The Eucharist, or Lord’s Supper, is a significant practice in the Christian faith. The Bible explains its meaning and importance as a way to remember Jesus’ sacrifice. Today, we’ll reflect on the biblical foundation of this sacred act.
Also Read: What Does The Bible Say About Etiquette
What Does The Bible Say About Eucharist
John 6:53-58
“Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your ancestors ate manna and died, but whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.’”
This passage from John emphasizes the transformative power of partaking in the body and blood of Christ through the Eucharist. Jesus speaks with authority, proclaiming that those who consume His flesh and blood will have eternal life and remain in Him. By likening Himself to the bread that came down from heaven, Jesus establishes the Eucharist as not merely a symbolic act but rather a sacrament through which believers are nourished spiritually and united with Christ.
Furthermore, His reference to the manna in the desert draws a parallel between the sustenance provided by physical bread and the spiritual sustenance found in the Eucharist. Just as the Israelites physically ate manna and received temporary nourishment, those who partake in the Eucharist receive everlasting sustenance for their souls.
Matthew 26:26-28
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.’”
In this pivotal moment during the Last Supper, Jesus institutes the sacrament of the Eucharist. By referring to the bread as His body and the wine as His blood, Jesus uses symbolism to establish a profound link between the elements of the Eucharist and His self-sacrifice on the cross.
Through the act of giving thanks and breaking the bread, Jesus foreshadows His imminent sacrifice. By sharing the bread and the cup, He invites His disciples and all future believers to partake in His sacrificial gift and to remember His redemptive act. The words He speaks during this event not only establish the significance of the Eucharist but also lay the foundation for the forgiveness of sins and the establishment of a new covenant between God and humankind.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians provides further insight into the significance of the Eucharist. He emphasizes that partaking in the cup and the bread is not merely a ritual but a participation in the body and blood of Christ. This participation establishes a spiritual communion and unity among all believers, given that they share in the same elements.
Paul highlights the essential idea that the Eucharist is not an individualistic act but a communal one. By partaking in the one loaf, believers become united as one body. This verse encourages believers to recognize the interconnectedness they have with fellow believers through the sharing of the Eucharistic meal and to foster a sense of unity and love within the Christian community.
Luke 22:19
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’”
During the Last Supper, Jesus instructs His disciples to continue the act of breaking bread and sharing it in remembrance of Him. He presents the bread as a representation of His body, which would be given up for their salvation. This command serves as a reminder for believers to continually partake in the Eucharist as a way of remembering the sacrifice of Christ and the love He demonstrated through His willing self-surrender.
The phrase “do this in remembrance of me” underlines the importance of the Eucharist as a sacramental act of worship and remembrance. It signifies that the Eucharist is not simply a symbolic gesture but a means of actively engaging with the redemptive work of Christ and grounding one’s faith in His sacrificial love.
Mark 14:22-24
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. ‘This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,’ he said to them.”
Similar to Matthew 26:26-28, this passage from Mark recounts the institution of the Eucharist during the Last Supper. Jesus, in His act of giving thanks and breaking bread, invites His disciples to partake in the bread as His body. He further bestows significance and meaning upon the cup, declaring it as His blood of the covenant, poured out for the forgiveness of sins.
This moment embodies the essence of the Eucharist, revealing it as a means of partaking in the sacrificial love of Christ and entering into a new covenant relationship with God. By drinking from the cup, believers symbolically drink from the same source that seals the covenant between God and humanity, reaffirming their commitment to follow Christ and identify with His redemptive work.
Acts 2:42
“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
The early Christians in Acts 2:42 are depicted as devoted to various practices, including the breaking of bread. This verse provides evidence of the significance placed on the communal act of sharing the Eucharist as a regular part of the believers’ spiritual lives.
Beyond the physical sharing of bread, this verse implies a deeper spiritual significance. The breaking of bread encompasses more than a mere act of consumption; it represents a gathering of believers, their unity in faith, and their commitment to fellowship. The Eucharist, therefore, becomes a powerful symbol of community, reminding believers of the value of shared faith and the mutual support they are called to provide for one another.
1 Corinthians 11:26
“For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.”
Paul’s letter to the Corinthians emphasizes the ongoing significance of the Eucharist. Whenever believers partake in the bread and cup, they act as witnesses, proclaiming the death of the Lord until His return.
