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Significance of Wine in the Lord's Supper Tradition

The significance of wine in the Lord's Supper is a point of theological divergence among Christian traditions, particularly concerning its nature, preparation, and symbolic meaning. All traditions generally agree that the Lord's Supper was instituted by Jesus during the Passover meal, where he took bread and a cup, giving thanks [1, 2].

One perspective, common in many Protestant traditions, emphasizes the symbolic nature of the wine. For instance, the Anglican Thirty-Nine Articles state that the "Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ" to those who receive it "rightly, worthily, and with faith," viewing it as a sacrament of redemption [16]. Similarly, Reformed theology, as articulated by John Calvin, understands the elements as signs that accompany the substance of Christ's body and blood, distinguishing this from a literal change of substance [13]. John Gill, a Baptist commentator, interprets the "feast of fat things" and "drinking wine" in Isaiah 25:6 as referring to the Gospel dispensation and its ordinances, including the Lord's Supper, where the best things are reserved [8]. This view often sees the wine as representing Christ's blood shed for the forgiveness of sins, a public proclamation of his death until his return [9, 12].

In contrast, the Eastern Orthodox tradition, represented by figures like John Chrysostom, emphasizes a more direct connection to the ancient sacrifice and views the Supper as making present the events of that evening, with the wine becoming the very blood of Christ [11]. The Roman Catholic tradition, as seen in the writings of Aquinas, holds that the wine, when mixed with water, signifies the union of the people with Christ and refers to the water and blood that flowed from Christ's side [14]. This tradition also historically used wine as a drink offering to the Lord in the Old Testament [3, 4, 6, 7].

Lutheran theology, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, insists that "Both Kinds" (bread and wine) be given to the laity in the Sacrament, citing Christ's command in Matthew 26:27, "Drink ye all of it," and Paul's example in 1 Corinthians 11:27, which shows the whole congregation partaking of both [17]. This position emphasizes the real presence of Christ's body and blood "in, with, and under" the elements, though not through transubstantiation [13].

Despite these differences, traditions generally agree that the wine used in the Lord's Supper is grape-derived [5]. The practice of mixing wine with water has ancient roots, with the Babylonian Talmud discussing the dilution of wine for a "cup of blessing" [18]. Early Christian writers like Cyprian also debated the practice of mixing water with wine, with some arguing against making "water of wine" when Christ made "wine of water" [15]. The institution of the Lord's Supper itself is understood as a commemoration of Christ's sacrificial death [10].

