*** rs p. 262-p.

263 Mass *** Are the bread and the wine actually changed into Christs body and blood? In a Solemn Profession of Faith on June 30, 1968, Pope Paul VI declared: We believe that as the bread and wine consecrated by the Lord at the Last Supper were changed into His Body and His Blood which were to be offered for us on the cross, so the bread and wine consecrated by the priest are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ enthroned gloriously in heaven, and We believe that the mysterious presence of the Lord, under the appearance of those elements which seem to our senses the same after as before the Consecration, is a true, real and substantial presence. . . . This mysterious change is very appropriately called by the Church transubstantiation. (Official Catholic TeachingsChrist Our Lord, Wilmington, N.C.; 1978, Amanda G. Watlington, p. 411) Do the Holy Scriptures agree with that belief? What did Jesus mean when he said, This is my body, This is my blood? Matt. 26:26-29, JB: Now as they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to the disciples. Take it and eat; he said this is my body. Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them. Drink all of you from this, he said for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. From now on, I tell you, I shall not drink wine until the day I drink the new wine with you in the kingdom of my Father. Regarding the expressions this is my body and this is my blood, the following is noteworthy: Mo reads, it means my body, this means my blood. (Italics added.) NW reads similarly. LEF renders the expressions, this represents my body, this represents my blood. (Italics added.) These renderings agree with what is stated in the context, in verse 29, in various Catholic editions. Kx reads: I shall not drink of this fruit of the vine again, until I drink it with you, new wine, in the kingdom of my Father. (Italics added.) CC, NAB, Dy also show Jesus referring to what was in the cup as being this fruit of the vine, and that was after Jesus had said, This is my blood. Consider the expressions this is my body and this is my blood in the light of other vivid language used in the Scriptures. Jesus also said, I am the light of the world, I am the gate of the sheepfold, I am the true vine. (John 8:12; 10:7; 15:1, JB) None of these expressions implied a miraculous transformation, did they? At 1 Corinthians 11:25 (JB), the apostle Paul wrote concerning the Last Supper and expressed the same ideas in slightly different words. Instead of quoting Jesus as saying regarding the cup, Drink all of you from this . . . for this is my blood, the blood of the covenant, he worded it in this way: This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Surely that did not mean that the cup was somehow miraculously transformed into the new covenant. Is it not more

reasonable to conclude that what was in the cup represented Jesus blood by means of which the new covenant was validated? What did Jesus mean by his statement at John 6:53-57? Jesus replied: I tell you most solemnly, if you do not eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you will not have life in you. Anyone who does eat my flesh and drink my blood has eternal life, and I shall raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives in me and I live in him. As I, who am sent by the living Father, myself draw life from the Father, so whoever eats me will draw life from me.John 6:53-57, JB. Is this to be understood as meaning that they were literally to eat Jesus flesh and drink his blood? If so, Jesus would have been advocating a violation of the Law that God had given Israel through Moses. That Law prohibited the consuming of any sort of blood. (Lev. 17:10-12) Contrary to advocating such a thing, Jesus spoke out strongly against breaking any of the requirements of the Law. (Matt. 5:17-19) So what Jesus had in mind must have been eating and drinking in a figurative sense, by exercising faith in the value of his perfect human sacrifice.Compare John 3:16; 4:14; 6:35, 40. *** w90 2/15 pp. 16-19 Discerning What We AreAt Memorial Time *** This Means My Body 5 We have read what Paul received from the Lord as to the Memorial. There are also accounts by three Gospel writers, one of whom was present when Jesus instituted this celebration. (1 Corinthians 11:23; Matthew 26:2629; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:19, 20) These accounts say that Jesus first took a loaf, prayed, and then broke it and distributed it. What was that loaf? Correspondingly, what is used today? What does it mean or represent? 6 On hand were items from the Jewish Passover meal, one being unleavened bread, which Moses called unfermented cakes, the bread of affliction. (Deuteronomy 16:3; Exodus 12:8) This bread was made with wheat flour without using leaven, salt, or seasonings. Being unleavened (Hebrew, matstsah), it was flat and brittle; it had to be broken to eatable size.Mark 6:41; 8:6; Acts 27:35. 7 Jesus used unleavened bread in the Lords Evening Meal, so Jehovahs Witnesses today do likewise. Regular Jewish matzoth serve this purpose if they are not made with added ingredients, such as malt, onions, or eggs. (Matzoth containing those supplements would hardly match the description bread of affliction.) Or the congregation elders may have someone make unleavened bread from a dough of wheat flour and water. If wheat flour is not available, unfermented bread can be made with flour from barley, rice, corn, or another grain. The dough is rolled thin and baked on a lightly oiled cooking sheet. 8 Such bread is appropriate because it does not contain leaven (yeast), which the Bible uses to represent corruption or sin. Paul counseled concerning an immoral man in a congregation: A little leaven ferments the whole lump. Clear away the old leaven, that you may be free from ferment. Christ our passover has been sacrificed. Let us keep the festival, not with

