Questions about Communion / Lord's Supper

[JohnHurt]

Here are some questions I have:

1. How often do the Anabaptists groups that you know practice "Communion"? (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).

2. Do different groups do different things with Communion? Like, do they do the bread first, then the wine, then they take up a collection? Or do they do something different?

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

4. Do any of the Anabaptist groups practice foot washing? It looks like it is an instruction of Christ in John 13:14-15. I first experienced this at a Baptist church, men washing men's feet, women washing women's feet, and it was a beautiful act of humility and love that bonded all of us together.

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5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

c. Since most Christians have replaced Passover with Easter, and they no longer keep the yearly feast days of Unleavened Bread, then they don't normally eat unleavened bread. So I can't see that the instruction "as often as ye eat this bread" (1 Cor 11:26) as referring to unleavened bread, because Christians don't normally eat unleavened bread ever, for any reason.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

Thanks,

John

[Soloist]

Here are some questions I have:

1. How often do the Anabaptists groups that you know practice "Communion"? (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).

Most I’m aware of do it twice a year. That apparently was a change from when they only did it once a year, there was a discussion back about that here, I think Neto said something about it.

2. Do different groups do different things with Communion? Like, do they do the bread first, then the wine, then they take up a collection? Or do they do something different?

I’ve never paid enough attention to knowing which is first but I think they follow the pattern in Scripture. A collection generally to my memory isn’t specifically taken during during it.

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

I’ve heard it called both

4. Do any of the Anabaptist groups practice foot washing? It looks like it is an instruction of Christ in John 13:14-15. I first experienced this at a Baptist church, men washing men's feet, women washing women's feet, and it was a beautiful act of humility and love that bonded all of us together.

First church we went to was a semi liberal church, the kiss was mostly dropped but they still did foot washing with communion. The two conservative Mennonite churches did foot washing and the conservative charity church also did.

5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

I don’t know, likely tradition. I’m unaware of any doctrinal reasons.

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

I thought it was unleavened but I don’t know.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

One of the accusations against Protestants is irreverence by practicing it weekly, I personally felt they had a strong focus on the seriousness and reverence. They didn’t though have much teaching on what should deny you to partake nor did they actually deny anyone. They would request before serving that you were a baptized Christian but that was it.

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

My personal opinion is that the communion/Lord’s supper was one aspect of a shared love feast between believers and was what was being referenced by breaking bread house to house. I don’t believe you need to be ordained or have it be ceremonial like it is. I do believe we need to be reverent about our personal regard to partaking.

[steve-in-kville]

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

None. We call it Lovefeast. And for us, its almost an entire meal.

[MaxPC]

5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

c. Since most Christians have replaced Passover with Easter, and they no longer keep the yearly feast days of Unleavened Bread, then they don't normally eat unleavened bread. So I can't see that the instruction "as often as ye eat this bread" (1 Cor 11:26) as referring to unleavened bread, because Christians don't normally eat unleavened bread ever, for any reason.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

Thanks,

John

For now, I can provide a partial answer from the Roman Catholic theology. I have to dash out the door for an appointment and will continue later as the schedule allows.

Regarding queries a. and b. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion? and The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

Jesus as a faithful Jew used unleavened bread on the first day of Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper:

Matthew 26:17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?”

Catholics believe that the Last Supper was the very first Mass.

RCC praxis: Jesus as a faithful Jew used unleavened bread on the first day of Unleavened Bread for the Last Supper (Matthew 26:17 Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying, “Where will you have us prepare for you to eat the passover?”) Catholics believe that the Last Supper was the very first Mass.

The words Jesus spoke during the Last Supper are used in every Catholic Mass during the Liturgy of the Eucharist.

Matthew 26
26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 

As Jesus' sacrifice is central to our Christian faith, we celebrate this sacrifice every week, even every day as priests are available. The Mass is the most powerful expression and prayer in our theology so we see it as indispensible to our lives. Right, more later, must dash.

[Sudsy]

Here are some questions I have:

My experience -

1. How often do the Anabaptists groups that you know practice "Communion"? (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).

The Mennonite Brethren (MB) church I attended - monthly.

2. Do different groups do different things with Communion? Like, do they do the bread first, then the wine, then they take up a collection? Or do they do something different?

There are some pattern in the MB church in the actual taking of the bread and juice as the text is read from 1 Cor. 11. However the bread is not broken but already prepared in little cube amounts and grape juice is used instead of wine. Everyone is allowed to participate, not just members, with their decision to participate stated as between them and God. Collections are not normally taken at that time. Also the pastor is not the only one that might lead in this observance. Both men and women help pass out the emblems as people sit in their pews.

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

Either term may be used.

4. Do any of the Anabaptist groups practice foot washing? It looks like it is an instruction of Christ in John 13:14-15. I first experienced this at a Baptist church, men washing men's feet, women washing women's feet, and it was a beautiful act of humility and love that bonded all of us together.

Not at the MB church I attended. However, some have practised this in home bible studies. There is no opposition to doing it. A previous MB pastor we had would serve tables at our banquets and I believe it was his alternative to the foot washing in NT times.

