What Is the Lord's Supper in the Bible — In Biblical Context
The Lord's Supper, also called Communion or the Eucharist, is the Christian ordinance in which believers remember Christ's sacrifice through bread and wine in fellowship with Him and one another.
The Lord's Supper, also called Communion or the Eucharist, is the Christian ordinance in which believers remember Christ's sacrifice through bread and wine in fellowship with Him and one another.
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me." — 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 (KJV)
The Biblical Context
The Lord's Supper was instituted by Jesus on the night of His betrayal during the Passover meal with His disciples. Taking bread, He blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' Then taking the cup, He said, 'Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.' The Apostle Paul later received this tradition and passed it on to the churches, instructing them to observe it 'until he come.' The Lord's Supper is primarily a memorial — a proclamation of the Lord's death until He returns. The bread represents Christ's body, broken for us; the cup represents His blood, shed for the remission of sins. Different Christian traditions understand the elements differently: some see a literal transformation (transubstantiation), some a spiritual presence (consubstantiation), and others a memorial only. The biblical view is that the elements symbolize and represent Christ's sacrifice without becoming physically transformed. Participation is for believers who have examined themselves and are in right fellowship with God and His church. The Supper also expresses unity among believers — 'we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.' It is not a means of grace that imparts salvation, but a means of grace that nourishes faith, deepens communion with Christ, and strengthens believers for their spiritual journey.
Where It Sits in Scripture
The core passage for this question, 1 Corinthians 11:23-25, sits inside 1 Corinthians 11. To grasp the full meaning, read the surrounding paragraph — the verses before set up the thought, the verses after carry it forward.
"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."
Supporting Passages
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."
"The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread."
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