Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Categories
- All Categories 13.8K
- General Category 10.9K
- General Announcements 184
- Faith Issues 3.4K
- Coptic Orthodox Church 2.5K
- Personal Issues 1.4K
- Prayer Requests 423
- Random Issues 1.8K
- Introductions 294
- Non-Orthodox Inquiries 232
- Youth Corner 606
- Hymns 2.5K
- Hymns Discussion 2.5K
- Technicial Difficulties 368
- Technical Topics 368
Holy Communion
How does the the bread and wine in the Holy Communion transform into the actual body and blood of Christ?? How do we know that there is such thing as transubstantiation?
Luke 22:14-23
How do we know if Jesus was speaking metaphorically or literally when He said "this is my body and blood?" Many times in the Bible Jesus speaks symbolically but how about this particular passage??
I once read that “Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy Communion (the sacrifice) is ‘given up for us’, and the blood we drink ‘shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins’. For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins.”
14 And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. 15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer: 16 For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God. 17 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves: 18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come. 19 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. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 21 But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing.
Luke 22:14-23
How do we know if Jesus was speaking metaphorically or literally when He said "this is my body and blood?" Many times in the Bible Jesus speaks symbolically but how about this particular passage??
I once read that “Holy Communion separates us from sin. The body of Christ we receive in Holy Communion (the sacrifice) is ‘given up for us’, and the blood we drink ‘shed for the many for the forgiveness of sins’. For this reason the Eucharist cannot unite us to Christ without at the same time cleansing us from past sins and preserving us from future sins.”
Comments
good luck
God Bless and Pray for me and my weakness
To understand that Jesus was speaking literaly about His Body and Blood read
John 6:35-68
Jesus was aware that the Jews had understood Him literally but He did not correct them. John also noted in other parts of the Gospel that sometimes the jews would understand Him literally when He was talking spiritually... but not here. (John 2:19-21, 7:37-39, 8:25-27)
Not only that..its written in the bibble ya3ny thats the most trusted source of info you look in "Take, eat; this is My body .Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new[c] covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. " so you just gotta believe in what he said!
GBU
sandra
so one day she took communion and didn't swallow it.
how did she do that?
There is a flaw in this. The lady's gum cells could have been in the communion. This story does not prove that the bread and wine became the body and blood. For if it were so, God has the power to remove the value of his body and blood from the bread and wine. The becoming body and blood form bread and wine, is an issue of the spirit, faith, and the understanding of God. Science does not know who God is, and can not "see" God in a lab.
The church does not believe the Body and Blood of Christ turns into human cells...this is not Transubstantiation. Transubstantiation is when the bread and wine is blessed by the priest, it transforms into the actual flesh of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of bread); and when he blesses the wine, it is transformed into the actual blood of Christ (though it retains the appearance, odor, and taste of wine)
What can be said is that it's a change of substance not a chemical or physical reaction. Also I heard that the Catholic Chruch believe that it does, chemically speaking, change into real human flesh and blood. (please don't take this as a clear statment).
"When at his Last Supper Jesus said: "This is my body", what he held in his hands had all the appearances of bread: these "accidents" remained unchanged. However, the Roman Catholic Church believes that, in accordance with what Jesus said, the underlying reality was changed: the "substance" of the bread was converted to that of his body. In other words, it actually was his body, while all the appearances open to the senses or to scientific investigation were still those of bread, exactly as before. The Church holds that the same change of the substance of the bread and of the wine occurs at the consecration of the Eucharist."
Catholics believe in transubstantiation as well
Actually, only Catholics believe in transubstantiation.
The Orthodox Church has always asserted that the bread and wine become the true Body and Blood of our Lord, God and Saviour Jesus Christ. However, only the Latins have used philosophical formulas such as 'transubstantiation' (wherein the substance changes into the Body and Blood of Christ, but the acccidents of bread and wine remain), or 'consubstantiation' in the case of Lutherans, in order to attempt to explain the exact manner in which this happens.
This takes an understanding of the love of God, the value of the church, and the body of Christ which is the church. Understanding the word of God, and the salvation he offers through His Body and Blood is how we know with confidence that what we approach is the salvation and food for our spirit.
How do we know we receive the 'body and blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ'? Because he told us so, and so the Church teaches, and so we believe.
This is one of the great mysteries, and whilst those incurably wedded to scholastic ways of thinking want exact definition, they are not to be had; that is not how Orthodoxy works, surely?
We are taught that: this is what matters. How the Eucharist is the body and the blood is a mystery known only to God, and to try to define it, like trying to define God, is something prideful and something we will fail to do. We should accept His mercy and ask for it always.
Lord, have mercy,
John