s This to My Body “Minneapolis Augsburg Publishing House 1959! passim Commenting or Lutners confession of the Real Presence, Sasse writes Mis belief in the Reai Presence rests solely on the words of Christ It was Not stubbornness that moved Luther to retain the words This is my body in their literal sense It was simply reverence for Him who spoke these words and ne‘trer gave nor commancec to give another expianation +p 107) Otner studies which convincingly demonstrate Lutneranism’s reliance upon tne verba of Cnnst nctude Martin Cnemnitz Examination of the Counc of Trent—Part i! trans frec Kramer iSt Louis Concordia Publishing House. 1978: ap 217-548 Martin Chemnitz The Lords Supper trans J A O Preus 'St Lous Concordia Publishing House 1979: passim Werner Elert The Lords Supper Today. trans M Bertram ano A Norden Stlous Concordia Pupishing House 1973 pp S5—43 Werner Elert The Structure of Lutneranism trans Walter A Hanser St Lous Concordia Publishing House 1963) pp 300—21 Holster Fagerberg A New 00k a! the Lutneran Confessions trans Gene J Lund (St Louis Concordia Pupiishing House 1972, pp *84--205 Charles P Krautn The Conservative Reformation and its Theciogy Minneapors Augsburg Publishing House. 1963) pp 585—830 Jonn 1930 The Greek grammars appropriately stress tne perfect tense of rete/es- ta. Cf. forexampie.C 0 F Mouie. An idiom Boox 0’ New Testamect Greek 2nd ec «Cambnage University Press. 1968: p *6 ang Nige Turner A Grammar of New Testa- ment Greek. Voiume lil-Syntax James Hope Moulton ed ‘Edinburgh T & T Clark 1963) pp 81—89 for a tnorough ciscussion of tne perfect anc ts ‘orce in the New Testamert perioc Somebody may seek to justify himself by saying that ne wishes to communicate himself tor the sake of his own devotion This is not honest for if he really desires to commune ne can do so most fittingly and properly in the sacrament administered according to Christ's insti- tution To commune by himself is uncerta.n and unnecessary and he does not know what ne 1s doing because ne foliows a false human opinion and imagination without the sanction of Gods Word Norisit right seven if everything else is in order) for anyone to use the sacra- ment. which 1s the common possession of the church, to meet ns Own private need and thus trifle with it according to his Own pleasure apart from the feliowship of the church (SA Ii, 8-9) 5. The Scriptures Christ's Word is authoritative for His church (Eph. 219-20). The Lord's instruction to celebrate Holy Communion. as well as the Words of tnstitution, are communicated to us in Holy Scripture. Indeed. our Lord chooses to speak to us concerning Himself, the Holy Supper, and the whole counse! of God not directly but through His select prophets and apostles: “These things | have spoken to you. while | am stil with you But the Counselor. the Holy Spirit, wnom the Father will send in my name. he wiil teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that | have said to you” (John 14:25-26. cf. 1 Peter 1:10-12) The church articulates its view of the Lord's Supper “upon the foun- dation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cor- nerstone™ (Eph. 2:20) The Sola Scriptura principle means that there 1s no authority in the church which is to be heeded with equal reverence. The voice of Christ through His inspired spokesmen is the final word on every question No ecciesiastical tradition—whether of the early church or the Reformation church—ments a place beside Holy Scripture. Nor do reason, science. Or philosophy possess an authority which ts equal to Scripture Thus. in gladly obeying Christ's guidance on the nature and meaning of Holy Communion. the church also confesses the authority and truthfulness of every word of Christ mediated to us in the Holy Scriptures. Our fathers eloquently confessed On tne contrary. in accord with the simple words of Christ's testa- ment we hold and betieve in a true. though supernatural. eating of Christ s body and drinking of his blood which we cannot comprenend The confessors direct tnese words to the case of private seif-Commurion They would not preclude pudic self-Communion where the pastor has no assistant Martin Scharlemann underscores this corporate aspect of tne Sacrament by focusing on the word koinonia “When reference is made to the Lords Supper. it is spoken of as having both a vertical and horizontal dimension. as 1s evident from the use of the word komoma at 1 Cor 10 6 for this term signiftes a sharing in something with otners in this Case In tne body and blood of the Lord” ;Some Remarks Regara:ng the Celedraron ct the Lords Supper Faculty Forum Paper March 2 1976)