These show notes correspond to this Blog Talk radio debate
Ramah would become the staging area for the Jewish slaves taken into captivity to Babylon. The lamentation of the people was heard from heaven and God made this promise.
Jeremiah 31:31-34 says, “"Behold, the days are coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant which I made with their fathers when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant which they broke, though I was their husband, says the LORD. But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the LORD: I will put my law within them, and I will write it upon their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each man teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, says the LORD; for I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more."
St. Matthew recalls how terrible the lamentation was saying, “A voice was heard in Ramah, wailing and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be consoled, because they were no more” (Matthew 2:18).
Matthew 26:28 said "This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting Covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven, do this in memory of me". Jesus established the covenant of Jeremiah. When you go to Communion, you renew the Covenant with Him.
Heaven gives a very important picture through the prayer of the Angel of Portugal in 1916: “The Angel held a consecrated Host and the chalice, leaving this suspended in the air, the Angel bowed down low before the Eucharist praying these words, "O most Holy Trinity, Father, Son and Holy Spirit, I adore you profoundly, I offer you the most precious body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles of the world, in preparation for the outrages, sacrileges and indifference by which he is offended. By the infinite merits of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg the conversion of poor sinners".
The controversy over ‘the breaking of bread’ begins with Jesus and his early followers during Christ’s ‘bread of life’ discourse. Some of his followers began to fall away (John 5:22-59). The Apostles themselves began to question this amongst themselves (John 6:60-70).
Jesus said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him on the last day” (John 6:53-54). (According to Robert Sungenis, "The word used in John 6:54, 56-58, when Jesus says to eat his flesh and drink his blood is an important matter to consider when doing exegesis of the passage. The word to eat, trogo, means to gnaw, crunch, so showing the physical reality, and showing the real presence of Christ in the Eucharist".
Jesus often explained his parables to his disciples. In the case of the breaking of bread, Jesus reaffirms and clarifies his teaching (John 6:53-58). Jesus directly asks the Apostles if they too would like to leave (John 6:67).
Every Believer should respond with St. Peter as he states, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have words of eternal life….” (John 6:68).
The Bread of life discourse was given on Passover (John 6:4) which was no accident. The Mass would be the fulfillment of the Jewish Passover.
Manna was God’s provision of deliverance from starvation. Jesus is God’s provision of deliverance from damnation. Just as the manna had to be consumed to preserve the lives of the Israelites, so Jesus has to be consumed (fully received by faith) for salvation to be received.
At the words of Jesus, Judas began to break (John 6:64-71), and he broke the night it was given (John 13:21-30). Judas would be the first to leave Mass early.
The Eucharist is the sign of the Lord's Covenant, is the pure offering spoken of by the Prophet Malachi. It is written, "For from the rising of the sun, even to its setting, my name is great among the nations; and everywhere they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering: For great is my name among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.
The Israelites were commanded by God to eat the unleavened bread for seven days which would become a sign as a memorial between the Lord and his people (Exodus 13:9).
Exodus 35:10 says, “And let every able man among you come and make all that the Lord has commanded: the tabernacle, its tent and its covering….” Consider Hebrews 13:10-14, “We have an altar from which those who serve the tabernacle have no right to eat. The bodies of the animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as a sin offering are burned outside the camp. Therefore, Jesus also suffered outside the gate, to consecrate the people by his own blood. Let us then go to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach that he bore.”
As the Israelite were saved from the Angel of Death by the blood of innocent spotless lambs blood applied on the lintel and two doorposts using a hyssop branch, the spotless Lamb of God was crucified between two thieves shedding his blood on behalf of all the world.
It was here that Jesus transforms the Passover to the Mass. He received the cup that sealed the end of the Old Covenant, it is finished. The priesthood of Levi is no more. It was destroyed at the destruction of Jerusalem by the Romans in 70 A.D. Just as Jesus predicted it would. The Catholic Priesthood now serves the tabernacle not holding the burned offering of animals, but the glorified risen Christ, the Eucharist.
From this point on the Mass have become the center of Christian worship. The means by which Gods people can renew the new and everlasting Covenant. From the earliest times, "They devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostles and to the communal life, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers" (Acts 2:42).
"On the first day of the week when we gathered to break bread...", St. Paul raised Eutychus from the dead, then returned, "broke the bread, and ate; after a long conversation that lasted until daybreak, he departed" (Acts 20:7,11).
From the very beginning, the Mass (liturgy of the word and the Eucharist) was the center of Christian worship.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17; “the chalice of benediction, which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? And the bread, which we break, is it not the partaking of the body of the Lord?
For we, being many, are one bread, one body, all which partake of one bread.”
St. Paul continues, “You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and also the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and of the table of demons”.
It is interesting that St. Paul referred to the cup as the “cup of blessing”! The cup of blessing was the third cup in the Passover meal. The fourth cup Jesus postponed until he was on the cross.
The New Testament Scripture makes clear that the apostles recognized Jesus in the breaking of bread (Luke 24:35). St. Paul wrote that if you didn't recognize Jesus’ body in the breaking of bread, “you bring judgment to yourself” (I Corinthians 11:29). The other apostles were in unison with this teaching (Acts 2:42-47).
