The document provides background on disputes and martyrdoms surrounding the Lord's Supper over the past 2000 years. It then discusses different views of the Lord's Supper throughout church history, including the Roman Catholic view of it being an actual sacrifice, and the Reformation views of Luther affirming Christ's real presence and Calvin viewing it as a spiritual meal. The document examines why the Lord's Supper was ordained, who ought to be communicants, what benefits believers can expect, why many do not come, and provides warnings about its observance.

1. Practical Religion
Chapter 6: The Lord’s Supper
J. C. Ryle

2. Some Background
On no point have there been so many
disputes, strifes, and controversies
for almost 1800 2000 years.
On this point many martyrs died,
including John Rogers (1555), John
Hooper (1555), Rowland Taylor
(1555), Robert Ferrar (1555), John
Bradford (1555), Nicholas Ridley
(1555), Hugh Latimer (1555), John
Philpot (1555), and Thomas Cranmer
(1556)
Why is background on the Lord’s Supper important?
The deaths of Ridley and Latimer

3. The Early Church
And when the president has
given thanks, and all the
people have expressed their
assent, those who are called by
us deacons give to each of
those present to partake of the
bread and wine mixed with
water over which the
thanksgiving was pronounced.
Second Century (150 A.D.) - Justin Martyr (born c. 114, martyred c. 165)
And this food is called among
us the Eucharist, of which no
one is allowed to partake but
the man who believes that the
things which we teach are true,
and who has been washed with
the washing that is for the
remission of sins, and unto
regeneration, and who is so
living as Christ has enjoined.

4. The Roman Catholic View
The purpose of the Lord’s Supper was an
actual atoning sacrifice of Christ (from
about 800 AD)
Hence, the actual, physical, body and
blood of Jesus were present in the bread
and wine (from about 1000)
Only the priest was permitted to take the
cup of the sacrament (from about 400)
The sacraments do confer grace ex opere
operato (by 1100's)

5. The Reformation Views
Wyclif (late-1300's) and Hus (early
1400's) opposed transubstantiation
and reserving the cup – both were
burned at the stake
Luther (1500's) affirmed the “real
presence” of Christ's body “in, with,
and under” the bread.
This was the point on which he
and Calvin could not agree

6. The Reformation Views
All are equally invited to partake –
there is no purpose to being invited if
they will come away empty
Ryle agrees with Calvin, that when
Christ says “Take and eat” we are not
instructed to perform a sacrifice.
Calvin says that the use of the term
“my body” is a metonymy (giving
something the name of the thing it
symbolizes).

7. The Reformation Views
Calvin says the nature of the sacraments
indicates that the sign must correspond to
the spiritual reality. Hence, the body, given
in the Supper, must be a food. If it were
not so, the Supper would make no sense.
In essence, he says, it can not be the actual
flesh, which is in heaven, and can not be in
other places at the same time. Thus it is a
secret and wonderful work of the Holy
Spirit, by which the body of Christ is given
to us as a spiritual supper.

8. Why Was the Supper Ordained?
1689: to be observed for the perpetual
remembrance, and display, of Jesus'
sacrifice of Himself in His death.
Confirms the faith of believers in all
the benefits of His death, their
spiritual nourishment and growth in
Him, and their further engagement in
and to all the duties they owe him. A
bond and pledge of the communion of
believers with Christ and each other.
us up in Christ. It is a visible
sermon. If we were spirit we
would not need a sacrament,
but we are human, and a
visible sign strengthens our
faith.
- Thomas Watson
The
sacrament
is for the
confirming
of the faith,
and builds

9. Why Was the Supper Ordained?
‘for the continual remembrance
of the sacrifice of the death of
Christ his life, death, and
resurrection, and of the benefits
which we receive thereby, until
his coming again.’
(with revisions from the Book of
Common Prayer, 1979)
In the Book of Common
Prayer’s Catechism: “for
the continual
remembrance
of the sacrifice
of the death of
Christ, and of
the benefits we
receive thereby.”
- BCP 1789

10. Why Was the Supper Ordained?
Of the four accounts of the Lord's
Supper (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
Paul – in 1 Cor.), only two give the
reason: “Do this in remembrance of
me.”
The continual (perpetual)
remembrance of Christ's death is the
reason.
Without the sacrificial death, His life
would have been in vain. It is the very
thing of which we need to be reminded.
Is there any basis for saying
the Supper is a sacrifice?
No. “It never
entered into their
minds that he
meant to say he
was holding his
own body and his own blood
in his hands, and literally
giving them his literal body
and blood to eat and drink.”

11. Why Was the Supper Ordained?
Is there any basis for the belief that the
real body and blood are present in the
bread and wine? No. “… the natural
body and blood of Christ are in
heaven, and not here.”
“The Bible teaches that Christ’s
vicarious death on the cross was the
one perfect sacrifice for sin, which
never needs to be repeated.”
Therefore, seeing the Supper as an
actual, atoning, sacrifice denies the
sufficiency of the sacrifice on the cross.
Is there any basis for saying
the Supper is a sacrifice?
No. “It never
entered into their
minds that he
meant to say he
was holding his
own body and his own blood
in his hands, and literally
giving them his literal body
and blood to eat and drink.

