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NASB | Matthew 26:26 ¶ While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." |
AMPLIFIED 2015 | Matthew 26:26 ¶ Now as they were eating Jesus took bread, and after blessing it, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." [Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:17-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25] |
Bible Question: My question regards Communion. Who can participate? Who is authorized to give communion? Tell me where the answers are substantiated in the Bible. |
Bible Answer: I assume that you are referring to the Roman Catholic Church's Communion, or Holy Eucharist (I believe Protestant churches refer to communion as the Lord's Supper.). According to Catholic Church, an ordained priest is authorized to give communion. The Church has recently also had "lay ministers" which are lay people who can administer communion (bread and wine). Note however that only the priest can "consecrate" the host, and then the lay minister can administer it (distribute it to the congregation). The Cath Church's position is that only Catholics who are not in state of mortal sin (meaning that they have not committed a mortal sin which they have not yet confessed to a priest) can participate in the Holy Eucharist. The reason is that allowing all Christians to participate in Communion would imply a unity of churches which unfortunately does not exist today. The very different interpretations of the Last Supper and how we are to celebrate it (i.e., is it the Cath Church's view of the Holy Eucharist in which the bread/wine is changed into Christ's body/blood or is it a remembrance of the last supper or it is somewhere in between) would also lead to the Cath Church's position that only Catholics can participate in Communion. In terms of substantiating the Cath position w/Scripture, the seemingly simple description of Jesus sharing his Last Supper with his disciples and telling them "Take it and eat, this is my body" (Mt 25:26-29) has been interpreted in widely different ways among Christians. The Catholic position, as I mentioned above, is transubstantiation, in which it is believed that the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ (the "Real Presence" of Christ). I'm sure you can find more posts on this subject by searching (upper right corner) for transubstantiation or real presence. |