The language ties in perfectly with the aforementioned statement of the apostle Paul: "present your bodies as a living sacrifice; holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship" (Romans 12:1).
Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, then I will enter his house and will dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne.”
This is the teaching of the Catholic Church from the very beginning: In the Eucharist, Jesus Christ is truly present; body, blood, soul and divinity. Jesus instructed the Apostles to proclaim this fact (Matthew 28:16-20).
As the Church grew under persecution during the first three centuries, the pagans thought we were cannibals because of false rumors and misrepresentations that were spread about the Christians. The Mass was done in secret because it was against Roman law.
A Eucharistic miracle occurred in early 700 A. D. A priest began to have doubts about the real presence of the Lord in the Eucharist. To show the priest the error of his ways, the Host transformed into flesh and the wine transformed into blood during the moment of consecration.
This act of God is known as ‘The Miracle of Lanciano’ and is kept in the Church of St. Francis, Italy. Millions of pilgrims have traveled to this site to view this now 1300-year old miracle. The Vatican recently ordered an investigation. A number of medical professionals from respected universities such as Turin and Florence spent two years conducting a thorough investigation.
They determined the flesh to be cardiac, i.e., from the heart. Furthermore, rigor mortis had not occurred, implying that the heart tissue was yet living. The examiners called it ‘incorrupt.’ The blood (which had coagulated into five blood clots as the centuries passed) was determined to be in a petrified state, but upon liquefaction of a particle of the blood, tests showed that protein and chemical compounds were wholly present.
I use to serve as an NCOIC of a Troop Medical Clinic, I was responsible for all the lab, including the drawing of blood for all kinds of testing. I went to our local hospital and ask what happens to the blood when exposed to air.
I found that blood begins to decompose after 15 minutes. Blood in test tubes is only good for a few hours. With refrigeration, blood is good for 30 days. The red blood cells begin to die after this period of time.
The blood and flesh of the ‘Miracle of Lanciano’ has been exposed to the elements for 1300 years, two of those years under intense biochemical observation. There is no natural explanation for ‘The Miracle of Lanciano.’
Some two hundred years after the Lanciano miracle occurred, controversy again appeared. A monk named Ratramnus, in 868 A. D. claimed that the Eucharist could not be the historical Jesus. He believed that it was symbolic rather than corporeal. His teaching was condemned at the Synod of Vercelli.
In 1079, Archdeacon Berenger of Tours favored Ratramnus position, but he later recanted, or repented, to Pope Gregory VII. Other men that would challenge church teaching on the Eucharist prior to the Protestant Reformation were Peter Waldo, founder of the Waldensian heresy, and priests such as John Huss and John Wycliffe.
The Catholic Church maintains that “in memory” of His death and resurrection, we proclaim the “death of the Lord until He comes” again in glory (I Corinthians 11:26). In our generation, many Catholics appear to have lost faith in the real presence, thus fulfilling the word expressed in I Timothy 4:1-5.
Like the Disciples on the road to Emmaus, the Church has recognized the Lord in the ‘breaking of bread’ for almost 2000 years. It has His protection (Matthew 16:18), His promise (Matthew 28:20, and His Spirit (John 14:15-26).
"Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray'. He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me'. He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will'. When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, 'So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:36-41).
We are living in a time when many are asleep and will unfortunately undergo the test. Many will fail this test because they are asleep. Sin is dominated in their life. Jesus warns "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth" (Luke 18:8).
St. Paul encourages us saying, "But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14).
Psalms 119:97-104 states, "How I love your teaching, Lord! I study it all day long. Your command makes me wiser than my foes, for it is always with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, because I ponder your decrees. I have more insight than my elders, because I observe your precepts. I keep my steps from every evil path, that I may obey your word. From your edicts I do not turn, for you have taught them to me. How sweet to my tongue is your promise, sweeter than honey to my mouth! Through your precepts I gain insight; therefore I hate all false ways".
Ephesians 5:14 says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light".
Vatican II said, "The Eucharist is the source and summit of all preaching of the Gospel", the Catholic Church has the ability to turn the tide for the good that God wants to bestow upon His people. Jesus wants to bless you with great graces.
Philippians 4:4-9 says, "Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. Keep on doing what you have learned and received and heard and seen in me. Then the God of peace will be with you".
The Eucharist is the bread that came down from heaven. Jesus is our thanksgiving!
The prayer of the Angel of Portugal given to the Children of Fatima: "My God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love you! I beg pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love you".
A true Christian is one who believes that Jesus is alive today in the Blessed Sacrament. Jesus is truly there in the tabernacle.
I have had the opportunity to go to Mass in Latin America, all over the United States, Europe, Korea, the Middle East and no matter where I have been, the Lord's Mass is totally unified with the Church of Rome. From Jesus through his apostles, it has always been this way.
