Eucharist

Bread and Wine Eucharist Bible References




Jesus's Institution

Matthew 26:26-30 26: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, 28: for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29: I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." 30: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Matthew 26 26-30
Matthew 26:26-30 [ESV] 26: Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." 27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink of it, all of you, 28: for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29: I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." 30: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:22-26 22: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." 23: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24: And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25: Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." 26: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Mark 14:22-26
Mark 14:22-26 [ESV] 22: And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, "Take; this is my body." 23: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24: And he said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25: Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." 26: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Luke 22:15-20 15: And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16: For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18: For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19: 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." 20: And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Luke 22:15-20
Luke 22:15-20 [ESV] 15: And he said to them, "I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16: For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God." 17: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, "Take this, and divide it among yourselves. 18: For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes." 19: 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." 20: And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.

Pauls recall

1 Corinthians 11:23-26 23: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24: and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25: In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:20-22; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; 1 Corinthians 11:27-29
1 Corinthians 11:20-22 [ESV] 20: When you come together, it is not the Lord's supper that you eat. 21: For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. 22: What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in? Or do you despise the church of God and humiliate those who have nothing? What shall I say to you? Shall I commend you in this? No, I will not. 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 [ESV] 23: For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24: and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, "This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." 25: In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me." 26: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 1 Corinthians 11:27-29 [ESV] 27: 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. 28: Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29: For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 16: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17: Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 1 Corinthians 10:14-17
1 Corinthians 10:14-17 [ESV] 14: Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. 15: I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16: The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17: Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 7: Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8: Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8
1 Corinthians 5:7-8 [ESV] 7: Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 8: Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Bread of Life

John 6:33 33: For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." John 6:32-47
John 6:32-47 [ESV] 32: Jesus then said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33: For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world." 34: They said to him, "Sir, give us this bread always." 35: Jesus said to them, "I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. 36: But I said to you that you have seen me and yet do not believe. 37: All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never cast out. 38: For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me. 39: And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day. 40: For this is the will of my Father, that everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day." 41: So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, "I am the bread that came down from heaven." 42: They said, "Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does he now say, 'I have come down from heaven'?" 43: Jesus answered them, "Do not grumble among yourselves. 44: No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 45: It is written in the Prophets, 'And they will all be taught by God.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me- 46: not that anyone has seen the Father except him who is from God; he has seen the Father. 47: Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes has eternal life.
John 6:48 48: I am the bread of life. John 6:48-59; John 6:60-
John 6:48-59 48: I am the bread of life. 49: Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and they died. 50: This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that one may eat of it and not die. 51: I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh." 52: The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" 53: So 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. 54: Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. 55: For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56: Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. 57: 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. 58: This is the bread that came down from heaven, not as the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." 59: Jesus said these things in the synagogue, as he taught at Capernaum.
John 6:60- 60: When many of his disciples heard it, they said, "This is a hard saying; who can listen to it?" 61: But Jesus, knowing in himself that his disciples were grumbling about this, said to them, "Do you take offense at this? 62: Then what if you were to see the Son of Man ascending to where he was before? 63: It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is of no avail. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life. 64: But there are some of you who do not believe." (For Jesus knew from the beginning who those were who did not believe, and who it was who would betray him.) 65: And he said, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father." 66: After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67: So Jesus said to the Twelve, "Do you want to go away as well?" 68: Simon Peter answered him, "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69: and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God." 70: Jesus answered them, "Did I not choose you, the Twelve? And yet one of you is a devil." 71: He spoke of Judas the son of Simon Iscariot, for he, one of the Twelve, was going to betray him.

Breaking Bread

Acts 2:42 42: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Acts 2:41-
Acts 2:41- [ESV] 41: So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. 42: And they devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43: And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. 44: And all who believed were together and had all things in common. 45: And they were selling their possessions and belongings and distributing the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46: And day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts, 47: praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to their number day by day those who were being saved.
Acts 20:7 7: On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. Acts 20:6-9
Acts 20:6-9 [ESV] 6: but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. 7: On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul talked with them, intending to depart on the next day, and he prolonged his speech until midnight. 8: There were many lamps in the upper room where we were gathered. 9: And a young man named Eutychus, sitting at the window, sank into a deep sleep as Paul talked still longer. And being overcome by sleep, he fell down from the third story and was taken up dead.
Luke 24:30 30: When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. Luke 24:25-31
Luke 24:25-31 [ESV] 25: And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26: Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" 27: And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28: So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29: but they urged him strongly, saying, "Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent." So he went in to stay with them. 30: When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31: And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

Interpretations

For serious Interpretations:

Memorialist View

  • The Bread and wine remain symbols with special meaning
  • We are "Present To" Christ: in mind/spirit.
    We are not "Present By:" in proximity
          Steven Nemes distinction
  • This spirtual union is the the same as when we mediate, contemplate, feed on Christ outside the Eucharist
  • Christ / Holy spirit is NOT more present than in any other say worship or drawing close to God activity
  • The participant brings to mind/invites Christ - and the Holy spirit and so this can still be a mystical moment

Real Spirit Presence View

  • The Bread is Christ's Body spiritually
  • The Wine is Christ's Blood spiritually
  • A Spiritual reality but the substance does not change
  • Christ and or the Holy Spirit is mystically more present in the elements/ participant during the Eucharist than at any other time when one is close to God (whether we 'feel' it or not).
  • Christ does not come down - We ascend up to feed on Christ - There is a spiritual union
  • This is mystical and cannot be explained in a rational way - but it is not illogical

Real Physical Presence View
Transubstantiation

Before consecration

Substance: bread and wine
Accidents: bread-like and wine-like properties

After consecration

Substance: Christ’s Body and Blood
Accidents: still bread-like and wine-like

  • Christ is locally physically present
  • The bread becomes the flesh yet retain its accidents of bread
  • The wine becomes the blood yet retains the accidents as wine

The accidents of bread are not attached the substance of Jesus. Jesus is immutable, The accident of bread become free floating as the are no longer attached to the bread. The accidence of Jesus which include the scars, eye color, hair, smile etc are not present he is present in flesh (with taste of bread). This does defy logic.

Thought:

  • If you really believe you are eating Christ's flesh physically then it seem to me you are more in love more with what you do than what you should become? (It is physical not spiritual). Is not God more into what we are than what we do?

Consequense:

  • We can adore the bread and wine since this is really Christ locally present <
  • If the bread falls to floor - ohhhh



Note Lutheran Pt of View:
Consubstantiation = Christ’s Body and Blood are truly present with the bread and wine.

After thought
Paul say: Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.
Perhaps a valid Memorialist Lite view would be to do this - like saying grace - when ever you drink wine, to remember what Jesus did for you!!


Thoughts

God choose His words carefully knowing that we would need to wrestle with them, wanting us to wrestle with him

For some a special closeness to God is found at communion, The eucharist may be a place when the distance to the sacred is thinned. I suspect for most closeness to God is found in many places in life. He does say "Draw near to me and I will draw near to you".

People find their home in a group. Home is not the same as truth, but it is also a place we cannot abandon.

they feared
Jesus prayed for unity.

And David: (Ps 16)
"As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight"

God has called Saints and they are believing different doctrines

"He is Lord"
So let's just participate what our commander and chief says...


References

Fr. Cajetan Cuddy and Dr. Austin Freeman discuss Sola Scriptura, the Eucharist, unity

Eating Christ's Flesh: A Case for Memorialism
by Steven Nemes

July 2026 revised Oct 2026