Introduction

Three times a year Eloah commands us all to appear before Him with an offering (Ex. 23:14, Deut. 16:16; 2Chr. 8:13). The three occasions are: Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles. Passover is the first of the three annual harvests of God. In the New Testament, “Passover” is the general term used to include the Lord’s Supper, The Night of Watching, Wave Sheaf and the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread.

We have learned in the paper 21-Day Sanctification Period (No. CB82), that the Lord’s Supper is a critical part of the annual sanctification process. It is during the Lord’s Supper service that baptised members come before God and renew their baptismal commitment through the symbols of foot washing, unleavened bread, and wine.

What is the Lord’s Supper?

The Lord’s Supper takes place on the evening of the 14th day of the first month the day before the Night of Watching and the Days of Unleavened Bread. This takes place during the 21 Days of Sanctification. This service is the only service that is for baptized adults only. It is a time when those who have been baptized renew their baptismal commitment with God.

From scripture, we will see that the Lord’s Supper is made up of three components: foot washing, eating the bread, and drinking the wine. We will look at each component in detail throughout the paper.

The Lord’s Supper is a very important service. It is one of only two sacraments of the Church. (The other is baptism). The Lord’s Supper is one of the three fundamentals of eternal life.

From scripture, we learn that the three fundamentals of eternal life are:

1. Believing and knowing there is One True God (Deut. 6:4, Mal. 2:10, Eph. 4:6) and Jesus Christ whom He sent (Jn. 17:3; 1Tim. 2:5; 1Cor. 8:46).

2. Having faith in Jesus Christ through the knowledge of the One True God (Jn. 17:3). This leads to repentance, baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit from our faith that God raised Christ from the dead (Rom. 10:8).

3. Participating in the Lord’s Supper, including foot-washing, eating the bread and drinking the wine (Jn. 6:53-55; 1Cor. 6:14), and obeying all the Commandments.

These are necessary requirements for us to retain the Holy Spirit and be in the First Resurrection (Rom. 8:11), or the Second Resurrection (Ezek. 37:11-14).

What Does Mainstream Christianity Teach About the Lord’s Supper?

There are many views of what the Lord’s Supper is. Most mainstream religions have two symbols of the Lord’s Supper: the bread and the wine. Some religions call it the eucharist; others call it mass, communion, the table of the Lord, etc. There is a wide range of views of who can take the symbols of the bread and wine and when and how often one can partake of them. Catholics usually take the bread and wine each time they attend a church service, including funerals and weddings. Other religions vary from once a week, to once a month, to several times a year. It usually involves eating a communion wafer or cracker and having a small bit of wine or in some cases, grape juice.

As we see, numerous people and religions have their own ideas regarding this special event, and most err in taking the symbols more than once a year. They miss out on the annual sanctification process that the Bible shows us we should be doing prior to taking the Lord’s Supper once a year.

Other Aspects of the Lord’s Supper

Paul instructs us that prior to taking the Lord’s Supper, we all need to examine ourselves.

1Corinthians 11:27-29 Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a man examine himself, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For any one who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment upon himself. (RSV)

Beginning on the first day of the first month, God instructs us to begin this process of examining ourselves in preparation for the upcoming Passover season. It is only after examining ourselves, participating in the sanctification process, and making sure we are right with our brothers and sisters that we can partake of the Lord’s Supper in a worthy manner. This does not mean that we consider ourselves worthy of Jesus Christ’s sacrifice; rather it means that we are examining ourselves and asking for forgiveness and a repentant attitude so that we can come before God clean. The Lord’s Supper can only be taken by adults who have repented and been baptised.

If we have a problem with our brother we need to do as Matthew 5:24 states and make things right with our brother.

Matthew 5:24 Leave there thy gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.

Keeping the Lord’s Supper, and deciding which Body/Church to keep the Lord’s Supper with, is truly the most important decision an adult makes each year. We see that where our parents choose to keep the Lord’s Supper shows us where they believe the work of God is being done.

Since the Passover is so important, God provides a provision for those who cannot take the first Passover to keep it in the second month (Num. 9:6-12; 2Chr. 30:2-4). Should we choose not to participate in the foot-washing ceremony and taking the bread and wine, we have no part with Messiah (Jn. 13:80).

For more information see 21-Day Sanctification Period (No. CB82), Sanctification of the Children of God (No. CB69), Preparing for the Passover (No. 190) and Procedures for the Lord's Supper (No. 103B).

