What Is Communion (The Lord's Supper) — Meaning Explained

On the night before His crucifixion, Jesus shared a final meal with His disciples and established what we know as communion or the Lord's Supper. He took bread, broke it, and said, 'This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me' (Luke 22:19). He then took the cup, saying, 'This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you' (Luke 22:20). Paul later provided detailed instructions in 1 Corinthians 11:23-26, adding that communion proclaims 'the Lord's death till he come.' The bread symbolizes Christ's body broken on the cross, and the wine represents His blood shed for the forgiveness of sins. Christians differ on the precise nature of communion — Catholics teach transubstantiation (bread and wine become Christ's actual body and blood), Lutherans hold to consubstantiation, while most Protestants view it as symbolic remembrance. All agree on its importance: it is an act of worship, a proclamation of the gospel, a celebration of community, and an anticipation of Christ's return. Paul warned against taking it 'unworthily' (1 Corinthians 11:27-29), emphasizing the need for self-examination.