The Lord's Supper as Memorial to Christ's Sacrifice

The Lord's Supper, also known as the Eucharist, Communion, or the breaking of bread, is a central act of Christian worship instituted by Jesus Christ during his final Passover meal with his disciples ^{[1, 2]}. While all traditions acknowledge its commemorative aspect, significant theological differences exist regarding the nature and efficacy of this memorial.

One perspective, prominent in Reformed and Baptist traditions, emphasizes the Lord's Supper primarily as a symbolic memorial of Christ's sacrifice. John Gill, for instance, describes the bread and wine as "representations of the body and blood of Christ," with the entire ordinance designed "to remember Christ, and show forth his death" ^[7]. Similarly, John Calvin, in his Institutes of the Christian Religion, states that the Supper is a "memento, or, as it is commonly expressed, the memorial" of Christ's death ^[9]. This view often highlights 1 Corinthians 11:26, where partaking in the Supper is described as proclaiming "the Lord's death till He come" ^{[5, 7]}. The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown commentary on this verse suggests that the act implies a public profession of Christ's death "for me," emphasizing a vivid realization by faith rather than a literal presence ^[4].

In contrast, the Lutheran tradition, as articulated in the Augsburg Confession, teaches that "the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord" ^[11]. This position, while still acknowledging the memorial aspect, goes beyond mere symbolism to affirm a real, though not necessarily physical in a transubstantial sense, presence of Christ's body and blood in the elements.

The Eastern Orthodox Church, represented by figures like John Chrysostom, also understands the Supper as more than a simple remembrance. Chrysostom connects the present celebration to the original event, suggesting that participants should be affected "even as on that very evening and reclining on that very couch and receiving from Christ himself this sacrifice" ^[8]. This perspective often emphasizes the Supper as a continuation of Christ's sacrifice, though not a re-crucifixion.

The Catholic scholastic tradition, exemplified by Aquinas in the Summa Theologica, refers to the celebration of the sacrament as a "sacrifice" for two reasons. Firstly, it is an "image representing Christ's Passion," where images are called by the names of the things they represent. Secondly, it is a memorial of Christ's sacrifice ^[10]. This view underscores both the commemorative and sacrificial dimensions of the Eucharist.

Despite these differences, all traditions agree that the Lord's Supper is an ordinance instituted by Christ himself ^{[1, 3]}. It serves as a reminder of his atoning death and looks forward to his return ^{[5, 7]}. The divergence in understanding often stems from differing interpretations of the nature of Christ's presence in the elements and the precise meaning of "memorial" in a theological context. The Passover meal, which the Lord's Supper replaced, also served as a memorial of God's deliverance of Israel from Egypt ^{[6, 12]}, providing a historical precedent for a commemorative feast.

