The ritualistic practice, usually during a worship service, in which Christians partake of bread and wine (or grape juice) with the purpose of remembering CHRIST, receiving strength from Him, and rededicating themselves to His cause. It is one of two sacraments or ordinances instituted by Christ to be observed by His church until He returns. The term the Lord's Supper is used only in 1 Cor 11:20. When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper. The practice is also known as Communion (from 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? The LORD'S Table (from 1 Cor. 10:21>), Ye cannot drink the cup of the LORD, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the LORD'S table, and of the table of devils. And the Eucharist (from the Greek word for "giving thanks"; Luke 22:17,19; And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of GOD shall come. And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1 Cor. 11:24: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. The expression breaking of bread <Acts 2:42: And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.

Acts 20:7,11: And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight. And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together. And there sat in a window a certain young man named Eutychus, being fallen into a deep sleep: and as Paul was long preaching, he sunk down with sleep, and fell down from the third loft, and was taken up dead. And Paul went down, and fell on him, and embracing him said, Trouble not yourselves; for his life is in him. When he therefore was come up again, and had broken bread, and eaten, and talked a long while, even till break of day, so he departed.

Probably refers to receiving the Lord's Supper with a common meal known as the LOVE FEAST 2 Pet. 2:13; And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Jude 1:12: These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; The institution of the LORD'S Supper Matt. 26:17: Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover? Matt 26:30: And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

This is just some of what the gospel has on the Last supper. Her is some more Mark 14:12-26; Luke 22:1-23; 1 Cor. 11:23-25 took place on the night before JESUS died, at a meal commonly known as the Last Supper. Although there is considerable debate over the issue, the Last Supper probably was the Jewish PASSOVER meal, first instituted by GOD in the days of Moses Ex. 12:1-14; Num. 9:1-5.

Many of JESUS' actions and words at the Last Supper, such as the breaking and distributing of the bread, were part of the prescribed Passover ritual. But when Jesus said, "This is My body" and "This is My blood" while distributing the bread and the cup, He did something totally new. These words, which were intended for our blessing, have been the focus of sharp disagreement among Christians for centuries. In what sense are the bread and wine CHRIST'S body and blood? What should the LORD'S Supper mean to us? The answers to these questions are often grouped into four categories, although there are variations within these four broad views.

The Transubstantiation View. The first view is that of the Roman Catholic Church (especially before the Second Vatican Council of 1962-1965). This view holds that the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of CHRIST when the words of institution are spoken by the priest. This doctrine, known as transubstantiation, holds that while the physical properties (taste, appearance, etc.) of the bread and wine do not change, the inner reality of these elements undergoes a spiritual change.

While this view may help to foster a serious attitude toward the Eucharist, it fails to grasp the figurative nature of JESUS' language. JESUS could not have been holding His actual body and blood in His hands. He probably meant, "This bread represents My body" and "This wine represents My blood." Jesus often used figurative language Luke 8:11,21, just as a person does today when showing someone a photograph and saying, "This is my father."

The Consubstantiation View. The second viewpoint, developed by Martin Luther, is that CHRIST'S body and blood are truly present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine. The elements do not actually change into CHRIST'S body and blood. But in the same way that heat is present in a piece of hot iron, so CHRIST is present in the elements. The Lutheran position is often called consubstantiation.

This position can encourage the recipient of the Eucharist with the realization that CHRIST is actually present at the Supper. But it also misses the figurative use of JESUS' words. It also may tend to draw more attention to the bread and wine than to CHRIST Himself.

The Symbolic View. The third position, known as the symbolic or memorial view, is derived from the teachings of the Swiss reformer, Ulrich Zwingli. Although his teaching is not completely clear, he basically held that the bread and wine were only symbols of the sacrificed body and blood of CHRIST. He taught that the LORD'S Supper is primarily a memorial ceremony of Christ's finished work, but that it is also to be an occasion when GOD'S people pledge their unity with one another and their loyalty to CHRIST. This is the viewpoint held by most Baptist and independent churches. While Zwingli's ideas are basically sound, this position tends to place more emphasis on what the Christian does and promises in the Supper than on what GOD does.