Let us now learn more about the three components of the Lord’s Supper in detail and when it was instituted.

The First Lord’s Supper

On the night before Jesus Christ was crucified, he was gathered with his disciples for what can be called the Chigigah meal, which Bullinger also identifies in The Companion Bible notes.

(See the papers Seven Days of the Feasts (No. 049) and Timing of the Crucifixion and the Resurrection (No. 159).) This is at the beginning of the 14^th day of the First month, the evening before he was crucified.

After the meal, Jesus introduced the three symbols of the Lord’s Supper.

John 13:1-5 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded.

Matthew 26:26-28 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." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (RSV)

Jesus Christ instituted these symbols as an example for us to follow. He tells Peter in John 13:8 that if he does not allow him to wash his feet then Peter will have no part with him.

John 13:8 Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." (RSV)

He also tells his disciples that he has done this as an example and that they should follow his example.

John 13:14-15 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

When we fully understand the symbolism of the foot washing, bread and wine, it will become clear that the only acceptable time of year to partake of these symbols is annually on the night that Jesus Christ was betrayed – the night before his crucifixion.

The Foot-Washing Service

We continue in John 13:6-17:

6 He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, "Lord, do you wash my feet?" ⁷Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand." ⁸Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no part in me." ⁹Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" ¹⁰Jesus said to him, "He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you." ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, "You are not all clean." ¹²When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. ¹⁴If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. ¹⁵For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. ¹⁶Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them

As we see from the reference in verse 10, in the spiritual sense, if we are baptized (bathed), then we are made clean and the annual foot-washing becomes another renewal and/or reminder of our baptismal commitment.

We saw earlier in verse 4, Messiah had laid aside his garments. This is a physical example of him laying aside his spiritual existence and coming to earth to live as a man. He came to teach and demonstrate God’s Laws; ultimately lay down his physical life to pay the price of our sins; and reconcile man and the fallen Host back to the Father and become our High Priest.

Jesus Christ took the role of a servant, washing the feet of his brothers. It is a lesson in humility, service, and love that Messiah showed us. Messiah even washed the feet of Judas Iscariot, the man who would soon betray him. This is further evidence of how we are to love and pray for our enemies.

Jesus was willing to lay down his life for all of humanity. We, too, ought to be prepared to lay down our lives for one another. We must learn to love one another.

John 13:35: “By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another." (RSV)

In Matthew, Christ points out that we must also learn to forgive our brother (Mat.18:21-35). This is another aspect of learning to love one another.

Through the foot-washing service we serve and we also accept help and service from others. This can be a humbling experience to have someone else wash your feet. Christ shows us in Matthew 25:31-40 that we all need help from time to time.

Matthew 25:31-40 "When the Son of man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will place the sheep at his right hand, but the goats at the left. Then the King will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when did we see thee hungry and feed thee, or thirsty and give thee drink? And when did we see thee a stranger and welcome thee, or naked and clothe thee? And when did we see thee sick or in prison and visit thee?' And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.' (RSV)

Even if we are never hungry, thirsty or naked (physically speaking), we all still need help spiritually speaking (Acts 8:30,31). That is why we are commanded to meet with one another and fellowship with one another. We need the spiritual encouragement that comes from being together with people of like mind that want to follow the Laws of God.

For more information on the foot-washing see Significance of the Footwashing (No. 099), The Lord’s Supper (No. 103) and Messiah the Perfect and Complete Sacrifice (No. CB120).

From our studies on the priesthood, we also know the priests ministered with bare feet and had to wash – including their feet – before putting on the priest’s garments. For more information see The Garments of the High Priest (No. CB63) and Lesson: Ministering with Bare Feet (No. CB67).

Eating the Unleavened Bread

From 1 Corinthians 11:23ff. we read.

1Corinthians 11:23-29 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: ²⁴And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. ²⁵After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. ²⁶For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. ²⁷Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. ²⁸But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. ²⁹For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. (KJV)

After the foot-washing ceremony, we see Christ broke bread and instructed his disciples to eat. We follow Christ’s example and instructions to annually eat unleavened bread at the Lord's Supper. We need to be reminded that it is only by Christ living in us through the Holy Spirit that we can have eternal life.

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

In the Old Testament, God miraculously provided ancient Israel with manna that kept Israel alive for 40 years (Jn. 6:58). God prepared and delivered the bread to the Israelites; it was the bread from heaven. Messiah showed that the manna represented his broken body, which would be given so that mankind could have eternal life offered to them (Mk. 14:22). Christ is the Bread of Life (Jn. 6:33, 35, 48, 51) prepared from the foundation of the world (Rev.13:8) and sent down to the world.

