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| Do the bread and wine actually become the real blood and the real body of Jesus Christ? |
Does Transubstantiation Really Happen?
Is
Transubstantiation real during Communion?
In
other words, do the bread and wine actually become the real blood and the real
body of Jesus Christ?
What
does the Bible say about transubstantiation?
What is Transubstantiation?
Transubstantiation
is defined as an act or an instance of something being transubstantiated from
one substance into another, completely different from what it originally
was.
In
the case of the Eucharist in Catholicism and some other denominations, the belief
is that the actual bread and wine that are dispensed at Communion become
the literal blood and the actual flesh of Jesus Christ’s body.
They
believe it is the real presence of Christ. Like the fish and the loaves
were miraculously multiplied, the bread and wine become the literal body and
blood of Jesus Christ during the Eucharist or Communion.
When
an ordained priest blesses the bread and the wine, it is somehow transformed
into Jesus’ actual flesh and actual blood, though it retains the odor,
appearance, and taste of bread and wine.
This
doctrine is essentially and primarily that of the Roman Catholic Church.
Is Transubstantiation Taught in the Bible?
The
Bible is written in many forms. It comes in poetic, literature, narrative,
figurative, and literal.
A
good student of the Bible must understand what genre and what context certain
Scriptures are in and what the authors intended to says and to whom it was
specifically written to.
We
must read the Bible and then ask these questions; who was it written to; what
was the authorial intent; why was it written; where does the verse or verses reside
in the context of the chapter; when does this or these verses apply to the
reader?
A
key question or set of questions must always accompany the
reading of the Word
to make sense of what the Bible is saying.
When
Jesus said that if your eye offends you then you must pluck it out, did He mean
that we should literally gouge out our eye if we sin by seeing something
sinful?
Most
assuredly not and that is why we must take text and put them into proper
context or we risk creating a pretext and when we create a pretext it is highly
likely that we will be creating a false one.
Predominant Passage for Transubstantiation
Predominant Passage for Transubstantiation
The
main passage of Scripture in which Roman Catholics use as a proof text that
Transubstantiation occurs is John 6:53-57 where Jesus said to them,
“Truly,
truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his
blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my
blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my
flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh
and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent
me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live
because of me.”
Taking
a closer look at the entire chapter we can see the context of these
verses.
Jesus
was speaking to the Jews who were disputing Him for being the Bread of Life
which was that manna coming down from heaven in the Wilderness (John 6:41,
50-51).
He
was not speaking to the church or to the disciples (later apostles).
Now
if we take the rest of this chapter as the reason for the Transubstantiation to
really occur, we must believe that Jesus was also the literal manna that came
down from heaven and the Jews in the Wilderness gathered Him up and actually
ate God up and then those who gathered too much their manna became maggot
infested the next day.
It
seems preposterous to use one part of this text to prove that the Eucharist
bread and wine literally turn
into Jesus’ actual flesh and blood and they eat
these things and so by extension He must also be the manna and the manna was
transubstantiated into God’s body that the Jews ate.
This,
despite the fact that eating human flesh was an abomination to God.
And
this command does not just apply to the Old Testament since this goes against
one of the first commands to the Gentiles (non-Jews) in the New Testament.
James wrote to “tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.” And we are expected to believe that in Jesus’ case, it’s permissible to drink His blood!
James wrote to “tell them to abstain from eating food offered to idols, from sexual immorality, from eating the meat of strangled animals, and from consuming blood.” And we are expected to believe that in Jesus’ case, it’s permissible to drink His blood!
The Lord’s Supper
When
the Corinthians were abusing the Lord’s Supper, many became drunk on the wine
and Paul criticized them for getting drunk during the Lord’s Supper or
Communion (1 Corinthians 11:21).
But
could anyone ever get drunk on blood by drinking too much of it, if indeed the
wine is supposed to be transubstantiated into Jesus’ blood?
More
likely a person would get deathly sick from the consumption of blood besides
the dozens of commands in the Old Testament that forbade the consumption of
blood.
During
the inaugural Lord’s Supper, see if you can see this as an actual description
of His literal body or as being symbolic in Luke 22:19-20: “And
he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them,
saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of
me.”