The Church in the early years had to hold Mass in secret for fear of the Jews and then of the Romans. Mass would be held at homes where people would gather. Catacombs and caves were other places that the Christians held Mass. I was in a 2nd/3rd century Catacomb is located in Salzburg Austria. I had the chance to visit this site where the early Christian celebrated Mass.There is a grave site where the Priest, Father Maximus was martyred by the Romans.They still have original utensils and altar used by the Christians when you go up into the Catacomb. I had the chance to go in there and you can feel the reverence of the praise of voices long ago.
No one may share the Eucharist with us unless he believes that what we teach is true, unless he is washed in the regenerating waters of baptism for the remission of his sins, and unless he lives in accordance with the principles given us by Christ.
We do not consume the Eucharistic bread and wine as if it were ordinary food and drink, for we have been taught that as Jesus Christ our Savior became a man of flesh and blood by the power of the Word of God, so also the food that our flesh and blood assimilates for its nourishment becomes the flesh and blood of the incarnate Jesus by the power of his own words contained in the prayer of thanksgiving.
On Sunday we have a common assembly of all our members, whether they live in the city or the outlying districts.
The recollections of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as there is time. When the reader has finished, the president of the assembly speaks to us; he urges everyone to imitate the examples of virtue we have heard in the readings.
Then we all stand up together and pray.
The wealthy, if they wish, may make a contribution, and they themselves decide the amount. The collection is placed in the custody of the president, who uses it to help the orphans and widows and all who for any reason are in distress, whether because they are sick, in prison, or away from home. In a word, he takes care of all who are in need.
We hold our common assembly on Sunday because it is the first day of the week, the day on which God put darkness and chaos to flight and created the world, and because on that same day our savior Jesus Christ rose from the dead. For he was crucified on Friday and on Sunday he appeared to his apostles and disciples and taught them the things that we have passed on for your consideration”.
Jesus Christ is this "pure offering". The sacrifice is the Mass, Jesus offers himself to the Father in an unbloodied sacrifice, a perpetual Sacrament offered continually.
Jesus died only once and for all, but the efficacy of that sacrifice is presented in the Mass.
From the Didache, "Let no one eat or drink of the Eucharist with you except those who have been baptized in the Name of the Lord," for it was in reference to this that the Lord said, "Do not give that which is holy to dogs." Matthew 7:6
St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote, "I desire the bread of GOD, which is the flesh of Jesus Christ".St. Ignatius of Antioch wrote (106 A.D.) "stand aloof from such heretics", because, among other reasons, "they abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer, because they confess not the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, which suffered for our sins, and which the Father, of His goodness, raised up again."
St. Justin Martyr wrote (150 A.D.), "Not as common bread and common drink do we receive these; but in like manner as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of His word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh."
St. Justin Martyr wrote, "Now it is evident, that in this prophecy to the bread which our Christ gave us to eat, in remembrance of His being made flesh for the sake of His believers, for whom also He suffered; and to the cup which He gave us to drink, in remembrance of His own blood, with giving of thanks."
The Virgin Mary appearing at Fatima Portugal echoes Hebrews 13:18, "Pray for us, for we are confident that we have a clear conscience, wishing to act rightly in every respect. I especially ask for your prayers that I may be restored to you very soon". Mary would warn us not to judge a Priest, but to pray for them. There would be Priests that will displease our Lord. They will face judgment and they need our prayers. As we go forward through the Church year, remember to pray and obey our leaders (Hebrews 13:17).
1. Since you do not hold yourself 100% infallible, how can you be sure of your opinion on the Eucharist?
3. What does the Covenant mean to you, how do you renew it?
4. Name someone in the second or third century who believed as you believe on the Eucharist?
5. Do you crucify Christ every time you repent, do you take this as sacrificing the Lord on your "Altar"?
This morning went very well, but it had a couple of twists! It begins when one of the Candidates arrives with their sponsor. Being cordial, I simply asked him how long he had been in Iraq. He responded that he had been here almost 9 months. I asked him what Mass he went to because I never seen him before.
At this point, he admitted that he had not been to Mass since he got here. I was surprised by that and asked him how he hadn't been to Mass in 9 months, what kind of missions did he do that kept him from going. He admitted he just preferred to sleep in on Sunday.
Considering we have Mass at Division at 10:30 and at Warrior chapel at 13:00 I began to challenge him. I noticed he had no wedding ring, but I asked him if he planned to get married some day. He responded yes! I asked him if he would want to kiss his wife when he got married.
He said all the time. I asked him what he would think if his wife would tell him she would kiss him once a year, on their Wedding anniversary or perhaps on another special day of the year. He looked at me like that would not fly well with him.
Then I told him he was acting like the wife to the Lord. I told him that Matthew 26:28 said "This is the cup of my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting Covenant, it will be shed for you and for all so that sins may be forgiven, do this in memory of me". When you go to Communion, you renew the Covenant with Him.
The other situation occurred when I was reminding those receiving their first communion that the Priest was going to say, "The body of Christ" and they were to respond, "Amen". I then stated that in doing so, you are receiving the actual body, blood, soul, and divinity of Jesus Christ. That it wasn't symbolic as John Calvin had taught, but it was real.