12. Who Ought to Be Communicants?
Not simply all baptized persons
If all are to come, many come in
ignorance, and the sacraments do
not work in themselves (ex opere
operando)
Examining ourselves requires some
understanding as well as faith
Those living in open sin and
determined not to give it up should not
participate – eating unworthily can
lead to condemnation
God ‘commands all men
everywhere to repent’ and
believe the
gospel but he
does not in the
same way, or in
the same manner
command everybody
to come to
the Lord’s table.

13. Who Ought to Be Communicants?
Those who believe they
are “good enough” –
that is, are saved
because of their own
value – should not
come to the table. Their
attitude is incompatible
with a profession of
Christ's merit and His
righteousness.
“The command of self-examination
evidences to us … that a Christian may come
to the knowledge of his state in grace;
otherwise it would be wholly fruitless to
examine ourselves. If we may know by the
want of saving conditions that we are in a
state of nature; we
may know by the
presence of them,
that we are in a
state of grace.”
Stephen Charnock

14. Who Should Come?
1789 BCP: Question. What is required of
those who come to the Lord's Supper?
Answer. To examine themselves, whether
they repent them truly of their former sins,
steadfastly purposing to lead a new life;
have a lively faith in God's mercy through
Christ, with a thankful remembrance of his
death; and be in charity with all men.
1979 BCP: Q. What is required of us when
we come to the Eucharist?
A. It is required that we should examine our
lives, repent of our sins, and be in love and
charity with all people.
Though our repentance may be
imperfect, or our faith weak, and
our charity defective, if they are
genuine, we should come! The
first 12 communicants
were weak indeed,
but 11 of them were
real, genuine, sincere
and true.

15. What Benefit May We Expect?
Some believe the Supper will cleanse
them of their sins
“The Lord’s supper was meant to
increase and help the grace that a
man has, but not to impart the grace
that he has not.”
1689 LRBC: remembrance, spiritual
nourishment, growth in Christ,
engagement in and to all duties owed
to him, and a bond and pledge of
communion with him and each other.
Many believe taking the Supper
must do them some good. If
there is any principle clearly laid
down in the Bible about any act
of religious worship, it is this,—
that it must be intelligent. The
worshipper must at least
understand
something about
what he is doing.
Mere bodily worship,
unaccompanied by mind or
heart, is utterly worthless.

16. What Benefit May We Expect?
The Supper humbles us, as we consider
how sinful sin must be if nothing less than
the death of God's own son could make
satisfaction for it or redeem us from its guilt
The Supper encourages us (has a cheering
effect) as we consider that our salvation is
full, perfect and complete.
The Supper has a sanctifying effect, in
reminding us of our debt of gratitude to the
Lord, binding us to live for Him.
The Supper has a restraining effect as the
remembrance encourages glorifying Christ,
helping to resist temptation and sin.
Every Christian may not
realize all of these benefits
whenever the
Supper is taken,
but every
Christian will
benefit from
some of them
every time.

17. Why Do Many Not Come?
It is not left to our discretion to
come to the table
Many do not come to the table
because they are careless about
Christianity
Some are in habitual sin or
habitual neglect of a Christian
duty. If they do not turn from the
sin, they are as much disqualified
from heaven as from the table.
Every Christian may not
realize all of these benefits
whenever the
Supper is taken,
but every
Christian will
benefit from
some of them
every time.

18. Why Do Many Not Come?
Some don't want the
responsibility of living the
faith, lest they fall away.
Some feel they are not yet
worthy.
Some object to participating in
the Supper because they see
others who are unworthy
participating.
Every Christian may not
realize all of these benefits
whenever the
Supper is taken,
but every
Christian will
benefit from
some of them
every time.

19. Warnings
Do not neglect the Lord's Supper
Do not receive the Lord's Supper
carelessly, irreverently, or as a matter of
form
Do not make an idol of the Lord's Supper
To repent and be converted, to believe
and be holy, to be born again and have
grace in our hearts,— all these things are
of far more importance than to be a
communicant. Without them we cannot
be saved. Without the Lord’s supper we
can.
The penitent thief was not a
communicant, and Judas
Iscariot was!

20. Warnings
Do not attend the Lord's
Supper irregularly
Never be absent when the
Lord's Supper is
administered
Make every effort to attend
Do not do anything to bring
discredit on your profession as
a communicant
The man who after attending
the Lord’s table runs into sin,
does more harm perhaps
than any sinner.
He is a walking
sermon on behalf
of the devil. He
gives occasion to the
enemies of the Lord to
blaspheme. He helps to keep
people away from Christ.

21. For next week:
Chapter 7: Love (Charity)
Please read:
John 13:34-35
1 Cor 13