What Is the Scriptural Teaching on the Lord's Supper or Communion?
1) Direct answer
The Lord’s Supper is a simple, holy ordinance given by Jesus for born‑again believers to remember His death until He comes. It is not a saving act, not a ritual that changes the elements, but a memorial and a fellowship of the Body. It is to be observed with unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine, in self‑examination, with feet‑washing as a companion ordinance of humility and cleansing.
2) Scriptural explanation
- Instituted by the Lord: “This do in remembrance of Me” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:23‑26). We “show the Lord’s death till He come.”
- The elements: bread and the cup—“the bread…His body,” “the cup…New Testament in His blood” (Matthew 26:26‑29; 1 Corinthians 10:16‑17; 11:23‑25). Leaven typifies sin, so the figure is unleavened—“Purge out therefore the old leaven…let us keep the feast…with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1 Corinthians 5:7‑8).
- Who may partake: believers who judge themselves in the light of the Word (1 Corinthians 11:27‑32). The pattern is: repent, believe, be baptized, then continue in the apostles’ fellowship and breaking of bread (Acts 2:41‑42).
- How to approach: in unity and discernment of the Body—making wrongs right first (Matthew 5:23‑24; 1 Corinthians 10:17; 11:29).
- Feet‑washing: joined to the Supper as an example and command—“Ye also ought to wash one another’s feet… I have given you an example… If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them” (John 13:14‑17).
3) Simple clarifying logic
- It’s a memorial, not a re‑sacrifice. The Bible says, “Do this in remembrance.” He died once for all; we do not repeat His sacrifice—we remember it.
- The bread remains bread and the cup remains the fruit of the vine. The Bible says they are “symbols” or “communion” of His body and blood (1 Corinthians 10:16). If it literally became His body, why would we still be “remembering” instead of re‑crucifying? The Scripture never says it turns into His flesh.
- Unleavened bread fits the symbol because Jesus was sinless. Leaven marks corruption; Christ had none. You see, the type must match the antitype.
- The table belongs to the Lord, not to a denomination. “Let a man examine himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28). The door is not “closed” by men; it is guarded by the Word in each conscience—walk in the light, judge yourself, and come reverently.
- Frequency is “as oft as ye do it” (1 Corinthians 11:25‑26). The Bible sets no fixed schedule; it sets a right heart.
- Feet‑washing is not optional tradition but a commanded example tied to the Supper. It keeps us small, cleansed, and in brotherly equality.
4) Reinforcing statement
Now notice: the Lord’s Supper is the Gospel in simple tokens—His body broken for us, His blood shed for us—and our lives must match what we take. Come clean, come believing, come discerning the Body, and “show the Lord’s death till He come.”
Ask a Follow-up Question
What did the Laodicean Church Age (our age) Angel (- messenger) Say about this?
Ranked passages from the local William Branham sermon and Church Age Book database. Relevance is relative, not a statement of doctrinal certainty.
Communion
65-1212 §15
You don't take the Lord's supper by a tradition. You take it because it's the love of God in your heart, in keeping the commandments of God, see. That's what you take it for. So, if you don't take it in sincerity---just, it's a tradition, "Well, our church observes communion once every Sunday, or once every month, or twice a year;" and you go up, say, "Well, it's my time," and then take the communion---why, it's a stink to God. See, that's just a tradition. Even like anything else, you've got to be sincere. God wan...
Questions and Answers, part 2
54-0103E §66
Listen. If you take the communion (you'll hear it read just in a few minutes) when you're unworthy, you're guilty of the blood and the body of Jesus Christ. Let a man that takes that community live right before God ... that takes that communion, rather, live right before God. Don't take it unworthily. That's just... Look. The Bible predicted in the last days that all the tables of God would be full of vomit. And there'd be nobody able to understand. Is that right? Look. I went not long ago into a great tabernacle....
Jubilee Year
54-1003E §68
Now we're going to have communion service, just in a few minutes. How many believes in communion? Thank you. That's what Jesus Christ asked us to do. Said, take the broken parts of His body, and to do it until He returned again. And if you who believe this to be the truth, and would like to have this little time of fellowship with us, around the Word of God here, we'd be happy for you to stay with us and have this time. If not, we're going to dismiss, just a few moments. We'd like you to stay with the rest of them,...
Communion
62-0204 §56
The verse that says, "He is meat indeed and drink indeed." I have a little mark here, the 57th verse, "Meat indeed and drink indeed." Listen what He said here. And as the living Father hath sent me, and I live by my Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. In other words, "The Father sent me, and I live by Him. And every man that comes to Christ must live by Christ." Oh, my, there you are, that's the communion. That's the real communion that you find when you live by Christ.
Communion
62-0204 §36
Did you ever notice, in passing a church, they cross themselves, tip their hats, and so forth. It isn't the church, it's that wafer in there, "that body that the priest has turned from a wafer to the literal body of Christ," where the rats and mice could pack it away. Why, you don't, can't think of civil thinking and think that a piece of bread would be a body of the Lord Jesus! It cannot be. "Communion" is to talk, and it talks back, something that you talk to. The very word "commune" means to talk to, or be assoc...