At this point, I was getting ready to place everyone in line for procession when the Division "Protestant" Chaplain called me into another room and told me to have a seat. As I sat down he asked me what I thought of Jack Chick? I responded to him that Jack Chick is a liar, gave him the example about his story of Alberto Rivera who claimed to be ordained a Catholic Priest in Spain to undermine Protestant churches in Brazil.
I told him that "Christianity Today", a respected Protestant magazine exposed the story as Alberto Rivera was actually in a Protestant seminary in Jamaica, married with two children. Jack Chick is a liar as there are many such examples. Plus he preaches hate towards Catholics.
I then compared it to the Chaplain telling him that if I planted falsehoods about his church carrying bombs in their basements with the purpose of attacking Washington D.C., I'd be doing his religion an injustice.
I told Father about it later, he said this was the same Protestant Chaplain that was giving him a problem. He was also the same one who tried to make it difficult to pray the rosary and hold a Catholic Bible study.
I think he wants a generic Christianity that has no differences or not distinctions. I thought it was weird, especially since he did this right before Mass causing us to begin late.
In remembering this story, it reminds me of the importance of the Mass that we must be in the state of Grace when we receive the Eucharist.
The Catholic Church maintains that “in memory” of His death and resurrection, we proclaim the “death of the Lord until He comes” again in glory (I Corinthians 11:26). In our generation, many Catholics appear to have lost faith in the real presence, thus fulfilling the word expressed in I Timothy 4:1-5.
The question of the Eucharist is really a question of belief. Each Christian must choose to believe God, or choose to believe man. Our Lord Jesus Christ claims His presence in the Eucharist. Whom will you believe?
"Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, 'Sit here while I go over there and pray'. He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, 'My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me'. He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, 'My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will'. When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, 'So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" (Matthew 26:36-41).
We are living in a time when many are asleep and will unfortunately undergo the test. Many will fail this test because they are asleep. Sin is dominate in their life. Jesus warns "But when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth" (Luke 18:8).
St. Paul encourages us saying, "But you, remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the sacred scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:14).
OPENING STATEMENT:
The Eucharist and the True Meaning of the Body and Blood of Christ
May 18, 2012
The Eucharist and the True Meaning of the Body and Blood of Christ
May 18, 2012
By George Lujack
The Catholic Church teaches that when Christ served the bread and wine at His last supper, He did so literally, miraculously transforming the bread and wine into His actual flesh and blood, which was then consumed by the Apostles.
MATTHEW 26:25-26:
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”
MARK 14:22-24:
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many.”
LUKE 22:19-20:
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.”
In reality, the Catholic Church uses what Christ called His New Covenant to establish their Eucharist Doctrine. The self-serving purpose of the Eucharist is to empower the Catholic organization. It is taught that God only works through the Catholic Church and her priests, who have been given sole authority to dispense communion wafers and wine that blessed and are magically transformed to Christ’s actual flesh and blood upon consumption.
In reality, the Eucharist has been set up as a graven image idol in the Catholic Church. They proclaim that the wafer is God, or God is in the wafer. The Catholic Church keeps their flock in spiritual darkness by continually feeding them a wafer as a sacrificial offering for their sins.
The Catholic Church uses communion as a tool to strike fear and servitude into their parishioners. The fear is that if you do not receive your weekly communion - your sins will not be properly cleansed. The servitude is to continually attend mass so that you never miss receiving your wafer for the continual cleansing of your sin.
Is this what Jesus meant, for Christians to literally eat His body, and to literally drink His blood? Did Jesus mean for us to repeatedly sacrifice Himself as a “bloodless” offering? NO!
In reality, the Eucharist has been set up as a graven image idol in the Catholic Church. They proclaim that the wafer is God, or God is in the wafer. The Catholic Church keeps their flock in spiritual darkness by continually feeding them a wafer as a sacrificial offering for their sins.
The Catholic Church uses communion as a tool to strike fear and servitude into their parishioners. The fear is that if you do not receive your weekly communion - your sins will not be properly cleansed. The servitude is to continually attend mass so that you never miss receiving your wafer for the continual cleansing of your sin.
Is this what Jesus meant, for Christians to literally eat His body, and to literally drink His blood? Did Jesus mean for us to repeatedly sacrifice Himself as a “bloodless” offering? NO!
Bloodless offerings are not respected by the Lord and are completely worthless.
GENESIS 4:3:
And in the process of time it came to pass that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Abel also brought of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. And the Lord respected Abel and his offering, but He did not respect Cain and his offering.
The Lord did not respect Cain and his bloodless offering and the Lord does not respect the bloodless offering known as the Eucharist. Why was Cain’s offering and why is the offering known as the Eucharist not acceptable to the Lord? The Lord accepted the blood of animals as a temporary atonement for sin. An offering of fruit, a bloodless sacrifice, was not unacceptable. The Eucharist – another type of bloodless offering is not acceptable. Only blood can be used to atone for sin (Leviticus 1). No blood = no atonement.
Furthermore, sacrificial offerings of clean animals were temporary measures to atone for sin until the blood of Jesus Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot, gave His life as the once-and-forever substitute sacrificial offering for mankind (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus permanently paid for the remission of sin, therefore there are to be no more sacrifices or offerings for sin, as sacrificial offerings have been rendered obsolete (Hebrews 10:1-18).