This verse underscores the Eucharist’s connection to Christ’s sacrificial death and the anticipation of His second coming. By participating in the Eucharist, believers continually affirm their faith in the redemptive work of Christ and eagerly await His glorious return. The act of partaking in the Eucharist serves as a demonstration of faith, a declaration of hope, and a reminder of God’s promise of salvation.
Matthew 26:26
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’”
This verse recounts the moment when Jesus takes the bread, blesses it, and gives it to His disciples, proclaiming, “This is my body.” Through this act, Jesus establishes the sacrament of the Eucharist, whereby the bread becomes a tangible representation of His body.
By instructing His disciples to take and eat the bread, Jesus emphasizes the need for personal participation in the Eucharist. This verse serves as a reminder that the Eucharist is not a passive observance but an invitation to actively partake in the life of Christ, to be nourished by His body, and to grow in spiritual communion with Him and fellow believers.
John 6:51
“I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Whoever eats this bread will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.”
In this profound statement, Jesus declares Himself as the living bread that originated from heaven. He asserts that by partaking in this bread, believers will have eternal life. The bread, which Jesus says is His flesh, symbolizes His selfless sacrifice for the redemption of all humanity.
This verse emphasizes the central role of the Eucharist as a divine means of receiving spiritual nourishment, life, and the promise of eternity through the body and blood of Christ. By associating Himself with bread, Jesus highlights the sustenance and sustainer aspect of the Eucharist, encouraging believers to seek fulfillment and true life in Him alone.
Acts 20:7
“On the first day of the week, we came together to break bread. Paul spoke to the people and, because he intended to leave the next day, kept on talking until midnight.”
Throughout the book of Acts, the breaking of bread is frequently mentioned as a crucial aspect of early Christian gatherings. Acts 20:7 provides an example of believers coming together on the first day of the week for the specific purpose of breaking bread.
This verse not only highlights the regularity of the Eucharistic practice among early Christians but also emphasizes the importance they placed on communal worship and teaching. The breaking of bread became an integral part of their spiritual gatherings, reinforcing the significance of the Eucharist as a unifying act that strengthens the bond of fellowship among believers.
1 Corinthians 11:23-25
“For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”
Paul recalls the words of Jesus during the Last Supper, as he received them and passed them on to the Corinthians. He emphasizes that through the act of breaking bread and drinking from the cup, believers are called to remember the sacrificial death of Christ and to participate in the new covenant established through His blood.
This passage reinforces the ongoing nature of the Eucharist as a source of continuous remembrance and renewal for believers. By engaging in the ritual of the Eucharist, Christians align themselves with the redemptive work of Jesus and renew their commitment to follow Him faithfully.
Mark 14:22
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, ‘Take it; this is my body.’”
During the Last Supper, Jesus takes the bread, gives thanks, breaks it, and distributes it to His disciples, declaring it as His body. This act initiates the institution of the Eucharist and establishes the transformative nature of the bread in representing the physical embodiment of Christ.
This verse serves as a powerful reminder that the Eucharist is not a passive event but an active encounter with the body of Christ. By taking the bread, believers partake in a tangible expression of their union with Christ, experiencing His presence and grace in a real and transformative way.
1 Corinthians 11:27-29
“So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.”
Paul warns the Corinthian believers about the importance of approaching the Eucharist in a worthy manner. He emphasizes the need for self-examination before partaking in the bread and cup, lest one become guilty of disrespecting the body and blood of Christ.
This passage highlights the gravity of the Eucharistic act and its connection to personal holiness and spiritual discernment. Believers are called to approach the Eucharist with reverence, acknowledging the sacred nature of the elements and the profound significance of Christ’s sacrifice, so as to partake in a manner that aligns with the reverence and respect due to the Lord.
1 Corinthians 10:17
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.”
Paul emphasizes the unity of believers through the communal act of sharing the one loaf in the Eucharist. By partaking in the bread together, believers demonstrate their connection to one another as members of the body of Christ.
This verse underscores the transformative power of the Eucharist to unite diverse individuals into a single body, fostering a sense of belonging, interdependence, and shared identity. It reminds believers that their participation in the Eucharist goes beyond personal devotion and extends to the formation of a collective communion with fellow believers.
John 6:55
“For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink.”
Jesus affirms the substantial reality of His body and blood in relation to the Eucharist. He presents His flesh as true food and His blood as true drink, indicating that the Eucharist provides spiritual nourishment in a tangible and substantial way.
