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The Lord's Supper and
Jehovah's Witnesses
Who is to celebrate the Lord's Supper and when?
Christians also refer to this meal as Holy
Communion. The Jehovah's Witnesses prefer to call it
the memorial supper. The Watchtower Society states
in their Reasoning book (page 266), that the Lord
commanded His disciples to memorialize the event.
The Watchtower organization also teaches that this
feast is to be celebrated only one each year. They
base this on comparing the celebration of a wedding
anniversary or national event. If you are a
Jehovah's Witness or studying with one, are you
willing to risk eternal life based on rules from
man, or are you willing to seek the truth from the
Scriptures? The following information and questions
may help you find the truth.
The PASSOVER and LORD'S SUPPER
The Passover, also called the Feast of Unleaven
Bread, was kept as a memorial of the Jews
deliverance out of Egypt. The lamb, blood on the
door post, death of the first born, deliverance out
of a hostile country, and the continuance of the
feast throughout I6rael's history, prepares a grand
historical picture of Christ as our Passover Lamb,
and our deliverance out of a hostile world by His
blood. First Corinthians 5:6-8 refers to Christ as
our Passover, and instructs us to keep. the festival
in sincerity and truth. The Passover had served its
purpose and had now given way to the new memorial
supper, which is kept in loving remembrance of Jesus
until His return.
The importance of the Lord's Supper is underlined by
being described in three gospels in detail, Matthew
26:17-29, Mark 14:12-25; and Luke 22:7-38. The
important facts of the lord'3 Supper are who should
partake and how often is it to be celebrated?
Partakers
The Watchtower organization teaches that only the
anointed may partake of this meal. According to the
Watchtower, January 1, 1993 [l] less than 0.0006% of
it's members obey the Lord. They state that of the
11,431,171 in attendance at the 1992 Memorial, only
8,683 received the emblem. Yet that is not what the
Scriptures teach.
Looking back to the Passover all of the worshipers
of Yahweh celebrated the Passover, not just the
priestly Levite tribe (Exodus 12:43-49). Even the
unclean were instructed how to observe this feast
(Numbers 9:6-9; 2 Chr. 30:2-4, 17; 2 Chr. 35:3-11;
Ezra 6:20. Finally even strangers were authorized to
celebrate (Exodus 12:48,49; Num. 9:14. Thus in the
original teachings of the Passover it was not
limited to a small select number.
Then Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper with the
Apostles; they were His disciples, who were to go on
to teach throughout the world about Him. Paul in 1
Cor. 10:16-17 states, "For we being many are one
bread and one body for we are ALL partakers of that
one bread. ' He is writing this letter to the church
at Corinth and it's members. He is writing this
letter during a time when the church had many
problems. Yet these people were ALL partakers of the
Lord's Supper.
The Scriptures give us two requirements for
partaking of the Lord's Supper. One must be
regenerated by grace, and walking a life consistent
with commemorating the death of Christ. First
Corinthians 11:27-29 clearly states these
requirements. Thus all Christians regenerated by
grace and walking a true Christian life should be
partakers. If one does not partake of the Lord's
Supper voluntarily, that person is claiming not to
be under God's grace. If refused the opportunity by
an organization that organization is over ruling
God's instructions.
HOW OFTEN TO CELEBRATE
The Watchtower organization teaches that the
celebration of the Memorial Feast is an annual
event. They further teach that it is to be
celebrated on the same calendar date of the feast
from which it was derived. Jehovah's Witnesses use
Nisan 14 because the believed Christ died the day.
They count the days as sunset to sunset. Yet early
Christians during the first century while some of
the apostles were still alive settled when to
celebrate the service. They decided that were they
to do this only once a year, at Passover, would have
tended to keep them effectively within Judaism. This
solution would have obscured the uniqueness of Jesus
and wiped out the reality of the new era Jesus had
promised.
True, Jesus instituted the feast at the end of the
Passover meal. Yet He, nor the Scriptures give a
specific time or date when to celebrate this
communion. The Command, 'Do this as often as ye
drink it . . . . " I Cor. 11:25 suggests a more
continual recurrence of the memorial of one whom
they would wish, never to forget.
