Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 29
III. The Lord Jesus has, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people, to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants [e]; but to none who are not then present in the congregation [f].
[e] Matthew 26:26 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. Ver.27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it.Ver.28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
And Mark 14:22 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. Ver.23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. Ver.24 And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
And Luke 22:19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Ver.20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 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: Ver.24 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. Ver.25 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. Ver.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
[f] Acts 20:7 And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
1 Corinthians 11:20 When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord’s supper.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 29
IV. Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other alone [g]; as likewise, the denial of the cup to the people [h], worshipping the elements, the lifting them up, or carrying them about, for adoration, and the reserving them for any pretended religious use; are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ [i].
[g] 1 Corinthians 10:6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
[h] Mark 14:23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
1 Corinthians 11:25 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. Ver.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Ver.27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Ver.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Ver.29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
[i] Matthew 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 29
V. The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ [k]; albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before [l].
[k] Matthew 26:26 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. Ver.27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; Ver.28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[l] 1 Corinthians 11:26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Ver.27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Ver.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
Matthew 26:29 But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 29
VI. That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation) by consecration of a priest, or by any other way, is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense, and reason; overthrows the nature of the sacrament, and has been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions; yes, of gross idolatries [m].
[m] Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
With 1 Corinthians 11:24 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. Ver.25 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. Ver.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee. Ver.39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
Westminster Larger Catechism
Q.170. How do they that worthily communicate in the Lord’s Supper feed upon the body and blood of Christ therein?
A. As the body and blood of Christ are not corporally or carnally present in, with, or under the bread and wine in the Lord’s supper [g], and yet are spiritually present to the faith of the receiver, no less truly and really than the elements themselves are to their outward senses [h]; so they that worthily communicate in the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, do therein feed upon the body and blood of Christ, not after a corporal and carnal, but in a spiritual manner; yet truly and really [i], while by faith they receive and apply unto themselves Christ crucified, and all the benefits of his death [k].
[g] Acts 3:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
[h] Matthew 26:26 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. Ver.28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
[i] 1 Corinthians 11:24-29 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. Ver.25 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. Ver.26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Ver.27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. Ver.28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. Ver.29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.
[k] 1 Corinthians 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?
Westminster Confession of Faith, Chapter 29
VII. Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements, in this sacrament [n], do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally but spiritually, receive and feed upon, Christ crucified, and all benefits of His death: the body and blood of Christ being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet, as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses [o].
[n] 1 Corinthians 11:28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
[o] 1 Corinthians 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?
End of Lesson, Day 95
For Further Study:
CHAP. XXIX. - Of the Lord's Supper - Commentary by Gordon H. Clark
Chapter XXIX. Of the Lord' s Supper - Exposition by Robert Shaw
Chapter 29: Of the Lord's Supper - Commentary by A.A.Hodge
- Francis R. Beattie's The Presbyterian Standards
- James Fisher's
Catechism on the Catechism - John Flavel's Exposition of the Assembly's Shorter Catechism
- Matthew Henry's
A Scripture Catechism in the Method of the Assembly's - Thomas Vincent's
The Shorter Catechism Explained from Scripture - Thomas Watson's
Body of Divinity - John Whitecross'
The Shorter Catechism Illustrated
Patriarchy and the “Sacraments”: “The Lord’s Table”
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