What is Holy Communion?

In the section of the catechism about Holy Communion, the first question is:

What is Holy Communion?

It's a really good question.  The answer Luther gave is this:

It is the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ given in bread and wine, instituted by Christ himself for us Christians to eat and drink.

What words stand out for you?  What makes sense?  Are there any words that are unclear?  Post your questions or bring them to class!

Eucharist by Nicolas Poussin

One of the best paintings of what Jesus' last supper might have really looked like is by French artist, Nicolas Poussin. He painted it around 1640.  What interesting details do you notice in this painting?  Why are they reclining? What kind of meal do you think this was?  Share with us in the Comments.

Question 2: Where is this written?

The short answer is of course, in the Bible!  Luther gives us a longer and more accurate answer though.

The holy evangelists, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and St. Paul write:  “Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night in which he was betrayed, took the bread, gave thanks, and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, ‘Take; eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’

“In the same way he also took the cup after the supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them and said, ‘Take, and drink of it, all of you. This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ ”

This is a lot of information!  What words stand out for you?  Where have you heard this before? 

One important word is covenant.  Jesus said that communion is the "new covenant."  A covenant is a promise, an agreement, a contract or a pledge.  Because Jesus and his friends were celebrating Passover, God's most important promise was clearly on their minds. When God brought the Israelites out of Egypt, he made a covenant with them, "I will be your  God and you will be my people."  That's the old covenant and now, in communion, Jesus makes a new covenant with us.  What does Jesus promise?