leaven of badness and wickedness, but with unfermented cakes of sincerity and truth. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8; compare Matthew 13:33; 16:6, 12.) Unleavened bread is a fitting symbol of Jesus human body, for he was loyal, guileless, undefiled, separated from the sinners. (Hebrews 7:26) Jesus was there present in his perfect human body when he said to the apostles: Take and eat this [bread], it means my body. (Matthew 26:26, A New Translation of the Bible, by James Moffatt) Partaking of the bread means that a person believes in the benefit of Jesus sacrifice in his behalf and accepts it. More, though, is involved. Wine With a Meaning 9 Jesus used another symbol: He also took a cup, and after thanking God he gave it to them saying, Drink of it, all of you; this means my blood, the new covenant-blood, shed for many, to win the remission of their sins. (Matthew 26:27, 28, Moffatt) What was in that communal cup that he passed, and what does it mean for us as we strive to discern what we ourselves are? 10 When Moses initially outlined the Passover feast, he mentioned no beverage. Many scholars believe that wine was introduced into the Passover much later, perhaps in the second century B.C.E. In any event, the use of wine in this meal was common in the first century, and Jesus did not object to it. He used the Passover wine when instituting the Memorial. 11 Since the Jewish Passover occurred long after the grape harvest, Jesus would have been using, not unfermented juice, but red wine that could easily represent his blood. (Compare Revelation 14:20.) Christs blood did not need to be augmented, so plain wine is appropriate, rather than wines fortified with brandy (such as port, sherry, or muscatel) or having spices or herbs added (vermouth, Dubonnet, or many aperitifs). We need not, though, become worried over how a wine was processed, whether some sugar was added during fermentation to make it of average taste or alcohol content or whether a little sulfur was used to prevent spoilage. Many congregations use a commercial red wine (such as Chianti, Burgundy, Beaujolais, or claret) or simple homemade red wine. The wine and the bread are merely emblems, or symbols; hence, any not used can be taken home and used later simply as other food or beverage items. 12 The fact that Jesus spoke of his blood on Passover night could have called to mind the lambs blood back in Egypt. But note how Jesus actually made a different comparison, saying: This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf. (Luke 22:20) God had earlier made a covenant with the nation of fleshly Israel, and it was inaugurated with the blood of animal sacrifices. There was a correspondency between the blood of those sacrifices and Jesus blood. Both were involved in Gods inaugurating a covenant with a nation of his people. (Exodus 24:3 -8; Hebrews 9:17-20) A feature of the Law covenant was that fleshly Israel had the prospect of making up a nation of king-priests. (Exodus 19:5, 6) However, after Israel failed to keep Jehovahs covenant, he said that he would replace the former covenant with a new covenant. (Hebrews 9:1,