Luke, in Acts 2:42, describes baptized members of
the church as continuing steadfast in, or to, the
teachings of the apostles; in fellowship with them
and with each other; and in breaking of bread and
prayer. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians (l
Cor. 10:16-11:34) gives very clear instructions on
the Lords Supper. This is not given just before or
after Passover. Reading this section clearly shows
that the memorial was more frequently celebrated
than as annual event.
Although not inspired, the writings of the early
Christians are valuable documents of Christianity.
They are part of the heritage of all Christians. One
such writing is the Didache that is the earliest
church service book (100A.D. for, before) which
describes the Communion. A more detailed description
is found in the writings of Justin Maryr (100-165 A.
D.) (21. In his First Apology, he furnishes a
detailed description of the Lord's Supper. Here he
is describing what they do on a day called Sunday.
'On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or
in the country gather together in one place.... When
our prayers is ended, bread and wine and water are
brought. In like manner, the presiding brother
offers prayers and thanksgiving according to his
ability. And the people assent saying 'Amen.' Then
the bread and wine are distributed to each person
and each partakes, The seryant (deaoons) take a
portion to those who are absent,
Earl Cairn states in his book, Christianity Through
the Centuries [3], that during the first century,
two services were held on Sunday. Communion (Lord's
Supper) was held during the evening service. By the
end of the first century they stopped the evening
service. They then served Communion during the
morning service of worship. Cypian's Epistle 62 also
describes early Christians observing Communion every
Sunday. Therefore from the evidence we must conclude
that the Lord's Supper was at least a weekly event.
The Watchtower organization teaches that it is God's
only true organization. They state that since 1914
Jesus is actively ruling as King over all the earth.
They have claimed He is the editor of their
publications. New light or changes in the teachings
are based upon increased knowledge. With the Lord's
Supper we have a very difficult thing to understand.
For over seventy-six years the Watchtower leaders
proclaimed that, concerning the Lord's Supper, the
body of Jesus meant the whole Christians
Congregation. Forty- one of those years were suppose
to be under the direct guidance of Jesus. Then in
1956 the body refers only to His actual flesh. To
prove this point read the Make Sure of All Things
books published in 1953 (page 261) and the copy
printed in 1965 (page 323).
QUESTIONS FOR THOSE NOT PARTAKING
Would a Loving Lord Jesus invite you to His supper
table for fellowship only to deny you from you from
partaking of the meal?
Do you follow Jesus' Command? Read 1 Corinthians
11:23-26
Are you condemned? Romans 8:1-2 'Therefore those in
union with Christ have no condemnation. For the law
of that spirit which gives life in union with Christ
Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of
death.' Read also John 5:24, John 17:22-24; 2
Corinthians 5:17.
Is Christ your mediator? Read 1 Timothy 2:5,6
Is there partial justification? Read Romans
5:1,2,'Romans 4:2,3,6,7, Galatians 3:8,9. Where does
the Bible speak of partial justification? On the
contrary, the early Christians at Galatia were told
they were being blessed together with Abraham and
not apart from him.
On whose merit will you stand before God? Read
Isaiah 64:6, Revelation 7:14, and Ephesians 2:8,9
In closing remember a Christian is someone
personally united to the Lord Jesus Christ. All
Christians share the 'ONE HOPE' spoken of at
Ephesians 4:4. 'Let us then approach the throne of
grace with confidence, so we may receive mercy and
find grace to help us in our time of need. (Hebrews
4:16 NIV). He said 'come to me!' (Matthew 11:28,29;
Philippians 4:7). Take Him at His word. Men may fail
you, but He will never disappoint you (Romans 3:4:
9:33).
REFERENCES
1993, Watchtower, January 1, 1993, Watchtower Bible
and Tract Society of New York, page 15.
1989, Justin Martyr, Mark 'Felix, We Don't Speak
Great Things We Live Them, Scroll Publishing, Texas,
page 94.
1981, Cairns, Earle, Christianity Throughout the
Centuries, Zondervaan Corp. Grand Rapids, Michigan,
page 83.
For Additional Information Contact
True Light Educational Ministry
P.O. Box 310
Shirley, NY 11967
Telephone (631) 395-4646
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TLEM