How often should the Lord's Supper be celebrated per year

by avidbiblereader 32 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  avidbiblereader

  I have ALWAYS had a problem with this from the Scriptures, I understand the old law and replacing the Passover but those laws did not apply to the New Covenant and my question centers around Pauls words to the 1 Cor 11

  1 Cor 11:17-20

  17 But, while giving these instructions, I do not commend YOU because it is, not for the better, but for the worse that YOU meet together. 18 For first of all, when YOU come together in a congregation, I hear divisions exist among YOU ; and in some measure I believe it. 19 For there must also be sects among YOU , that the persons approved may also become manifest among YOU . 20 Therefore, when YOU come together to one place, it is not possible to eat the Lord’s evening meal

  New Living Translation puts it this way

  17 In the following directives I have no praise for you, for your meetings do more harm than good. 18 In the first place, I hear that when you come together as a church, there are divisions among you, and to some extent I believe it. 19 No doubt there have to be differences among you to show which of you have God's approval. 20 When you come together, it is not the Lord's Supper you eat,

  From the way I read it, Paul was giving instruction for meetings and the one particular one he does address is the Lord Supper, so with the above words,

  1) Were they only to meet once a year in any meeting?

  2) Or whenever you meet, which wasn't a regimented time every week as the witnesses have their flocks meeting, you should eat the Lords Supper?

  Which do you think, meet once a year or whenever you meet, celebrate the Lords Supper

  abr
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  A Paduan

  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.

  isn't everday ok ?
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  heathen

  I'm thinking it was once a year however early christians would eat together on a daily basis anyway since they sold everything they owned and shared according to each days needs . I think what the WTBTS does is a disgrace since only people partaking need be present and this is not just about the wine and bread but actually a church supper where they actually ate dinner.
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  Morocco

  it sure is a good thing that God, in "his word" doesn't leave anything to guess work -- it is probably not important, if it was it would have been explicit like the mosaic law where even taking a crap was dictated
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  heathen

  Morocco it apparently is important as a ritual to enter into the christian covenant and professing faith in his sacrifice , all jesus said was to keep doing this in rememberance of me . The apostles clearly thought it was important as they did write about how to do it .
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  Morocco

  That is definitely true. And I apologize for seeming rude. I think what I really mean is that, if you believe it is important as a Christian to observe the ritual then its very importance is somewhat nullified by the fact that the details of when and how to observe it are found incomplete. If it were really important the bible writers would have focused more on recording the information than passing it down orally.
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  yucca

  We celebrate the Lords supper the first of every month at our church.
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  Satanus

  I have supper practically every day. Why shouldn't the lord?

  S
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  Leolaia

  According to the Didache (late first century-early second century AD), on Sundays the Christians met to break bread and give thanks (i.e. offer the Eucharist). See 9:1-5, 10:1-7, 14:1, which also have detailed descriptions of how to observe it (since the work is a catechism for Gentile converts).
  

  The NT writings, which were not written with us in mind thousands of years later, naturally assumed common everyday knowledge; Paul's letters, for instance, were written to specific churches about issues then faced by them, they hardly had to spell out in detail things that were common knowledge. But that sociocultural context has now been long lost, and references to practices (such as "love feasts") that were a central feature of everyday Christian life are now much more obscure.
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  Satanus

  Leolaia

  Yup, you're coming through ok.

  S