The Catholic Church offers up a man-made communion wafer as a weekly bloodless offering, in the same manner that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Catholic priests stand ministering daily, offering the same sacrifices that can never take away sin, as Jewish priests had done so before them – Hebrews 10:11.
The Last Supper bread and wine serving WAS NOT meant as the actual sacrificial offering. Christ Himself was the sacrificial offering and the bread and wine served was a symbolic memorial of Christ’s sacrifice.
Furthermore, sacrificial offerings of clean animals were temporary measures to atone for sin until the blood of Jesus Christ, as a lamb without blemish and without spot, gave His life as the once-and-forever substitute sacrificial offering for mankind (1 Peter 1:19). Jesus permanently paid for the remission of sin, therefore there are to be no more sacrifices or offerings for sin, as sacrificial offerings have been rendered obsolete (Hebrews 10:1-18).
The Catholic Church offers up a man-made communion wafer as a weekly bloodless offering, in the same manner that Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Catholic priests stand ministering daily, offering the same sacrifices that can never take away sin, as Jewish priests had done so before them – Hebrews 10:11.
The Last Supper bread and wine serving WAS NOT meant as the actual sacrificial offering. Christ Himself was the sacrificial offering and the bread and wine served was a symbolic memorial of Christ’s sacrifice.
Jesus proclaimed that He did not come to abolish OT law, but came to fulfill it (Matthew 5:17-19). Therefore, the transubstantiation doctrine – an interpretation that one literally ‘eats’ the body and ‘drinks’ the blood of Christ” is NOT POSSIBLE. Eating human flesh and drinking human blood would either abolish or violate God’s PERPETUAL dietary commandments. It would make Christians that partook literal cannibals and blood drinking vampires.
LEVITICUS 3:17:
It shall be a PERPETUAL statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that you shall eat neither fat nor blood.
Jesus never sinned and could never advocate others to sin. Jesus never broke His laws and would never instruct others to do so. Christ was without sin and He did not abolish His laws; therefore the transubstantiation doctrine is proved false.
Does Christ have the power to transform bread into flesh and wine into blood? Absolutely. Christ turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. But He could not have done so at His Last Supper, as this would have caused His disciples to have sinned. Christ does not lead people to sin and death, but towards truth and life. Peter, long after the Last Supper, stated that He had never eaten anything unclean in Acts 10:14. Peter did not eat human flesh or drink human blood at Christ’s Last Supper.
For those who stubbornly insist that Jesus was speaking literally, consider this; Christ said “This IS My Body; this IS My blood.” Jesus DID NOT say that this bread will BECOME My body and this wine will BECOME My blood after you eat and drink it, as the transubstantiation doctrine maintains. For those who wish to take Christ’s words at His Last Supper as being literal, examine Christ’s words and compare them to the transubstantiation doctrine and see this contradiction for yourself.
There is no scientific evidence that a man-made communion wafer or wine offered in communion is, or transforms, into human flesh and blood in the human digestive tract as the transubstantiation doctrine proclaims.
Jesus said that He is the bread of life (John 6:33,35,48,51). Jesus further illustrates that He is not literal bread, but He is the bread (substance) of God who comes down from heaven and gives life (eternal life) to the world. If anyone eats of THIS BREAD he shall live forever; and the bread that Christ gave is His flesh, which He gave for the life of the world.
JOHN 6:58:
“This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
Here Jesus proclaims that this bread is Himself, who came down from heaven. It is not physical bread that the fathers of Israel ate, and are now dead. Like the manna, the Eucharist communion wafer is physical bread, something that people eat and will die.
JOHN 6:63:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Here we have Jesus fully explaining that the bread He speaks of is His Spirit that gives life. Jesus’ words ARE this bread. Jesus’ words ARE spirit and they ARE life. The Eucharist is not this bread. The Eucharist wafer is physical bread that is consumed by the mortal man.
The Eucharist wafer is not Christ’s actual literal flesh. Christ did not “give” this wafer to us, but the Catholic Church ordered these wafers manufactured. The Eucharist wafer did not come down from heaven, but was made in a factory somewhere on earth. This bread that Christ speaks of, cannot be literally eaten, for whoever physically eats the communion wafer, still physically dies.
This once again proves that Catholicism is inconsistent, picking and choosing what Christ said was literal, as they proclaim “This is My body, this is My blood,” as literal, yet they then say Christ didn’t mean those who would partake in the Eucharist would not experience physical death, when Jesus said, “anyone who eats this bread shall never die.” Well, people who do partake in the Eucharist do physically die.
Christ, as the bread of life, did come down from heaven. It is through His laying of His own life down on the cross that He has given us eternal life. To eat this bread, we must literally obey Christ’s words and His commandments.
Does Christ have the power to transform bread into flesh and wine into blood? Absolutely. Christ turned water into wine at the wedding at Cana. But He could not have done so at His Last Supper, as this would have caused His disciples to have sinned. Christ does not lead people to sin and death, but towards truth and life. Peter, long after the Last Supper, stated that He had never eaten anything unclean in Acts 10:14. Peter did not eat human flesh or drink human blood at Christ’s Last Supper.
