THE LORD'S SUPPER OR THE LOVE FEAST - BIBLICAL TERMS

THE LORD'S SUPPER OR THE LOVE FEAST (Read Articles in I.S.B.E.)

THE BIBLICAL TERMS THAT ARE USED

 

lb. The statement of those terms.

lc. The Term "the Lord's Supper." (kuriakon deipnon)
1 Cor. 11:20 - "Lord's Supper"
John 13:2,4; 21:20 - "Supper" Luke 22:20 - "Supper"

2c. The Term "the love feast."
Jude 12 "Feasts of charity." -- agapaiV
2 Peter 2:13 "While they feast with you."

2b. The definition of these terms.

lc. The Lord's Supper was that meal instituted by the Lord in the upper room before His trial. It was so designated because He instituted the meal.

2c. The Love Feast, which is another name for the same thing, describes the essential characteristics of the meal, namely, a feast of love among those who, love one another.

3b. The distinctions of these terms from others must be observed.

lc. The Lord's Supper is not to be confused with the Passover meal.

ld. The assertions of the four Gospels place this meal one whole day before the Passover feast.

le. The preparation day is clearly marked as the day on which this meal took place. All four Gospels witness to this.
Matt. 27:62
Mark 15:42
Luke  22:1, 7; 23:54
John  19:14, 31, 42

2e. The Jews are pictured as recognizing that the feast of the Passover is yet future. John clearly recognizes this.
John 13:1,4, 29    Recognized by the disciples.
John 18:28         Recognized by the enemies of Christ.

2d. The declaration of Christ clearly indicated that He would not eat this Passover. This was made while at the last supper.
Luke 22:16 ARV

3d. The violations of the law which Christ would have been guilty had He eaten the Passover ahead of time argue against it. The Passover is never called a supper. It is always called a feast.

The penalty of death was inflicted on those who ate early. Num. 9:10-13. No one was to leave the house until the morning; but all left the upper room before midnight. Exod. 12:22
This was to be observed as on the night in Egypt. Exod. 12:25
The Passover was eaten with shoes on and standing. But not so this supper. Exod. 12:11
Deut. 16:5-8 - Must be kept in Jerusalem, not outside.

4d. The failure on the part of the apostles to explain any change from the law in observing the Passover also argues against it.

Surely the apostles would have tried to explain away any apparent incriminations of the Lord if he had actually eaten the Passover out of its proper time and manner.
Silence certainly makes it appear that this last supper was in no sense regarded by them as the Passover feast.

5d. The problems that do arise can be very easily solved for the most part.

le. Problems relating to time can be settled by reference to the RV and parallel passages.
Matt. 26:17     cf. Mark 14:12 - This was preparation day.
Exod. 13:7 - No leaven was to be seen during the feast. But on preparation day it was seen and removed.
Exod. 12:16- The first day of unleavened bread was a Sabbath and no work was to be done. No purging out of leaven then.

2e. Problems relating to preparation for the Passover can be solved by remembering that they refer to plan without unforeseen interruption.
Matt. 26:17, 18
Mark 14:12, 14
Luke 22:8, 9, 14-15

3e. Problems inferring the preparation of the feast can be explained by understanding the whole Passover so far as the law allowed.
Matt. 26:19
Mark 14:15, 16
Luke 22:13
2 Chron. 35:10-11 is a special case in point. The Passover was prepared, but the lamb was not yet killed until the appointed time.

4e. Problems raised by the statement "When the hour was come" merely refers to the evening meal, as the parallel accounts indicate.
Matt. 26:20
Mark 14:17
Luke 22:14

2c. The Lord's Supper is not to be confused with the Eucharist which followed it.

ld. The time of the Lord's Supper.

le. The meal is in progress when a new departure is inaugurated by the Lord.
Matthew and Mark point this out.
Matt. 26:21, 26 "While they were eating" esqiontwn autwn
Mark 14:22
Matt. 26:26, 27 labwn o ihsouV arton kai euloghsaV eklasen kai douV toiV maqhtaiV eipen labete jagete ....piete
Mark 14:23

Notes:

1. The Eucharist is clearly distinguished from the meal.
They were eating the supper, and then came the Eucharist.

2. The Eucharist is clearly marked as a new departure in the course or at the end of the meal.

2e. The meal was finished before the inauguration of the Eucharist.
Luke and Paul both spoke of this.
Luke 22:20 "Likewise also the cup after supper."
meta to deipnhsai - temporal, after the act of eating. 1 Cor. 11:25
Luke 22:17, 19 labete....labwn
1 Cor. 11:24 eklasen (arton)  vs. 23

Notes:

1.   The meal has now run its course and is finished.
2.   The Eucharist is then initiated as a new departure.

2d. The nature of the Lord's Supper.

le. The meal was essentially a supper.   deipnon
Every reference to this meal as a supper indicates that it was more than a tidbit of bread and a sip of juice.
The Greek word is always used in the sense of a meal.
The word is five times: Luke 22:20; John 13:2,4; 21:20, 1 Cor. 11:20
Even the abuses suggest that it had the proportions of a meal.
1 Cor. 11:21

2e. The meal was specifically the Lord's Supper. kuriakon deipnon
1 Cor. 11:20

Without the definite article in this passage the emphasis is laid upon quality. Thus this meal is characterized by the Lord. He is the one who instituted it. He is the prominent person in it. He is the one to whom it points. He is the one who fills it with glory and blessing for all who indulge in it.

3e. The meal was in purpose a symbolical supper. 1 Cor. 11:34
If this meal is not for the purpose of satisfying hunger, then it is for the specific purpose of symbolizing truth.
Sects ought not exist at this table. (John 11:18-19)
Surfeiting is absolutely prohibited. (John 11:21-22)
Selfishness is also forbidden (John 11:33)
Singleness of eye to the glory of God is necessary (John 11:20-29).