Biblical Meaning of Communion: Literal or Symbolic?

The Bible definitively teaches that the communion service, or the Lord's Supper, is a sacred, symbolic memorial of Christ's sacrifice, rather than the literal, physical body and blood of our Savior. When we approach the Word of God, we find a beautiful, Christ-centered ordinance designed to turn our hearts in faith to the finished work of Jesus on the cross, as we "show the Lord’s death till he come" 1 Corinthians 11:26.

Let us explore the profound biblical foundations for this truth through a dedicated study of God's Word.

The Biblical Language of Symbols

When Jesus instituted the communion service, He took bread, broke it, and said, "Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you" 1 Corinthians 11:24. To correctly understand this phrase, we must recognize the customary figurative language that runs throughout Scripture. The Bible frequently uses the verb "to be" to mean "represents" or "signifies."

We see this idiom utilized continuously by God's prophets and by Jesus Himself:

• When Joseph interpreted Pharaoh's dream, he stated, "The seven good cows are seven years" Genesis 41:26. The cows were not literal years; they represented them.

• Jesus employed this same illustrative language when He declared, "I am the vine, you are the branches" John 15:5.

• In the book of Revelation, Christ explains a prophetic vision by stating, "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which you saw are the seven churches" Revelation 1:20.

• Speaking of the children of Israel in the wilderness, the Apostle Paul wrote, "they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ" 1 Corinthians 10:4.

In all these instances, the language is undeniably symbolic. Therefore, when Jesus said, "This is my body," He was using a familiar, beautiful idiom to reveal that the bread represents His body, not that it miraculously changes into literal flesh.

The Transition from Passover to Communion

The historical and biblical context of the Last Supper firmly establishes it as a memorial ordinance. Jesus instituted this practice during the Passover feast Luke 22:13. The Passover itself was given strictly as a symbolic memorial of Israel's deliverance from Egyptian bondage. God commanded them, "And this day shall be to you for a memorial; and you shall keep it a feast to the LORD throughout your generations; you shall keep it a feast by an ordinance for ever" Exodus 12:14.

However, the Passover was also a shadow pointing forward to the ultimate Lamb of God, for "even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us" 1 Corinthians 5:7. As Jesus stood at the point of transition between the old covenant and the new, He brought the Passover system to its fulfillment. He declared, "I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God" Luke 22:16. In place of the national festival of the Jews, Christ instituted the Lord's Supper to be the ongoing memorial of His great sacrifice for all people through all ages.

The Commemorative Nature of the Ordinance

The primary purpose of communion is memory and anticipation. Christ's own instructions are explicitly clear on this matter: "this do in remembrance of me" 1 Corinthians 11:24. He repeated this regarding the cup: "This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of me" 1 Corinthians 11:25.

The Apostle Paul further explains the purpose of partaking in these emblems: "For as often as you eat this bread, and drink this cup, you do show the Lord’s death till he come" 1 Corinthians 11:26. A memorial points our minds back to a finished historical event—the crucifixion—and forward to a glorious future reality—His second coming. Christ's sacrifice was completely sufficient and final, establishing a "new and living way, which he has consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh" Hebrews 10:20. Because His sacrifice was once for all time, we do not literally sacrifice Him again upon an altar; instead, we spiritually partake of His grace by faith.

The Bread of Life: A Spiritual Reality

The profound spiritual truth of communion is that we feed upon Christ by faith, receiving His Word, His merits, and His Spirit into our lives. In John 6 Jesus refers to Himself as the "living bread which came down from heaven" John 6:51. When He stated, "Except you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, you have no life in you" John 6:53, He was speaking of a deep, spiritual assimilation of His life and teachings. We partake of Him by believing in Him completely, for He also said in the very same discourse, "He that believes on me has everlasting life" John 6:47.

Furthermore, the physical elements themselves hold rich symbolic meaning. The unfermented, unleavened bread represents His pure, sinless body, "as of a lamb without blemish and without spot" 1 Peter 1:19. Leaven represents the corruption of sin 1 Corinthians 5:7, which is why the bread must be unleavened to properly symbolize the perfect purity of Christ's physical body. By physically eating the bread and drinking the fruit of the vine, we are tangibly acting out our spiritual reception of the Savior.

Summary

In conclusion, the Scriptures beautifully and consistently teach that the communion service is a sacred memorial. It is not a literal, physical transformation of bread and wine into human flesh and blood. Rather, it is a deeply spiritual ordinance that utilizes tangible symbols to represent the body and blood of Jesus Christ. As we partake of the emblems "in remembrance" of Him 1 Corinthians 11:24, we openly "show the Lord’s death till he come" 1 Corinthians 11:26. We are invited to this holy table to remember His unmatched love, to reflect upon our deep need for His cleansing grace, and to rejoice in the eternal salvation freely provided through His sacrifice on the cross.