For those who stubbornly insist that Jesus was speaking literally, consider this; Christ said “This IS My Body; this IS My blood.” Jesus DID NOT say that this bread will BECOME My body and this wine will BECOME My blood after you eat and drink it, as the transubstantiation doctrine maintains. For those who wish to take Christ’s words at His Last Supper as being literal, examine Christ’s words and compare them to the transubstantiation doctrine and see this contradiction for yourself.
There is no scientific evidence that a man-made communion wafer or wine offered in communion is, or transforms, into human flesh and blood in the human digestive tract as the transubstantiation doctrine proclaims.
Jesus said that He is the bread of life (John 6:33,35,48,51). Jesus further illustrates that He is not literal bread, but He is the bread (substance) of God who comes down from heaven and gives life (eternal life) to the world. If anyone eats of THIS BREAD he shall live forever; and the bread that Christ gave is His flesh, which He gave for the life of the world.
JOHN 6:58:
“This is the bread which came down from heaven—not as your fathers ate the manna, and are dead. He who eats this bread will live forever.”
Here Jesus proclaims that this bread is Himself, who came down from heaven. It is not physical bread that the fathers of Israel ate, and are now dead. Like the manna, the Eucharist communion wafer is physical bread, something that people eat and will die.
JOHN 6:63:
“It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.”
Here we have Jesus fully explaining that the bread He speaks of is His Spirit that gives life. Jesus’ words ARE this bread. Jesus’ words ARE spirit and they ARE life. The Eucharist is not this bread. The Eucharist wafer is physical bread that is consumed by the mortal man.
The Eucharist wafer is not Christ’s actual literal flesh. Christ did not “give” this wafer to us, but the Catholic Church ordered these wafers manufactured. The Eucharist wafer did not come down from heaven, but was made in a factory somewhere on earth. This bread that Christ speaks of, cannot be literally eaten, for whoever physically eats the communion wafer, still physically dies.
This once again proves that Catholicism is inconsistent, picking and choosing what Christ said was literal, as they proclaim “This is My body, this is My blood,” as literal, yet they then say Christ didn’t mean those who would partake in the Eucharist would not experience physical death, when Jesus said, “anyone who eats this bread shall never die.” Well, people who do partake in the Eucharist do physically die.
Christ, as the bread of life, did come down from heaven. It is through His laying of His own life down on the cross that He has given us eternal life. To eat this bread, we must literally obey Christ’s words and His commandments.
Jesus was the fulfillment of the Passover and is the New Passover. To celebrate the Passover, a lamb is slain and consumed in remembrance for when the Lord freed the Hebrews from Egyptian bondage. In the original Passover, the blood of a lamb was posted over the doorposts of the Hebrew’s homes, so that the Lord would pass over the homes of the Hebrews when He brought death to the first-born Egyptians. The blood on the doorposts of the Hebrews was a “sign” as described in Exodus 12:13. The blood itself was not what literally saved the Hebrews, but it was a sign to the Lord, and the Lord saved the Hebrews.
In likewise manner, in the Last Supper, the Lord offered bread and wine as a sign or symbol of His New Covenant with man (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). Jesus said, For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28). “This is My body which is given for you; do this IN REMEMBRANCE of Me” (Luke 22:19) The symbolic meaning of the bread and wine Christ served at His Last Supper is for a “sign” of remembrance of the new covenant that He made for many for the remission of sins. When we celebrate the Last Supper and say grace, we remember the atonement sacrifice Christ made for us. This New Covenant was for the remission of sins, so that Christ would be our Passover lamb. Christ’s actual blood is a sign for God the Father that Christ paid the penalty for our sins, so that God’s judgment will pass over us and we may be granted eternal life.
In likewise manner, in the Last Supper, the Lord offered bread and wine as a sign or symbol of His New Covenant with man (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20). Jesus said, For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins (Matthew 26:28). “This is My body which is given for you; do this IN REMEMBRANCE of Me” (Luke 22:19) The symbolic meaning of the bread and wine Christ served at His Last Supper is for a “sign” of remembrance of the new covenant that He made for many for the remission of sins. When we celebrate the Last Supper and say grace, we remember the atonement sacrifice Christ made for us. This New Covenant was for the remission of sins, so that Christ would be our Passover lamb. Christ’s actual blood is a sign for God the Father that Christ paid the penalty for our sins, so that God’s judgment will pass over us and we may be granted eternal life.
The Passover was actually a foreshadowing of the New Covenant of the Last Supper. The Passover was to save the physical lives of the Hebrews in physical bondage in Egypt. The New Covenant was to save the eternal lives of all mankind in spiritual bondage to sin. The Passover is to be celebrated as an annual event (Exodus 12), not a weekly mass. Catholicism has replaced God’s Passover holyday with the holiday Easter (in homage to the fertility goddess Ishtar), and substituted the Passover meal of lamb for the unclean swine traditionally served at Easter.