Calvin agreed with Zwingli that the bread and wine are to be understood symbolically. Christ is not physically present in the elements, because His risen, glorified body is in heaven Heb. 10:12-13: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of GOD; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Still, He is dynamically and spiritually present in the Lord's Supper through the HOLY SPIRIT. In the worship service (but not at any one precise moment), when the Word of GOD is proclaimed and the LORD'S SUPPER is received, the glorified CHRIST actually gives spiritual nourishment from His own glorified body to those who receive it. As bread nourishes the physical body, so CHRIST' glorified body enlivens the soul. Because of the organic union between Christ, the risen Head and the members of His body, the church Eph. 1:18-23; 4:15-16; 5:23, this nourishment is conveyed to Christians by the Spirit who dwells in them Rom. 8:9-11. Calvin admits that the way the Spirit does this is a genuine mystery. Yet, it is not contrary to reason-- just above reason.

Calvin at times places more emphasis on JESUS' glorified flesh and blood than the Scriptures teach. But his position helps to explain why the Eucharist is so important for the Christian to observe, and why it is such a serious offense to misuse it. His view also corresponds well with those Scriptures that speak of GOD'S nourishing and empowering work in His people Eph. 3:14-21; Col. 2:6-10,19.

Biblical Teachings. In 1 Cor 10:16, the apostle Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their involvement with idolatry. He referred to the cup as "the communion of the blood of CHRIST" and the bread as "the communion of the body of CHRIST." The Greek word for communion has the meaning of "fellowship, participating, and sharing." From the context it appears that Paul is saying that when Christians partake of the cup and the bread, they are participating in the benefits of Christ's death (referred to as His blood) and resurrection life (His glorified body). The most important of these benefits are the assurance of sins forgiven (through Christ's blood) and the assurance of CHRIST'S presence and power (through His body).

The "one body" (the universal church) in 1 Cor 10:17 connects with the "body of CHRIST" in <verse 16> in the sense that the entire church of Christ is organically related to the living, glorified human body of Christ now in heaven. The "one [loaf of] bread" , representing JESUS the "bread of life" John 6:35, is eaten by all believers at the Supper, symbolizing their unity and common participation in the one body of Christ. The great discourse of Jesus on the bread of life John 6:25-68, while not intended to be a direct theological explanation of the Lord's Supper, helps to explain how receiving the Eucharist can be one way in which Christians "feed" on the LORD John 6:55-57. Other important ways are by prayer and the hearing of GOD'S

In 1 Cor 11:17-34: Paul rebuked the Corinthians for their pride and greed during the meal that accompanied the Eucharist . Then he described the institution of the LORD'S Supper and emphasized the need for Christians to partake in a worthy manner. Many of them who had not been doing so were weak and sick, and many had even died as a result of GOD'S judgment .

Why does Paul use such strong language when speaking of the abuse of the LORD'S Supper? The Corinthians were not properly discerning or recognizing the LORD'S body. The wealthy Corinthians who shamed their poorer Christian brothers and sisters by their selfish eating practices <vv. 21-22> were not discerning the true nature of the church as CHRIST'S body in which all distinctions of social class, race, etc. were blotted out Gal. 3:28.

On the other hand, Christians who received the bread and the cup after behaving disgracefully were failing to discern that CHRIST would not automatically bless and empower those who received the sacrament in this manner. Such persons were guilty of sin against the body and blood of JESUS <v. 27>.

First, the LORD'S Supper is a time of remembrance and Eucharist. JESUS said, "Do this in remembrance of Me" Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:24-25. This is not to be so much our dwelling on the agonies of the crucifixion as it is to be our remembering the marvelous life and ministry of our Savior. The Eucharist is to be an occasion for expressing our deepest praise and appreciation for all JESUS CHRIST has done for us.

Just as one step in the Jewish Passover meal was to proclaim the Hebrews' deliverance from Egyptian bondage Ex. 12:26-27, so in the Supper Christians proclaim their deliverance from sin and misery through the death of "CHRIST, our Passover" 1 Cor. 5:7; 11:26.

Second, the Supper is a time of refreshing and communion. As we participate in the benefits of Jesus' death and resurrection life Rom. 5:10; 1 Cor. 10:16, we are actually being nourished and empowered from the risen CHRIST through the Spirit.

Third, the Supper is a time of recommitment and anticipation. We are to examine (literally "prove" or "test") ourselves and partake in a worthy manner 1 Cor. 11:28-29. In so doing we renew our dedication to CHRIST and His people, in hopeful anticipation "till He comes" 1 Cor. 11:26. After CHRIST'S return we shall partake with Him-- in His physical presence-- in the kingdom Matt. 26:29.

(From Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary)(Copyright (C) 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers)