THE PROMINENCE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IN THE REFERENCES OF SCRIPTURE

THE PROMINENCE OF THE LORD'S SUPPER IN THE REFERENCES OF SCRIPTURE TO THE THREEFOLD COMMUNION SERVICE

 

 

 

lb. There are sixteen direct references to the Lord's Supper in the New Testament.

Matt. 26:26                "Were eating"
Mark 14:22                 "As they did eat"
Luke 22:20                 "Cup after supper"
John 13:2, 4, 18 26-27, 30 "Supper, eateth bread, sop"
Acts 2:42, 46              "breaking of bread"
Acts 20:7, 11              "break bread...broken bread"
1 Cor.11:17, 34            "had supped...to eat, hunger"
2 Pet 2:13                 "feast with you"
Jude 12                    "Feasts of charity"

2b. There are only five references that directly point to the Eucharist of the bread and cup.
Matt. 26:26-29             "Took bread...took the cup"
Mark 14:22-25              "Took bread...took the cup"
Luke  22:19-20             "Took bread...also. the cup"
1 Cor. 10:16               "Cup of blessing...the bread"
1 Cor. 11:23-26            "Took bread...took the cup"

3b. There are only two references to the feetwashing experience mentioned directly in the New Testament
John 13:1-17
1 Tim. 5:10

Even the ordinance of Christian baptism in water is mentioned only 16 times in the New Testament, and only once for initiation.

The number of times an ordinance is mentioned is not a clue to its importance. Once would be sufficient. But since some have suggested that the Lord's Supper was not mentioned sufficiently in the New Testament to warrant its right to be an ordinance of the church, what can be said of the Eucharist and the feetwashing?

It is therefore worthy to note that the Supper held such a high place in the thinking of the early church that it was prominently presented in the New Testament writings. This means that it was held high in the estimate of the writers of the New Testament, but more importantly in the evaluation of the Holy Spirit Who is the Divine Author of the New Testament and the Indweller of the Church.