We cannot consume Christ’s literal flesh and Christ’s literal blood, no matter what some mystical Babylonian-inspired Roman Catholic priest says.
We know Jesus often spoke figuratively, because Jesus said that He spoke in figurative language and the Apostles understood this to be so. Jesus spoke in figurative speech when He said, “This is My body; this is My blood.”
We cannot consume Christ’s literal flesh and Christ’s literal blood, no matter what some mystical Babylonian-inspired Roman Catholic priest says.
We know Jesus often spoke figuratively, because Jesus said that He spoke in figurative language and the Apostles understood this to be so. Jesus spoke in figurative speech when He said, “This is My body; this is My blood.”
JOHN 16:25:
These things I have spoken to you in FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE; but the time is coming when I will no longer speak to you in FIGURATIVE LANGUAGE, but I will tell you plainly about the Father.
The Apostle Paul commanded that when Christians come together in a church, IT IS NOT TO EAT THE LORD’S SUPPER.
1 CORINTHIANS 11:20:
Therefore when you come together in one place, IT IS NOT TO EAT THE LORD’S SUPPER.
If the purpose of gathering together in a church is not to partake in the Lord’s Supper, how can Catholics maintain that it is? They have repackaged the Last Supper and call it weekly mass and the Eucharist. It is false doctrine and denies Christ’s sacrifice as being sufficient. It is false doctrine, taking their flock away from the truth of the One who died for our sins, once and for all time (Hebrews 10:10), while leading them into servitude of a church that offers a communion wafer idol and a shot wine for the continual sacrifice and cleansing of sins.
REBUTTAL to Opponents likely arguments:
Jesus said “This IS My Body; This IS my flesh! He didn’t say, “This is a symbol of My body; this is a symbol of My flesh.”
Response:
When Jesus spoke symbolically, or in figurative language, He DO NOT preface His statements by saying, “I am now speaking to you symbolically.” This would defeat the purpose of speaking symbolically.
An example of this is…
JOHN 11:11-14:
“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
When Jesus spoke symbolically of Lazarus’ death, He said, “Lazarus sleeps.” When He clarified by speaking literally, He plainly said, “Lazarus is dead.” Jesus never prefaced His statements by saying, “I am speaking symbolically here,” or “I am speaking literally now.”
Jesus said that He is the door (John 10:7,9); the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14), the way the truth and the life (John 14:6). Yet we know that Jesus was symbolically the door to eternal life, the Good Shepherd or caretaker of His sheep - His followers, the way, the truth and the life - His words and teachings are true and give eternal life. Christ said that He is the bread of life. Most non-Catholics do not take His words to mean that He is literal bread, but rather the substance of life.
Why did many of His apostles walk away after Jesus taught to eat His flesh and drink His blood (John 6:66)?
REBUTTAL to Opponents likely arguments:
Jesus said “This IS My Body; This IS my flesh! He didn’t say, “This is a symbol of My body; this is a symbol of My flesh.”
Response:
When Jesus spoke symbolically, or in figurative language, He DO NOT preface His statements by saying, “I am now speaking to you symbolically.” This would defeat the purpose of speaking symbolically.
An example of this is…
JOHN 11:11-14:
“Our friend Lazarus sleeps, but I go that I may wake him up.” Then His disciples said, “Lord, if he sleeps he will get well.” However, Jesus spoke of his death, but they thought that He was speaking about taking rest in sleep. Then Jesus said to them plainly, “Lazarus is dead.
When Jesus spoke symbolically of Lazarus’ death, He said, “Lazarus sleeps.” When He clarified by speaking literally, He plainly said, “Lazarus is dead.” Jesus never prefaced His statements by saying, “I am speaking symbolically here,” or “I am speaking literally now.”
Jesus said that He is the door (John 10:7,9); the Good Shepherd (John 10:11,14), the way the truth and the life (John 14:6). Yet we know that Jesus was symbolically the door to eternal life, the Good Shepherd or caretaker of His sheep - His followers, the way, the truth and the life - His words and teachings are true and give eternal life. Christ said that He is the bread of life. Most non-Catholics do not take His words to mean that He is literal bread, but rather the substance of life.
Why did many of His apostles walk away after Jesus taught to eat His flesh and drink His blood (John 6:66)?
RESPONSE:
1. Some took Christ literally, and wanted nothing to do with the mysticism that many pagan religions had in eating human flesh and blood. They did not understand that Christ was speaking figuratively (John 6:63). They did not understand that Christ was not speaking of actually eating His body, but instead spoke of obeying His words, which are spiritual and give eternal life.
JOHN 6:63:
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
2. Those that did understand Christ to be speaking figuratively walked away because they could not understand Him; the meaning of what He was saying was too difficult (John 6:60).
JOHN 6:60:
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
1. Some took Christ literally, and wanted nothing to do with the mysticism that many pagan religions had in eating human flesh and blood. They did not understand that Christ was speaking figuratively (John 6:63). They did not understand that Christ was not speaking of actually eating His body, but instead spoke of obeying His words, which are spiritual and give eternal life.
JOHN 6:63:
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.