It is not by anything we do that God is going to grant us eternal life. Ancient Israel would not have survived in the wilderness for very long without a miracle, and God provided it through the manna. We cannot survive in the spiritual wilderness of this present world without a miracle, and God provided it through Jesus Christ who sustains us and gives us life (Jn. 14:6). If we do not partake of the unleavened bread at the Lord's Supper, we are saying that we do not need Christ's sacrifice or his ongoing work in our lives.

After the bread, Christ introduced the wine. Let us look at the symbolism associated with the wine in more detail. For more details on the bread and wine see Significance of the Bread and Wine (No. 100).

Drinking the Wine

Christ introduced the wine, which he said represented his shed blood (Mk. 14:24,25).

From 1Corinthians 11 we read what Christ said.

1Corinthians 11:25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, this cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. (KJV)

The Bible tells us the shedding of blood is required for the forgiveness of sins.

Hebrews 9:22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins. (RSV)

It is through the shed blood of Jesus Christ we are protected and restored to the Father. When we drink the small amount of wine during the Lord’s Supper, we are reminded that through Jesus Christ’s sacrifice, and our repentance, our sins have been forgiven.

Remember that during the first Passover, the Israelites were instructed to put blood on their doorposts. This blood offered them protection on the night the first born of all Egyptian men and beasts died. There is also another story of salvation in the Bible about a woman named Rahab. She hung scarlet or red thread out of her window and everyone in the household was protected from the Israelites attack (see the paper Joshua Succeeds Moses (No. CB51)).

In Ancient Israel, when the High Priest entered into the Holy of Holies, on the Day of Atonement, it pictured him coming directly before God the Father. However, the High Priest could not do this until the blood of a sacrifice had been shed (Lev.16:6). In other words, the High Priest had to have his sins removed before coming into God's presence. This had to be done every time the High Priest came before God.

Because Messiah lived a sinless life, his blood sacrifice covered all of creation. He only had to die once and his sacrifice tore the curtain/veil to the Holy of Holies so that we can now come before God the Father in prayer on a continual basis (Heb. 9:24-26).

Blood being shed is also used as a seal of a covenant (Ex. 24:7-8). Again, shedding blood shows us that this is not to be taken lightly. God takes His covenant with us very seriously, and He expects us to do the same (Mat. 26:28). Just as ancient Israel made a covenant, or agreement, with God before entering into the Promised Land, we also made a covenant with God at baptism, which precedes our entering into eternal life. At Baptism we agree to obey God no matter how hard or inconvenient that may be (Mat. 7:13-14).

Christ is also the true vine

Jn. 15:1-9 I am the true vine, and my Father is the husbandman. ²Every branch in me that beareth not fruit he taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, he purgeth it, that it may bring forth more fruit. ³Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. ⁴Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. ⁶If a man abide not in me, he is cast forth as a branch, and is withered; and men gather them, and cast them into the fire, and they are burned. ⁷If ye abide in me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and it shall be done unto you. ⁸Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples. ⁹As the Father hath loved me, so have I loved you: continue ye in my love.

Here we see we must stay attached to Messiah and Eloah and continue to obey God and His Law to be part of His Family.

Singing a Hymn

At the close of the Lord's Supper service, a hymn is sung following Christ's example in Mark 14:26. Usually we sing the hymn, “The Lord is My Shepherd” from Psalm 42.

In Summary

We see the Lord’s Supper occurs yearly at dark on the 14^th of the First month. It is for baptized adults to renew their baptismal covenant with God. Beginning on the first day of the first month, each member participating must carefully examine themselves, to make sure they are restored to their brothers and then take part in all the Lord’s Supper service: foot-washing and eating the bread and drinking the wine. This is a very solemn time for us to reflect on our calling and realize that in 30 CE at 9:00 a.m. of the 14^th day of the first month, they had already illegally tried the Messiah and placed him on the stake. At 3:00 p.m. when the Passover lamb was being sacrificed, he died.

Let us all reflect on the many gifts Eloah has given us and take our calling very seriously so that we can do our part in this end time work.

May we all attempt to continually do what Jesus spoke in John 15:10ff., so we too can be called his friends.

John 15:10-15 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love. ¹¹These things have I spoken unto you, that my joy might remain in you, and that your joy might be full. ¹²This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. ¹³Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. ¹⁴Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. ¹⁵Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you.

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