It is to be feared that because some who are called Christians make too much of the Lord’s supper, or rather misapply it, and run for a priest to administer it to a dying man to ensure his salvation; others are apt to make too little of it, and think of it solely as a table of remembrance. It is blessedly true that it is a table of remembrance. Our Lord said, “This do in remembrance of me,” and to partake of the Lord’s supper without remembering the Lord Himself, is surely not really partaking of it at all. The Lord knew what poor forgetful creatures we should be, and how much we should need a frequent ordinance by which to call Him to remembrance, and He instituted His supper for that very purpose.
But is there not more than this in the Lord’s supper? God has caused it to be written, “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.” (1 Cor. 10:16, 1716The 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? 17For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread. (1 Corinthians 10:16‑17).) Now here it is plainly a question of communion—communion in its double aspect. In verse 16 it is communion with the body and blood of the Lord, the body of our Lord that was nailed to the cross, the blood of our Lord that was shed to put away our sins. In verse 17 it is communion of the body of our Lord that is composed of His saints; though we be many, we are but one loaf—one body; and this is proved by being all partakers of the one loaf.
The communion between the offerer and the offering is illustrated from the Old Testament: “ Behold Israel after the flesh: are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? (ver. 18) or “ in communion with the altar?” That is, the saints have communion with the One offered on the altar, Christ Himself.
If we refer to the book of Leviticus we find this subject further elucidated. In chapter 1 it is the burnt offering, and in this all is burned upon the altar and nothing of it is eaten by the priest; so it is clear that this is not the same aspect of the death of Christ as in our chapter in Corinthians, for here it speaks of eating the sacrifice. The burnt offering is what Christ in His death is to God, offering Himself without spot to God as a sweet savor.
In Lev. 2 we have the meat offering. Here a part is eaten by Aaron and his sons; but this does not otherwise answer to our text, inasmuch as in this offering there is no blood-shedding, and without the shedding of blood there is no remission. The meat (or meal) offering represents what Christ was in His life down here, in His nature tried by the fire of God. It was a sweet savor to God, corresponding to the words heard from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” In Lev. 3, it is the peace offering, and this it is that corresponds to what we have in Corinthians. It has the two characteristics that we need; there is the shedding of blood, and the partaking of the offering.
It should be noticed that as with us there may be greater or lesser appreciation of the sacrifice, so the peace-offering might be of the herd, or of the flock, of the lambs, or of the goats. There may be also in us the weakness of appreciation, and so the animal was allowed to be male or female; whereas in other sacrifices it must be a male only.
The thought of “communion” is manifest by parts of the sacrifice being consumed on the altar, and parts eaten by the priests, and parts by the offerers themselves. Of the herd, “The fat that covereth the inwards, and all the fat that is upon the inwards, and the two kidneys, and the fat that is upon them, which is by the flanks, and the caul above the liver, with the kidneys,” was to be burnt upon the altar, a sweet savor unto the Lord. Thus the Lord claims the inward energy of the heart and of the will; and in verse 11 it is called “the food of the offering made by fire unto the Lord.” It is the Lord’s portion in that which typifies the “communion of saints.”
The wave-breast and the heave-shoulder were the portions given to the priest and to his sons. (Chap. 7:32-34) The right shoulder—the type of strength—was for the priest that offered the blood—our Lord Himself (for He is both Priest and Victim). The breast—the seat of affections—was for Aaron’s sons; the rest was for those who brought the offering. How wondrously the type which sets forth the worship of the saints expresses “communion” between Jehovah and the offerer. The victim was partly consumed as food upon the altar; partly eaten by the priests; and partly by those who brought the offering.
We learn also that there must be no uncleanness upon him that eats, nor must he even touch anything that is unclean, or he would be cut off from God’s people. (Vers. 10. 20.) So none have any place at the Lord’s table unless cleansed by the blood of Christ; and surely holiness becomes God’s house, which is ourselves. Far be the thought that any should approach the table of the Lord with “unholy hands.”
Let us not forget that we are warned that “Whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.” (1 Cor. 11:27, 2827Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. (1 Corinthians 11:27‑28).) Every Christian, unless some sin excludes him, is worthy to partake of the Lord’s supper; but he may eat and drink in an unworthy manner, and may not be “discerning the Lord’s body.” For this cause many at Corinth were weak and sickly, and many slept, were taken away in death. Is not this deeply solemn to be found in connection with the Lord’s supper?
It is communion with the body and the blood of our Lord who has died for us. We are purged worshippers, and must worship God in spirit and in truth. The Father seeketh such to worship Him., May we all, when gathered to remember our Lord in the breaking of bread, come in the freshness of the divine life, calling to mind that we do not worship simply as individuals, but that we are in communion with the many members, forming together the one body typified in the one loaf; and above all, that our communion is with the body of Christ in the bread which we eat, and with the blood of Christ in the cup of which we drink. Happy people to be thus engaged! What can equal in solemnity the being thus gathered to remember, with chastened spirits, what it cost our blessed Lord to bring us into such a communion? What can equal it in blessedness as we remember that while our act sets forth His death, yet we know that He is now exalted to the highest place in heaven, and that He graces the feast with His presence (Matt. 28:2020Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. (Matthew 28:20)), and in the midst of the congregation He sings praises? (Psalm 22:2222I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee. (Psalm 22:22).)