Sources

  1. 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”
  2. 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”
  3. Numbers “Numbers 28:7 (KJV) — And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering.”
  4. Numbers “Numbers 15:7 (BSB) — and a third of a hin of wine as a drink offering, a pleasing aroma to the LORD.”
  5. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Wine — First mention of -- Ge 9:20,21. Was made of The juice of the grape. -- Ge 49:11. The juice of the pomegranate. -- Song 8:2. First mode of making, notice -- Ge 40:11. Generally made by treading the grapes in a press -- Ne 13:15; Isa 63:2,3. Refining of, alluded to -- Isa 25:6. Improved by age -- Lu 5:39. Places celebrated for Canaan in general. -- De 33:28. Possessions of Judah. -- Ge 49:8,11,12. Lebanon. -- Ho 14:7. Helbon. -- Eze 27:18. Assyria. -- 2Ki 18:32; Isa 36:17. Moab. -- Isa 16:8-10; Jer 48:32,33. Many kinds of -- Ne 5:18. Sweet, esteemed for flavour ”
  6. Numbers “Numbers 15:10 (DRC) — And wine for libations of the same measure, for an offering of most sweet savour to the Lord.”
  7. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Drink-offering — Consisted of wine (Num. 15:5; Hos. 9:4) poured around the altar (Ex. 30:9). Joined with meat-offerings (Num. 6:15, 17; 2 Kings 16:13; Joel 1:9, 13; 2:14), presented daily (Ex. 29:40), on the Sabbath (Num. 28:9), and on feast-days (28:14). One-fourth of an hin of wine was required for one lamb, one-third for a ram, and one-half for a bullock (Num. 15:5; 28:7, 14). "Drink offerings of blood" (Ps. 16:4) is used in allusion to the heathen practice of mingling the blood of animals sacrificed with wine or water, and pouring out the mixture in the worship o”
  8. Isaiah (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Isaiah 25:6: And in this mountain shall the Lord of hosts make unto all people a feast of fat things,.... Which is to be understood, not of the ultimate glory of the saints in heaven; which is sometimes represented by a feast; and the participation of it, by sitting down with the saints at a table in the kingdom of God, and by drinking wine there, to which state the best things are reserved, Mat 8:11, but rather of the Gospel dispensation, which lies in the ministration of the word and ordinances; and which are compared to a feast, which consists of the richest dainties, for the e”
  9. 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”
  10. 1 Corinthians (Methodist/Wesleyan) “Adam Clarke on 1 Corinthians 11:27: Whosoever shall eat - and drink - unworthily - To put a final end to controversies and perplexities relative to these words and the context, let the reader observe, that to eat and drink the bread and wine in the Lord's Supper unworthily, is to eat and drink as the Corinthians did, who ate it not in reference to Jesus Christ's sacrificial death; but rather in such a way as the Israelites did the passover, which they celebrated in remembrance of their deliverance from Egyptian bondage. Likewise, these mongrel Christians at Corinth used it as a kind of histori”
  11. 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”
  12. CCEL (Reformed (Old Princeton)) “Charles Hodge, Systematic Theology, Vol. 3, section 68: do shew the Lord’s death till he come. 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. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body.” Apart from matters of doubtful interpretation, these passages plainly teach, First, that the Lord’s Supper is a divine institution of perpetual obligation. Seco”
  13. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: obviously has reference to that view of the presence of Christ in the Lord’s Supper historically associated with the Lutheran tradition—a view which has often been called (in contradistinction to transubstantiation) “consubstantiation.” Whereas “transubstantiation” means a change of the substance of the bread and wine into the substance of Christ’s body and blood, “consubstantiation” means that the substance of the bread and wine is accompanied by the substance of Christ’s body and blood. Perhaps three references from Lutheran trad”
  14. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Matter of This Sacrament, Art. 7: Article: Whether the mixing with water is essential to this sacrament? I answer that, Judgment concerning a sign is to be drawn from the thing signified. Now the adding of water to the wine is for the purpose of signifying the sharing of this sacrament by the faithful, in this respect that by the mixing of the water with the wine is signified the union of the people with Christ, as stated (Article [6]). Moreover, the flowing of water from the side of Christ hanging on the cross refers to the same, bec”
  15. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 5: Hippolytus, Cyprian, Caius, Novatian — CUP OF THE LORD. (part 8): it is drunk, retains the Lord's truth.(6). 12. But how perverse and how contrary it is, that although the Lord at the marriage made wine of water, we should make water of wine, when even the sacrament of that thing ought to admonish and instruct us rather to offer wine in the sacrifices of the Lord. For because among the Jews there was a want of spiritual grace, wine also was wanting. For the vineyard of the Lord of hosts was the house of Israel; but Christ, when teaching and showing that the people of the Gentiles sh”
  16. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 271: The Supper of the Lord is not only a sign of the love that Christians ought to have among themselves one to another; but rather is a Sacrament of our Redemption by Christ's death: insomuch that to such as rightly, worthily, and with faith, receive the same, the Bread which we break is a partaking of the Body of Christ; and likewise the Cup of Blessing is a partaking of the Blood of Christ.”
  17. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s: 1 To the laity are given Both Kinds in the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, because this usage has the commandment of the Lord in Matt. 26:27: Drink ye all of it, 2 where Christ has manifestly commanded concerning the cup that all should drink. 3 And lest any man should craftily say that this refers only to priests, Paul in 1 Cor. 11:27 recites an example from which it appears that the whole congregation did use both kinds. 4 And this usage has long remained in the Church, nor is it known w”
  18. Babylonian Talmud (Jewish (Rabbinic)) “Babylonian Talmud, Shabbat 76b.7: GEMARA: It was taught in a Tosefta : The measure that determines liability for carrying out wine is equivalent to the wine diluted for a significant cup of wine. The Gemara explains: And what is the significant cup of wine to which the Tosefta referred? It is a cup of blessing. And Rav Naḥman said that Rabba bar Avuh said: A cup of blessing must have a quarter of a quarter of a log of undiluted wine in it, so that one will dilute it with water, and the cup will contain a quarter of a log . The ratio of dilution is typically three parts water to one part wine.”
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