The "Lord's Supper"

Early Christian painting of an Agape feast.

The Apostle Paul wrote his letters to the Corinthian church to correct them concerning a great many things.

Most of the wrong practices and heresies were apparently the result of false apostles and deceitful workers, whom the brethren had allowed to come into their congregation and teach FALSE DOCTRINES and ANOTHER JESUS!

“For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or if you receive a different spirit [an evil spirit or sour spirit] which you have not received, or a different gospel [a different message] which you have not accepted─ you may well put up with it!” – 2 Corinthians 11:4.

The apostle Paul further warned them that regardless of how these false apostles and deceitful workers appear or what they say─ they were of Satan the devil and not of the LORD God.

“For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself [can, we add editorially] transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if HIS MINISTERS also [can, again we add editorially] transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works” – 2 Corinthians 11:13-15.

Now, one such practice was the “Lord’s Supper,” “Communion,” or “Passover” ─ all these words can be used to acknowledge and reference the LORD God’s Passover. However, there were some in the congregation who mistakenly believed that the Apostle Paul was correcting them for inappropriately eating the Lord’s Supper.

Yet, in truth, he was correcting a known heresy─

“Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worst. For FIRST OF ALL, when you come together as a Church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I BELIEVE IT. For there must also be factions [heresies] among you, that those who ARE APPROVED may be recognized among you” – 1 Corinthians 11:17-19.

The Apostle Paul was explaining that the teachings concerning the Passover were those that he personally had received from our Lord Jesus Christ!

“For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread” – 1 Corinthians 11:23.

That very night in which our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ was betrayed was the Passover night─ notice:

“Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?’ And He said, ‘Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, ‘The Teacher says, ‘My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples.’

So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover. WHEN EVENING HAD COME [sunset], He sat down with the twelve” – Matthew 26:17-20.

Now, the Apostle Luke’s account reads─

“So they went and found it just as He had said to them, and they prepared the Passover. When THE HOUR HAD COME, He sat down, and the twelve apostles with Him. Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you BEFORE I SUFFER; for I say to you, I will no longer eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God’” – Luke 22:13-16.

The Apostle Paul says─

“Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump [an unleavened lump], since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us. Therefore let us keep the feast [two-and-a-half decades after the human existence of Jesus Christ on the earth and he’s still teaching them], not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” – 1 Corinthians 5:7-8.

Obviously, Paul fully acknowledged and put his stamp of approval on the idea that ‘You all are supposed to keep Passover, and you all are supposed to keep Unleavened Bread.”

But, whatever meal the Corinthian Church of God was eating and calling the “Lord’s Supper,” “Communion,” or “Passover,” it was not to be eaten when they assembled. Notice, in strong admonition, the Apostle Paul wrote─

“Therefore WHEN YOU COME TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE [for the Passover, we add editorially], it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper” – 1 Corinthians 11:20.

The Greek word for not is ou, which means “no, not, not at all, in no way, and absolutely not.” IN NO WAY of eating the “Lord’s Supper, “Communion,” or “Passover.” Furthermore, the Apostle Paul specifically wrote that if anyone was hungry, he or she was to eat at home BEFORE coming to observe the New Covenant Passover. Notice─

“But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. …” – 1 Corinthians 11:34.

Now, much later the word “Eucharist” came from the Roman Catholic Church in Rome and Egypt. And, because the Roman Catholic Church teaches it, the majority of our peoples just ass-u-me, believe, and accept as fact that the “early church fathers” were the true successors of the apostles of Christ. However, proper research shows us that they WERE NOT the true successors to the apostles of Christ, but were the successors of the likes of Simon Magus – the first pope of Rome, Justin Martyr, Nicholas of Samaria, Cerinthus, as well as other “founders” of Counterfeit Christianity.

Now, as far as the word “Communion” – which, truly, as stated earlier – can be used to acknowledge and reference the LORD God’s Passover ─ is more akin to the Roman Catholics, because the translators of the 1611 King James Version of the Bible translated the Greek word koinōnia as “communion.” In truth, the word should be translated into English─ fellowship. Thankfully, in the New English Translation translated by Minister Fred R. Coulter, it is properly translated as “fellowship.”

In 1st Corinthians 10:16, the Koiné Greek word koinōnia should be properly translated as “fellowship” instead of “communion” in reference to the New Covenant Passover. A more clear, easy-to-read English Version makes it clear─

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread [unleavened bread] that we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ?” – 1 Corinthians 10:16, NET.

Returning once again to the New King James Version, the Apostle Paul continues ─

“For we, though many, ARE ONE BREAD and ONE BODY; for we all partake of that ONE BREAD [that being Christ Jesus our Lord]. Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That AN IDOL IS [and certainly can be, we again add editorially] ANYTHING, or what IS OFFERED TO IDOLS IS ANYTHING? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice THEY SACRIFICE TO DEMONS and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons. You CANNOT drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you CANNOT partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons” – 1 Corinthians 10:17-21.

Apparently, from these verses, it appears as if the Corinthian Church was still trying to practice some pagan rituals. And, sadly, after the death of the apostles of Christ, the Greco-Roman confederation of churches that began to emerge even in the first century in Alexandria, Jerusalem, and Rome gained momentum.

Any reputable encyclopedia will show you that through the centuries, the Roman Catholic Church appropriated various pagan festivals and just simply renamed them, placing a “Christian” veneer on them and ascribing a new meaning to their observance.

In the book My Catholic Faith, by Louis Laravoire Morrow, the Bishop of Krishnagar─ one of the oldest municipalities in Bengal─ confirms that this is in accordance with the traditions of the Roman Catholic Church:

“In the history of the Church we find that she often christened pagan festivals, making use of dates and ceremonies, and endowing them with an entirely new and Christian significance. …” pg. 416.

The ancient kingdom of Israel also adopted pagan practices in direct violation of the holy commands of the LORD God. Notice─

“’ Observe and obey all these words which I command you, that it may go well with you and your children after you FOREVER, when you do what is good and right in the sight of the LORD your God. 

When the LORD your God cuts off from before you the nations which you go to dispossess, and you displace them and dwell in their land, TAKE HEED TO YOURSELF THAT YOU ARE NOT ENSNARED TO FOLLOW THEM, after they are destroyed from before you, and THAT YOU DO NOT INQUIRE AFTER THEIR GODS, saying, ‘How did these nations serve their gods? I also will do likewise.’ 

You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way; for every abomination to the LORD which He hates they have done to their gods; for they burn even their sons and daughters in the fire to their gods. 

WHATEVER I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it’” – Deuteronomy 12:28-32. □