Q. 79. Why then doth Christ call the bread his body, and the cup his blood, or the new covenant in his blood, and Paul, the “communion of the body and blood of Christ?”

Question. Why then doth Christ call the bread his body, and the cup his blood, or the new covenant in his blood, and Paul, the “communion of the body and blood of Christ?”

Answer. Christ speaks thus not without great reason, namely, not only thereby to teach us, that as bread and wine support this temporal life, so his crucified body and shed blood are the true meat and drink whereby our souls are fed to eternal life (John 6;55, 49, 51): but more especially by these visible signs and pledges to assure us, that we are as really partakers of his true body and blood (by the operation of the Holy Ghost) as we receive by the mouths of our bodies these holy signs in remembrance of him (1 Cor. 11;24, 25): and that all his sufferings and obedience are as certainly ours, as if we had in our own persons suffered and made satisfaction for our sins to God (1 Cor. 11;26).

Proofs.

• [proof-1] John 6;55, 49, 51.—For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness and are dead. If any man eat of this bread he shall live forever.
• [proof-2] 1 Cor. 11;24.—He took bread and said...........Take eat: this is my body.—1 Cor. 11;25.—1 Cor. 10;16.
• [proof-3] 1 Cor. 11;26.—For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.—Rom. 8;4.