2. Those that did understand Christ to be speaking figuratively walked away because they could not understand Him; the meaning of what He was saying was too difficult (John 6:60).
JOHN 6:60:
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?”
If Christ did not want us to literally eat His flesh and drink His blood, then how does one eat the bread or drink the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner (1 Corinthians 11:27,29)?
When someone knows the words and commandments of Christ, yet does not abide by them, does not repent of sin and continues living life as He was before knowing Christ, that person has heard Christ’s words in an unworthy manner. This is the case of many Christians, for example, that are pro-choice.
Scripture says that if you know God’s word you judge and correct yourself through chastening and repentance, so that God will not condemn us with the world (1 Corinthians 11:31-32).
CLOSING STATEMENT:
The Eucharist wafer, supposedly bread, is not like bread at all, but is shaped like a circular flat white potato chip. The Eucharist wafer has been inspired and patterned in reverence to the Babylonian sun god. The Eucharist chip is a man-made manufactured product that has been set up within the Catholic Church system as a graven image idol, as God, to be revered and consumed to receive Christ. The Eucharist is offered up as a continual sacrifice, denying the once and for all eternal sacrifice of our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah – Jesus the Christ (Hebrews 10:10).
Apparently, most Catholics must have lost faith in the literal application of Christ’s words at His Last Supper regarding the Eucharist. An estimated 75% of the reported 1-billion Catholics do not attend weekly mass.
A DEEPER TRUTH
MATTHEW 10:39, 16:25; MARK 8:35; LUKE 9:24, 17:33:
Apparently, most Catholics must have lost faith in the literal application of Christ’s words at His Last Supper regarding the Eucharist. An estimated 75% of the reported 1-billion Catholics do not attend weekly mass.
A DEEPER TRUTH
MATTHEW 10:39, 16:25; MARK 8:35; LUKE 9:24, 17:33:
For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it.
Jesus was telling His followers that to be worthy of Him, you must be willing to shed your body and suffer persecution, rather than deny Christ and His teachings. Many Christians in the first century and throughout the ages have been martyred and persecuted rather than deny Christ. In the case of the Catholic Church, many Christians have been persecuted and martyred for upholding and proclaiming the truth of the Scripture, rather than to submit to Catholic Church authority or the Catholic pope.
The Apostle Paul knew of His martyrdom and that He was being poured out as a drink offering, of persecution and death for his testimony in proclaiming Christ - 2 Timothy 4:6.
MATTHEW 10:24:
A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.
Christians are not above our Master. We must be willing to shed our body and shed our blood, which means must be willing to suffer ridicule, persecution and giving up our lives in martyrdom for the sake of the gospel and Christ.
MATTHEW 26:39:
He went a little farther and fell on His face, prayed, saying, “O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.”
Jesus was speaking figuratively here, as He was not asking the Father to remove His Eucharist cup of wine, but the cup of the blood of sacrifice that He was being asked to spill for the remission of man’s sins.
MATHEW 20:22; MARK 10:38:
Jesus asked His disciples: "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink..."
MATHEW 20:22; MARK 10:38:
Jesus asked His disciples: "Are you able to drink the cup that I am about to drink..."
I assure you this WAS NOT the Eucharist cup of wine.
Christ made a covenant with us; to shed His body and blood as a once and for all sacrifice for the remission of sins. We - His servants, are not above Christ - our Master. We must be willing to do the same for the Lord.
Christ made a covenant with us; to shed His body and blood as a once and for all sacrifice for the remission of sins. We - His servants, are not above Christ - our Master. We must be willing to do the same for the Lord.
Any fool can go to Sunday mass and eat a communion wafer and drink a shot glass of wine. This is not a test of faith and is not what Jesus meant when He said to eat His body and drink His blood. To eat His body and drink His blood is to obey His words and His commandments and to be willing to suffer as Christ suffered; ridicule, persecution and death.
I have presented the true meaning of eating Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood.
I have presented the true meaning of eating Christ’s flesh and drinking His blood.
To those who wish to continue to participate in the meaningless and fruitless Eucharist ritual, reminds me of a scene from the movie, “The Matrix.” In it, the star character, Neo, was offered a choice between receiving the red pill of truth and the blue pill of continual illusion and deception.
RED PILL OR BLUE PILL?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VQ9Fs2fM20
The blue pill (the Eucharist) is offered by Babylonian-inspired Roman Catholicism; the perverted false counterfeit-Christian religion that has been pulled over your eyes to blind you from the truth. Taking the blue pill (the Eucharist) keeps you a slave; in prison, in bondage to a religious system that most Catholics were born into. The Eucharist, when taken and believed as literal, is cannibalistic, mystical spiritualism, pagan in origin and Satanic. The Eucharist is easy to swallow and many are deceived by it.
The red pill, (the unchangeable truth of Scripture), is sometimes more difficult to swallow, but it is the truth, nothing more. An honest objective study of God’s word will set you free from religious bondage and show you just how deep the rabbit hole (of Catholicism) goes.
The choice is yours. You can keep taking the Eucharist, or you can free yourself from spiritual bondage by accepting the logical truth of Scripture.
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