This verse challenges any notion that the Eucharist is merely symbolic by proclaiming that the body and blood of Christ are genuinely present in the sacrament. It calls believers to recognize the transformative nature of the Eucharist as a means of receiving spiritual sustenance that feeds and satisfies the deepest longings of the soul.
Luke 24:30-31
“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.”
This passage recounts the post-resurrection encounter on the road to Emmaus, where Jesus joins two disciples for a meal. As Jesus breaks the bread and gives it to them, their eyes are opened, and they suddenly recognize Him. Moments later, Jesus disappears from their sight.
This verse contains profound significance as it unveils the transformative power of the Eucharist to open the eyes of believers and reveal the presence of Christ. It serves as a reminder that in the breaking of bread, believers have the opportunity to intimately encounter the risen Lord and experience His presence in a unique and transformative way.
Acts 2:46
“Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts.”
This verse portrays early believers engaging in the communal act of breaking bread not only in a religious setting but also in their homes. It conveys the regularity and sincerity with which they participated in the Eucharist, cultivating a spirit of joy and unity.
By breaking bread together both in public and private settings, believers fostered a sense of spiritual intimacy and shared fellowship. This verse offers a glimpse into the organic and integral place the Eucharist held in the lives of early Christians as a source of nourishment, joy, and close communion with one another.
John 6:54
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”
This verse emphasizes the incredible promise that Jesus offers to those who partake in the Eucharist. By consuming His flesh and blood, believers receive not only spiritual nourishment but also the assurance of eternal life. Jesus pledges to raise them up on the final day, signifying the hope of resurrection and the ultimate victory over death.
This verse underscores the transformative nature of the Eucharist, which serves as a tangible means for believers to participate in the life-giving and life-sustaining power of Christ. It resonates with the longing for eternal life and affirms the profound hope that believers embrace when partaking in the sacrament.
Acts 2:47
“Praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”
This verse follows the description of the early Christian community’s devotion to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking of bread, and prayer (Acts 2:42). It indicates that as the believers faithfully engaged in these practices, the Lord blessed them with favor and ongoing growth, daily adding to their numbers those who were being saved.
This verse demonstrates the connection between the Eucharistic practice and the expansion of the early Church. By actively participating in the breaking of bread, the believers experienced spiritual vitality and unity, leading not only to personal transformation but also to the evangelization and salvation of others.
Luke 22:19-20
“And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”
In this parallel account to Matthew 26:26-28, Luke recounts Jesus’ words during the Last Supper. Jesus gives the bread, already symbolizing His body, and the cup, symbolizing His blood, to His disciples, instructing them to do the same in remembrance of Him.
These words establish the Eucharist as a perpetual sacrament, reminding believers of the sacrificial love and covenantal relationship they are called to remember. By participating in the Eucharist, believers actively engage with the redemptive work of Christ and become partakers of the new covenant, bound to Him through His body and blood.
1 Corinthians 5:7
“Get rid of the old yeast, so that you may be a new unleavened batch—as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.”
In this verse, Paul draws a parallel between the symbolism of the Passover feast and the significance of Christ’s sacrifice. He urges the Corinthians to rid themselves of old sin so that they may become a new, pure, and unleavened batch.
By referring to Christ as the Passover lamb, Paul signifies the saving power of Christ’s sacrificial death and aligns it with the liberation from bondage experienced by the Israelites in the Passover. This verse invites believers to reflect on the transformative power of Christ’s sacrifice and to partake in the Eucharist as a means to continually experience freedom from sin.
1 Corinthians 11:28
“Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup.”
Paul’s exhortation for believers to examine themselves before partaking in the bread and cup underscores the importance of personal reflection and self-assessment. This admonition prompts believers to assess their motives, attitudes, and spiritual readiness before engaging in the Eucharist.
By examining themselves, believers can discern any areas of unconfessed sin or unresolved conflicts that may hinder their ability to fully partake in the sacrament with a pure and repentant heart. This verse emphasizes the need for inner preparation and self-reflection, fostering a deeper and more meaningful participation in the Eucharist.
John 6:56
“Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.”
This verse highlights the intimate union between Christ and those who partake in the Eucharist. By eating His flesh and drinking His blood, believers remain in Christ, imbibing His life and becoming one with Him.
The verse highlights the ongoing communion and indwelling of Christ within believers through the Eucharist. It emphasizes the transformative nature of the sacrament, as believers are invited to experience a profound and intimate relationship with the Savior, continually abiding in His love, and being nourished and sustained by His presence.