And
likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the
new covenant in my blood.”
This
cup He spoke about was His blood “poured
out for you” not drunk by you and it is for “the new covenant in [His]
blood” but this blood was not for drinking but for the new covenant.
Can
we drink what is to be poured out? In the same way, the bread symbolized
His body which was “give for you (and
us).” Paul never mentions that this is His literal body we are eating
or that the bread is miraculously turned into His body.
And
we are to do this in remembrance of Him … DO this and not drink or eat
this. The church is commanded to Do this as He did as a memorial until He
comes again (1 Corinthians 11:26).
When
Paul gave instructions for observing the Passover meal in 1 Corinthians 11, he
was more concerned with them getting drunk by drinking too much wine and by
eating before the others even got there for the service and being full.
Some
came with little and were hungry while
others came early and ate and drank until they were full or drunk. Never
is there a mention of Jesus literal body and blood being consumed.
He
was talking about physical bread and literal wine because some were eating and
getting full before the others got there while others were drinking too much of
the wine and getting drunk on it.
This
does not sound like the wine was transubstantiated because could a person get
drunk on
wine that was transubstantiated into blood? I would think not.
Conclusion
Regardless
of how we interpret the Scriptures, a person can be saved without perfect
understanding, or we would all be in trouble.
Even
if you do not believe in the Roman Catholic doctrine of Transubstantiation, let
it not be a stumbling block for you and do not try to argue with others who
believe differently than you do.
There
is no good in that. The main thing is that Jesus Christ came and lived a
sinless life after being born of the Virgin Mary, that He died for the ungodly,
sinners like you and I, that He was raised on the third day, and that He
ascended up to heaven and will come again to judge the world in
righteousness.
The
main thing is to keep the main thing, the main thing and dividing over
non-essential doctrines is not the main thing.
Love
is one of the main teachings of Christ, that and love of God and just as long
as a person repents, confesses his sin, and trusts in Christ,
he will be saved. Isn’t that all that really matters?
Are you struggling with a big decision or wondering
how your eternal future will play out?
Why not talk to the God of the universe and let Him
work in your behalf?
He says, “I
will instruct you and teach you the way you should go; I will counsel you with
my eye upon you" (Psalm 32:8).
Ask God to show you what to do. Pray the following
prayer:
“Heavenly Father,
I admit that I am a sinner and my sins have
separated me from You. I now want to turn away from my past sinful life and
begin a new life with You.
Please forgive me. I now receive your Son,
Jesus Christ as my Savior, my Master and my Lord. I believe and confess that
Jesus Christ died for my sins, was buried, and rose from the dead.
I want to receive all that Jesus Christ has
provided for me as my Savior. Your Word says, ‘Whosoever shall call on the name
of the Lord shall be saved’ (Romans 10:13).
I believe and confess that Jesus Christ is
the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no man comes unto the Father, but by Him.
Lord Jesus, I pray and ask You, to come
into my heart and be Lord of my life. I thank You that you have given me
eternal life, and according to Your Word, I am born again.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of
the Holy Spirit that is in me now. I surrender my life to You. I promise to study Your Word - the Bible.
Use me for Your glory.
In Jesus Name. Amen.”
Related
Posts:
http://puricarefiles.blogspot.com/2016/05/crucifixes-have-long-been-fixture-in.html “Broken For Me”
lyrics
BROKEN
FOR ME, broken for you,
The body of Jesus, broken for you.
He offered His body, He poured out His soul;
Jesus was broken, that we might be whole:
Come to My table and with Me dine;
Eat of My bread and drink of My wine.
This is My body given for you;
Eat it remembering I died for you.
This is My blood I shed for you;
For your forgiveness, making you new.
The body of Jesus, broken for you.
He offered His body, He poured out His soul;
Jesus was broken, that we might be whole:
Come to My table and with Me dine;
Eat of My bread and drink of My wine.
This is My body given for you;
Eat it remembering I died for you.
This is My blood I shed for you;
For your forgiveness, making you new.
whatchristianswanttoknow.com
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