Brother David, precisely that Blood of Jesus is on the Altar! It takes deep faith to be able to recognize it. The Lord said clearly "My Flesh is food indeed, and My Blood is drink indeed" and people left Him because they couldn't accept it; notice nobody left Him when He said "My food is to do the Will of the Father"; everyone understood He meant He derives strength from doing His Father's Will. But here we Christians are supposed to derive our strength from eating His Flesh and drinking His Blood in Holy Communion. "Unless you eat My Flesh and drink My Blood, you will not have life in you". We will be weak if we do not subsist on the Body and Blood of Jesus. The Apostles' responded with pure faith. "Lord to whom shall we go? You have the words of Eternal Life". The Apostles believed, the others walked away. That's why the 12 Apostles were invited to the Lord's Last Supper, and the others weren't. If you disagree, that's ok. But as others said, in that case, Holy Communion will indeed become only symbolic for you. The Apostolic Churches, Catholic, Orthodox and others, pray in the Liturgy for the Bread and the Wine to be changed and transformed into the Lord's Body and Blood before partaking.
This practice was handed down by the Apostles. See for e.g. the Liturgy of St. James, Bishop of Jerusalem, one of the 12 Apostles, which is still used in the Orthodox Church: https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/0717.htm The Apostles clearly believed in the Real Presence.
We can discuss Mother Mary in another thread. In my opinion, Rev 12:1 shows God has honored Mother Mary, and She is our Queen and Mother (Jn 19:26; Rev 12:17), and it is a Biblical Commandment to honor one's Mother. Mary is not worshipped, but only honored.
A beautiful piece of work Magenta. Just one thing. Jesus did not have long hair.![]()
John 6:35 and 6-48a
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And many churches today realise that communion is a Roman Catholic exercise that was not ditched at the reformation so they have searched the scriptures and not found any biblical authority for bread and wine communion.Literal or symbolic, a very important question indeed. For the first 16 centuries after Christ's ascension all Christian Churches, to include the Reformed Protestant Churches, took the Gospel teachings on Holy Communion literally. It's only in the last 500 years that many churches have moved to the 'symbolic' Holy Communion. For the first 1600 years it was never questioned. So did the Churches get it wrong for 1600 years? If so, how can the churches be trusted with anything today?
Thank youA beautiful piece of work Magenta. Just one thing. Jesus did not have long hair.
Excellent, an UNleavened bread, representing His Holy Body, andSymbolic
Thank youJesus is often depicted with longish hair, but in actual fact there is no record
of His hair length, unless you count the shroud of Turin as being authentic, perhaps.
Doesn't mean He never didI am advised by the experience of two young men who both went to heaven, saw Jesus and came back to earth. One of them painted a portrait of the Jesus he saw. The two men eventually met each other in the home of the one who painted the portrait and when he saw it he said "That's Jesus."
The portrait did not have long hair.
One small point. You totally ignored the context of the situation. Paul was instructing them about their behavior when they cameop: LORD's supper = literal or symbolic?
Excellent, an UNleavened bread, representing His Holy Body, and
UNfermented fruit of the vine (grapes), representing His PURE BLOOD,
According To The Holy Scriptures:
1Co_11:26 "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,
ye do shew The LORD's Death till He Come."
Amen?
GRACE And Peace...
If you look at the culture and history of the time you will find it was not normal for men to have long hair.Doesn't mean He never did
Plus, lots of people would recognize Jesus regardless of what He looked like![]()
1 Corinthians 101 Cor 10 seems to indicate it is literal. When we eat of the Bread which is blessed, we have Communion with the Body of Christ. When we drink of the Cup of Blessing that we bless, it is Communion with the Blood of Christ. We should see it as a Consolation from God imo. It strengthens us to know the Blood of Christ did not only wash us from our sins in the beginning when we are born again, it also continually sanctifies us whenever we receive that Precious Blood again in Holy Communion. In that way, we love God more and more.
1 Cor 10:16 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?
17 For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
18 Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?"
1 Corinthians 11 also has a passage which speaks against treating Holy Communion lightly. I will quote that later on. God Bless, All.
A problem I see with that is when we who partake go to the Bathroom.And many Churches today take Holy Communion literally as receiving Christ Himself.
Matthew 23You do realize that with Jesus came the New Covenant. You cite the teachings of the Old Covenant Levites. In fact, at the Last Supper, Jesus instuted His New Covenant at the Last Supper.
So, you can stick with the Levites and the Old Covenant or move to Jesus New Covenant.
Early Christian Art of JesusIf you look at the culture and history of the time you will find it was not normal for men to have long hair.