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5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

Never have. At all churches I have participated in the bread was normal white bread.

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

Don't know.

c. Since most Christians have replaced Passover with Easter, and they no longer keep the yearly feast days of Unleavened Bread, then they don't normally eat unleavened bread. So I can't see that the instruction "as often as ye eat this bread" (1 Cor 11:26) as referring to unleavened bread, because Christians don't normally eat unleavened bread ever, for any reason.

The white bread we used was regarded as a symbol of the body of Christ and the juice His blood. The actual elements used was not regarded as that important. Some insist the wine be wine also. In some churches today I have heard they use potato chips and soda pop. This doesn't strike me as something I would do as these foods to me seem to stray too far from the text. But I 'm much older than most.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

I believe scripture says 'as often as you do this in remembrance of me' so I take that to mean the time frame is not specified. I would guess the most popular time, aside from RC, is once a month

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

I don't know but my guess is that not all common meals first shared by early church Christians had this remembrance but I believe the giving of thanks before the meal was common. In the MB church a common meal occasionally did follow a communion Sunday and these were 'pot luck' meals (as some call them) and regular church members were contacted before this meal to either bring a main course, salad or dessert so we didn't all bring our favourite dessert. We were often encouraged at these to sit and eat with those you didn't know that well in the church and get to know them.

Thanks,

John

[Josh]

Note that Catholics observed the Eucharist once or twice a year in the 1500s. This changed in the early 1900s to weekly, probably from “competition” from Church of Christ sort of influences that were peeling away many people (CoC also teaches baptismal regeneration and that Communion imparts weekly grace; they also teach it needs to be weekly if possible).

As Jesus observed Passover once a year, I feel comfortable having Communion once a year.

[Ernie]

As I remember, unleavened bread at communion was not a thing until about the 6th or 7th century.

[Josh]

As I remember, unleavened bread at communion was not a thing until about the 6th or 7th century.

Presumably, it was unleavened at the last supper.

However, I don’t think communion has to be identical to Passover. For example, Passover didn’t have foot washing as part of it, yet Jesus instituted such a new tradition.

[Josh]

John,

I will answer regarding my own church group.

#1. Yearly

#2. Different groups tend to have different traditions. In our circles it is quite uniform.

#3. We call it Communion

#4. Yes, we practice foot washing.

#5. We use “standard” bread, I.e., leavened.

Here are some questions I have:

1. How often do the Anabaptists groups that you know practice "Communion"? (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).

2. Do different groups do different things with Communion? Like, do they do the bread first, then the wine, then they take up a collection? Or do they do something different?

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

4. Do any of the Anabaptist groups practice foot washing? It looks like it is an instruction of Christ in John 13:14-15. I first experienced this at a Baptist church, men washing men's feet, women washing women's feet, and it was a beautiful act of humility and love that bonded all of us together.

------------------------

5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

c. Since most Christians have replaced Passover with Easter, and they no longer keep the yearly feast days of Unleavened Bread, then they don't normally eat unleavened bread. So I can't see that the instruction "as often as ye eat this bread" (1 Cor 11:26) as referring to unleavened bread, because Christians don't normally eat unleavened bread ever, for any reason.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

Thanks,

John

[ohio jones]

1. How often do the Anabaptists groups that you know practice "Communion"? (Weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly).

My congregation practices it twice a year (here's why). Some others in our network may be more frequent, quarterly or monthly; weekly would be rare.

2. Do different groups do different things with Communion? Like, do they do the bread first, then the wine, then they take up a collection? Or do they do something different?

Our sequence is the bread, the fruit of the vine, and footwashing. During the footwashing there are offering plates available for contributions to the alms fund, which could be considered financial footwashing.

3. Do they call it "Communion" or "The Lord's Supper"?

Either, but Communion is more common.

4. Do any of the Anabaptist groups practice foot washing? It looks like it is an instruction of Christ in John 13:14-15. I first experienced this at a Baptist church, men washing men's feet, women washing women's feet, and it was a beautiful act of humility and love that bonded all of us together.

It is common among Mennonites.

5. This question is for all Christians that practice Communion - even myself, so I am struggling with this one:

a. Why do Christians eat unleavened bread when they take communion?

b. The feast of Unleavened Bread started on the day after Passover. Lev 23:4-6 Did our Lord actually eat Unleavened Bread at the Last Supper on Passover, the day before the Feast of Unleavened Bread? Or was it the regular leavened bread that He shared with His disciples, as the Feast of Unleavened Bread started the day after His death on the Cross?

c. Since most Christians have replaced Passover with Easter, and they no longer keep the yearly feast days of Unleavened Bread, then they don't normally eat unleavened bread. So I can't see that the instruction "as often as ye eat this bread" (1 Cor 11:26) as referring to unleavened bread, because Christians don't normally eat unleavened bread ever, for any reason.

d. And I don't understand practicing Communion every week, as Passover and Unleavened Bread were yearly memorials.

e. Is "communion" or the "Lord's Supper" really the common meal shared between Christians in the early church? 1 Cor 11:21, Jude 1:12

We usually, but not always, have unleavened bread as a reminder of Christ's fulfillment of Passover and the feasts.