The Lord's Evening Meal - How Often? (page 2)

ablebodiedman

"For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives"

Imagine that, the lord leaving this issue open for each group to decide.

John 6:48-51

　"I am the bread of life. 49 　YOUR forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet died. 50 　This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 　I am the living bread that came down from heaven; if anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and, for a fact, the bread that I shall give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world."

Imagine that, the Lord allowing "anyone" to partake!

abe

Rattigan350

This is very elementary. It is to be one once a year because it is based on the precedent of the passover being done once a year.

You don't need any new testament quotes to know that.

The whole memorial is meaningless to people today, the same as the passover was meaning to generations 100s of years beyond Moses. It was for those ones in the room with Jesus that witnessed his life and death as the passover was for those who witnessed life in Egypt and the passover event.

Bobcat

Abe:

Just as some additional to your post above about John chapter 6 and its relation to the Lord's Evening Meal, I posted some brief reference material and comment about that here.

Take Care

Bobcat

Rattigan350:

This is very elementary. It is to be one once a year because it is based on the precedent of the passover being done once a year.

You don't need any new testament quotes to know that.

You have summed up nicely the WT's whole argument as to why it is supposed to be an annual memorial. Unfortunately, Paul and the Corinthians seemed to have failed to see it that way.

Like I mentioned to "designs," I have no problem with someone choosing an annual memorial. But the command to "keep doing this" and "as often as you [do this]" is just too ambiguous to say that an annual remembrance was meant. Moreover, the practice of the Corinthians, as described in 1 Cor 11:17-20, just doesn't agree with an annual observance.

Paul is addressing questions raised by the Corinthians, 11:17-34 being about "when you come together in a congregation." The context really wasn't about the Lord's Evening Meal per se. It was about "divisions" among them when they had their gatherings. Paul was saying that, under those 'divided' conditions, having the Lord's Evening Meal was inappropriate, since the 'bread' and 'wine' symbolized something Jesus did for all of them. Therefore, the 'divisions,' selfishness, and unconcern for one another were a contradiction to what the Lord's Evening Meal represented. But behind that discussion is the presupposition that the Lord's Evening Meal was a regular feature of "when [they] come together in a congregation."

Thanks for your comments, Rattigan.

Take Care

leaving_quietly

Reasoning book, page 265 par. 3:

"Jesus did not specifically state how often the Memorial of his death was to be kept. However, he instituted it on the date of the Jewish Passover, which was replaced among his disciples by the Memorial of Christ’s death. The Passover was an annual event, celebrated on Nisan 14. Similarly, the Jewish Festival of Unfermented Cakes, the Festival of Weeks (Pentecost), the Festival of Booths, or Ingathering, and the Day of Atonement were all held once a year."

As was pointed out in comments already, WT's take on it is just WT's take on it. They're not necessarily wrong or right in when they do it. However, something else Christ said may shed a little light. John 6:48-51 was quoted already. Take a look at this part:

48 “I am the bread of life. 49 Your forefathers ate the manna in the wilderness and yet they died. 50 This is the bread that comes down from heaven, so that anyone may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread he will live forever; and for a fact, the bread that I will give is my flesh in behalf of the life of the world.”

Now, ask: how often did they eat manna?

eyeuse2badub

When Jesus told his follower to quote;"keep doing THIS in rememberance of me", the word THIS that Jesus was referring to was the actual eating and drinking of the bread and wine. THIS did not imply nor ever mean being a 'respectful observer'. Jesus words to "keep doing THIS", have gone the way of Jesus words, "THIS generation". Evidentily(tm) the WTBTS has a vrey liberal understanding of what the simple word---- "THIS" means. And THIS is all I'm gonna say about the word "THIS".

Just saying

eyeuse2badub

Another thread mostly on the Nisan 14/15 issue.

The Lord's Evening Meal - How Often?

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