15; Jeremiah 31:31-34) The cup of wine that Jesus now passed among the faithful apostles represented this new covenant. 13 Christians taken into this new covenant come to form a spiritual nation of king-priests. (Galatians 6:16) The apostle Peter wrote: You are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that you should declare abroad the excellencies of the one that called you out of darkness into his wonderful light. (1 Peter 2:9) It is clear what salvation they receivelife in heaven as corulers with Jesus. Revelation 20:6 confirms this: Happy and holy is anyone having part in the first resurrection; . . . they will be priests of God and of the Christ, and will rule as kings with him for the thousand years. 14 In fact, after Jesus directed the apostles to partake of the emblematic bread and wine, he told them that they would eat and drink at his table in his kingdom, and sit on thrones to judge the twelve tribes of Israel. (Luke 22:28 30) Consequently, partaking of the Memorial emblems means more than simply believing in Jesus sacrifice. Every Christian must accept the ransom and exercise faith if he is to gain everlasting life anywhere. (Matthew 20:28; John 6:51) But partaking of the emblems signifies that one is in the new covenant, selected to be with Jesus in his Kingdom. *** it-2 p. 269 Lords Evening Meal *** The Emblems. Mark relates concerning the bread used by Jesus when instituting the Lords Evening Meal: As they continued eating, he took a loaf, said a blessing, broke it and gave it to them, and said: Take it, this means my body. (Mr 14:22) The loaf of bread was the kind on hand for the Passover meal that Jesus and his disciples had already concluded. This was unleavened bread, as no leaven was permitted in Jewish homes during the Passover and the associated Festival of Unfermented Cakes. (Ex 13:6-10) Leaven is used Scripturally to denote sinfulness. The unleavened quality of the bread is appropriate because it represents Jesus sinless fleshly body. (Heb 7:26; 9:14; 1Pe 2:22, 24) The unleavened loaf was flat and brittle; so it was broken, as was customary at meals in those days. (Lu 24:30; Ac 27:35) Earlier, when Jesus miraculously multiplied bread for thousands of persons, he broke it in order to distribute it to them. (Mt 14:19; 15:36) Consequently, the breaking of the Memorial bread apparently had no spiritual significance. After Jesus had passed the bread, he took a cup and offered thanks and gave it to them, and they all drank out of it. And he said to them: This means my blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out in behalf of many. (Mr 14:23, 24) He used fermented wine, not unfermented grape juice. Biblical references to wine are to literal wine, not to the unfermented juice of the grape. (See WINE AND STRONG DRINK.) Fermented wine, not grape juice, would burst old wineskins, as Jesus said. Jesus enemies accused him of being given to drinking wine, a charge that would mean nothing if the wine were mere grape juice. (Mt 9:17; 11:19) Real wine was on hand for the Passover celebration that had been concluded, and it could appropriately be

used by Christ in instituting the Memorial of his death. Doubtless the wine was red, for only red wine would be a fitting symbol of blood. 1Pe 1:19. *** w03 2/15 pp. 14-15 Why Observe the Lords Evening Meal? *** Significance of the Bread 13 When Jesus instituted the Memorial, he took a loaf, said a blessing, broke it and gave it to [the apostles]. (Mark 14:22) The bread available on that occasion was the kind that had just been used at the Passover. (Exodus 13:6-10) Since it was baked without leaven, it was flat and brittle and had to be broken for distribution. When Jesus miraculously multiplied bread for thousands, it too was crackerlike, for he broke it so that it could be distributed. (Matthew 14:19; 15:36) Apparently, then, the breaking of the Memorial bread has no spiritual significance. 14 Regarding the bread used when instituting the Memorial, Jesus said: This means my body which is in your behalf. (1 Corinthians 11:24; Mark 14:22) It was fitting that the bread was unleavened. Why? Because leaven can denote badness, wickedness, or sin. (1 Corinthians 5:6-8) The bread represented Jesus perfect, sinless human body, which fittingly had been offered as a ransom sacrifice. (Hebrews 7:26; 10:5-10) Jehovahs Witnesses keep this in mind and follow the precedent set by Jesus by using unleavened bread at Memorial observances. In some cases, they use unseasoned Jewish matzos having no extra ingredients, such as onions or eggs. Otherwise, unleavened bread can be made with a small amount of wholegrain flour (where possible, wheat) mixed with a little water. The dough should be rolled thin and can be baked on a slightly oiled cooking sheet until the bread is dry and crisp. Significance of the Wine 15 After passing the unleavened bread, Jesus took a cup, offered thanks and gave it to [the apostles], and they all drank out of it. Jesus explained: This means my blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out in behalf of many. (Mark 14:23, 24) What was in the cup? Fermented wine, not unfermented grape juice. When the Scriptures refer to wine, the unfermented juice of the grape is not what is meant. For instance, fermented wine, not grape juice, would burst old wineskins, as Jesus said. And Christs enemies charged that he was given to drinking wine. That would have been a meaningless accusation if the wine were mere grape juice. (Matthew 9:17; 11:19) Wine was drunk during the Passover observance, and Christ used it when instituting the Memorial of his death. 16 Only red wine is a suitable symbol of what the cups contents represent, that is, Jesus shed blood. He himself said: This means my blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out in behalf of many. And the apostle Peter wrote: You [anointed Christians] know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were delivered from your fruitless form of conduct received by tradition from your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, even Christs. 1 Peter 1:18, 19.

