“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1Cor 11:23-26)

Here they are. The most read verses in our public meetings. In correcting the problem of Christians not waiting for one another when gathered to eat the Lord’s Supper, Paul takes them back to the beginning of this memorial.

Referring to the night Jesus was betrayed may just be a time reference or it may be part of the teaching. Judas’ betrayal was the ultimate betrayal of the significance of a meal in the Middle Eastern culture. Eating with someone creates a certain bond, an unwritten pact of mutual protection. Psalm 41 speaks to this: “Even my close friend, whom I trusted, he who shared my bread, has lifted up his heel against me.” (Psalm 41:9) And each of the gospel writers emphasizes that aspect of Judas’ betrayal:

“The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me.” (Matt 26:23)
“Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” (Mark 14:18)
“But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table.” (Luke 22:21)
“Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, son of Simon.” (John 13:25-26)

Could this be a reminder from Paul of the implications of table fellowship?

It’s interesting that Paul neither mentions that this was during the Feast of Unleavened Bread nor does he refer to the bread as being unleavened. What has come to be an important point for so many of us does not seem to have been so for Paul.

And Paul follows the same tradition as Luke, with Jesus referring to the cup as representing the covenant in his blood, whereas Mark and Matthew have it as the blood of the covenant. It’s obvious that the two ideas were so intertwined as to form one idea alone, a reference to Exodus 24 (see my earlier post on this point).

Here Paul twice uses the phrase “as often as” when referring to the taking of the Lord’s Supper. Despite what many would have him do, he makes no declaration on the frequency of taking the Lord’s Supper. His focus is on the how, not the how often. And he follows these verses with an important statement: “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.” (1Cor 11:27-28) Please note that it is the manner that is unworthy, not the person. This is not a pronouncement in favor of closed communion. Nor is it a call for “sinners” to abstain from taking the bread and cup. Remember that Paul is correcting a problem, the problem of not waiting for one another. This statement addresses that issue. The unworthy manner is them not waiting for one another, failing to consider one another when taking the meal (as we’ll see in the next verses). Paul wants them to know that what they are doing is serious, the problem is serious and the consequences are serious.

The Lord’s Supper is a fellowship meal, or it is not the Lord’s Supper. When we forget that fact, we are in danger of taking it in an unworthy manner. We do well to hearken back to that fateful night when Jesus started this unbroken chain of remembrance.