Sources

Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Lord's Supper — (1 Cor. 11:20), called also "the Lord's table" (10:21), "communion," "cup of blessing" (10:16), and "breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42). In the early Church it was called also "eucharist," or giving of thanks (comp. Matt. 26:27), and generally by the Latin Church "mass," a name derived from the formula of dismission, Ite, missa est, i.e., "Go, it is discharged." The account of the institution of this ordinance is given in Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19, 20, and 1 Cor. 11:24-26. It is not mentioned by John. It was designed, (1.) To commemorate t”
Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Supper — The words which thus describe the great central act of the worship of the Christian Church occur but in a single passage of the New Testament-- (1 Corinthians 11:20) + Its institution .--It was instituted on that night when Jesus and his disciples met together to eat the passover, (Matthew 26:19; Mark 14:16; Luke 22:13) (on Thursday evening, April 6, A.D. 30). It was probably instituted at the third cup (the cup of blessing) of the passover [see on [821]Passover], Jesus taking one of the unleavened cakes used at the feast and breaking it and giving it t”
Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion of the Lord's Supper — Prefigured -- Ex 12:21-28; 1Co 5:7,8. Instituted -- Mt 26:26; 1Co 11:23. Object of -- Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24,26. Is the communion of the body and blood of Christ -- 1Co 10:16. Both bread and wine are necessary to be received in -- Mt 26:27; 1Co 11:26. Self-examination commanded before partaking of -- 1Co 11:28,31. Newness of heart and life necessary to the worthy partaking of -- 1Co 5:7,8. Partakers of, be wholly separate to God -- 1Co 10:21. Was continually partaken of, by the Church -- Ac 2:42; 20:7. Unworthy partakers of Are guilty of”
1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 11:26: For--in proof that the Lord's Supper is "in remembrance" of Him. show--announce publicly. The Greek does not mean to dramatically represent, but "ye publicly profess each of you, the Lord has died FOR ME" [WAHL]. This word, as "is" in Christ's institution (Co1 11:24-25), implies not literal presence, but a vivid realization, by faith, of Christ in the Lord's Supper, as a living person, not a mere abstract dogma, "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh" (Eph 5:30; compare Gen 2:23); and ourselves "members of His body, of His flesh, and of Hi”
1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:26: 11:26 In taking the Lord’s Supper, Christians proclaim the saving significance of the Lord’s death to those around them until he comes again (see 1:7-8; cp. 1 Thes 1:9-10; 3:12; 4:13-18; 5:23).”
Exodus (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on Exodus 12:27: It is the sacrifice of the Lord's passover - We have already intimated that the paschal lamb was an illustrious type of Christ; and we shall find that every thing in this account is typical or representative. The bondage and affliction of the people of Israel may be considered as emblems of the hard slavery and wretchedness consequent on a state of sinfulness. Satan reigns over both body and soul, bringing the whole into subjection to the law of sin and death; while various evil tempers, passions, lusts, and irregular appetites, act as subordinate tormentors, makin”
1 Corinthians (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on 1 Corinthians 11:26: Wherefore,.... Since this is the plain institution of the Lord's supper, the form and manner of administering of it; and since the bread and wine in it are representations of the body and blood of Christ, and the design of the whole is to remember Christ, and show forth his death; it follows, 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. The bread and cup are called the bread and cup of the Lord; because ate and drank in remembrance of him, being symbols of his body and of h”
CCEL/NPNF (Eastern Orthodox) “John Chrysostom, Homilies on 1 & 2 Corinthians: in His own Blood; lest any should be troubled on hearing this, He reminds them of that ancient sacrifice. [6.] Next, having spoken concerning that Supper, he connects the things present with the things of that time, that even as on that very evening and reclining on that very couch and receiving from Christ himself this sacrifice, so also now might men be affected; and he saith, Ver. 26 . “For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye proclaim the Lord’s death till He come.” For as Christ in regard to the bread and the cup said, “Do t”
CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 100: offer Christ to the Father in the mass, we, by this work of oblation, obtain remission of sins, and become partakers of the sufferings of Christ. What is now left for the sufferings of Christ, but to be an example of redemption, that we may thereby learn to be our own redeemers? Christ himself, when he seals our assurance of pardon in the Supper, does not bid his disciples stop short at that act, but sends them to the sacrifice of his death; intimating, that the Supper is the memento, or, as it is commonly expressed, the memorial ”
theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Rite of This Sacrament, Art. 1: Article: Whether Christ is sacrificed in this sacrament? I answer that, The celebration of this sacrament is called a sacrifice for two reasons. First, because, as Augustine says (Ad Simplician. ii), "the images of things are called by the names of the things whereof they are the images; as when we look upon a picture or a fresco, we say, 'This is Cicero and that is Sallust.'" But, as was said above (Question [79], Article [1]), the celebration of this sacrament is an image representing Christ's Passio”
Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood: 1 Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed 2 to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.”
Mishneh Torah (Maimonides) (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Mishneh Torah (Maimonides), Mishneh Torah%2C Leavened and Unleavened Bread 9:34: The Passover sacrifice that our ancestors were accustomed to eating when the Temple existed, for the sake of what [was it]? For the sake [to commemorate] that the Holy One, blessed be He, passed over the homes of our ancestors in Egypt, as it is stated (Exodus 12:27); "And you shall say: 'It is the Passover sacrifice to the Lord, for that He passed over the homes of the Children of Israel in Egypt, when He smote the Egyptians, and our homes he saved.’ And the people bowed the head and bowed."”

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