Red grape wine undoubtedly was the kind Jesus used when instituting the Memorial. Some present-day red wines, however, are unacceptable because they are fortified with spirits or brandy or have had herbs and spices added to them. Jesus blood was adequate, not needing an ything to be added to it. Hence, such wines as port, sherry, and vermouth would not be suitable. The Memorial cup should contain unsweetened and unfortified red wine. Homemade, unsweetened red grape wine could be used, and so could such wines as red burgundy and claret. 18 When instituting this meal, Jesus did not perform a miracle, changing the emblems into his literal flesh and blood. Eating human flesh and drinking blood would be cannibalism, a violation of Gods law. (Genesis 9:3, 4; Leviticus 17:10) Jesus still had his entire fleshly body and all his blood. His body was offered as a perfect sacrifice, and his blood was poured out the next afternoon of the same Jewish day, Nisan 14. Therefore, the Memorial bread and wine are emblematic in nature, represe nting Christs flesh and blood. *** it-2 p. 271 Lords Evening Meal *** No Transubstantiation or Consubstantiation. Jesus still had his fleshly body when offering the bread. This body, whole and entire, was to be offered as a perfect, unblemished sacrifice for sins the next afternoon (of the same day of the Hebrew calendar, Nisan 14). He also retained all his blood for that perfect sacrifice. He poured out his soul [which is in the blood] to the very death. (Isa 53:12; Le 17:11) Consequently, during the evening meal he did not perform a miracle of transubstantiation, changing the bread into his literal flesh and the wine into his literal blood. For the same reasons, it cannot be truly said that he miraculously caused his flesh and his blood to be present or combined with the bread and wine, as is claimed by those who adhere to the doctrine of consubstantiation. This is not contradicted by Jesus words at John 6:51-57. Jesus was not there discussing the Lords Evening Meal; such an arrangement was not instituted until a year later. The eating and drinking mentioned in this account are done in a figurative sense by exercising faith in Jesus Christ, as is indicated by verses 35 and 40. Furthermore, eating actual human flesh and blood would be cannibalism. Therefore, Jews who were not exercising faith and who did not properly understand Jesus statement about eating his flesh and drinking his blood were shocked. This indicated the Jewish view on eating human flesh and blood, as inculcated by the Law.Joh 6:60. Additionally, drinking blood was a violation of Gods law to Noah, prior to the Law covenant. (Ge 9:4; Le 17:10) The Lord Jesus Christ would never instruct others to violate Gods law. (Compare Mt 5:19.) Furthermore, Jesus commanded: Keep doing this in remembrance of me, not in sacrifice of me.1Co 11:23-25. The bread and the wine are, therefore, emblems, representing Christs flesh and blood in a symbolic way, just as were his words about eating his

17

flesh and drinking his blood. Jesus had said to those offended by his words: For a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world. (Joh 6:51) This was given at his death as a sacrifice on the torture stake. His body was buried and was disposed of by his Father before it could see corruption. (Ac 2:31) No one ever ate any of his flesh or blood, literally. Proper, Orderly Observance. The Christian congregation at Corinth had got into a bad spiritual state, in some respects, so that, as the apostle Paul said: Many among you are weak and sickly, and quite a few are sleeping in death. This was to a great extent due to their misunderstanding of the Lords Evening Meal and its significance. They were failing to respect the sacredness of the occasion. Some brought their supper with them to eat before or during the meeting. Among these were persons who overindulged and became intoxicated, while others in the congregation who had no supper were hungry and felt shamed in the presence of those who had much. With their minds drowsy or on other matters, they were not in condition to partake of the emblems with appreciation. Furthermore, there were divisions in the congregation over the fact that some in their midst favored Peter, others preferred Apollos, and yet others looked to Paul for leadership. (1Co 1:11-13; 11:18) They were failing to appreciate that this occasion was one that should highlight unity. They did not have full realization of the seriousness of the matter, that the emblems represented the body and blood of the Lord and that the meal was in memory of his death. Paul emphasized the grave danger to those who partook without discerning these facts.1Co 11:20-34.