Celebrate Supporting Document
[ Pentecost 1996 ] [ Lent 1998 ] [ Supporting Doc. ]

References to the Confessions:

[9] Who, then, receives this sacrament worthily?

[10] Answer: Fasting and bodily preparation are a good external discipline, but he is truly worthy and well prepared who believes these words: "for you" and "for the forgiveness of sins." On the other hand, he who does not believe these words, or doubts them, is unworthy and unprepared, for the words "for you" require truly believing hearts.

[3] "Our Lord Jesus Christ on the night when he was betrayed took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’"

"In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is poured out for you for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’"^a

[4] We have no wish on this occasion to quarrel and dispute with those who blaspheme and desecrate this sacrament; but as in the case of Baptism, we shall first learn what is of greatest importance, namely, God’s Word and ordinance or command, which is the chief thing to be considered. For the Lord’s Supper was not invented or devised by any man. It was instituted by Christ without man’s counsel or deliberation. [5] Therefore, just as the Ten Commandments, the Lord’s Prayer, and the Creed retain their nature and value even if we never keep, pray, or believe them, so also does this blessed sacrament remain unimpaired and inviolate even if we use and handle it unworthily. [6] Do you think God cares so much about our faith and conduct that he would permit them to affect his ordinance? No, all temporal things remain as God has created and ordered them, regardless of how we treat them. [7] This must always be emphasized, for thus we can thoroughly refute all the babbling of the seditious spirits who regard the sacraments, contrary to the Word of God, as human performances.

[8] Now, what is the Sacrament of the Altar? Answer: It is the true body and blood of the Lord Christ in and under the bread and wine which we Christians are commanded by Christ’s word to eat and drink. [9] As we said of Baptism that it is not mere water, so we say here that the sacrament is bread and wine, but not mere bread or wine such as is served at the table. It is bread and wine comprehended in God’s Word and connected with it.

[12] With this Word you can strengthen your conscience and declare: "Let a hundred thousand devils, with all the fanatics, rush forward and say, ‘How can bread and wine be Christ’s body and blood?’ Still I know that all the spirits and scholars put together have less wisdom than the divine Majesty has in his little finger. [13] Here we have Christ’s word, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ ‘Drink of it, all of you, this is the new covenant in my blood,’ etc. Here we shall take our stand and see who dares to instruct Christ and alter what he has spoken. [14] It is true, indeed, that if you take the Word away from the elements or view them apart from the Word, you have nothing but ordinary bread and wine. But if the words remain, as is right and necessary, then in virtue of them they are truly the body and blood of Christ. For as we have it from the lips of Christ, so it is; he cannot lie or deceive."

[33] So far we have treated the sacrament from the standpoint both of its essence and of its effect and benefit. It remains for us to consider who it is that receives this power and benefit. Briefly, as we said above concerning Baptism and in many other places, the answer is: It is he who believes what the words say and what they give, for they are not spoken or preached to stone and wood but to those who hear them, those to whom Christ says, "Take and eat," etc. [34] And because he offers and promises forgiveness of sins, it cannot be received except by faith. This faith he himself demands in the Word when he says, "Given for you" and "poured out for you," as if he said, "This is why I give it and bid you eat and drink, that you may take it as your own and enjoy it." [35] Whoever lets these words be addressed to him and believes that they are true has what the words declare. But he who does not believe has nothing, for he lets this gracious blessing be offered to him in vain and refuses to enjoy it. The treasure is opened and placed at everyone’s door, yes, upon everyone’s table, but it is also your responsibility to take it and confidently believe that it is just as the words tell you.

[36] This, now, is the preparation required of a Christian for receiving this sacrament worthily. Since this treasure is fully offered in the words, it can be grasped and appropriated only by the heart. Such a gift and eternal treasure cannot be seized with the hand. [37] Fasting and prayer and the like may have their place as an external preparation and children’s exercise so that one’s body may behave properly and reverently toward the body and blood of Christ. But what is given in and with the sacrament cannot be grasped and appropriated by the body. This is done by the faith of the heart which discerns and desires this treasure.

[43] Indeed, true Christians who cherish and honor the sacrament will of their own accord urge and impel themselves to come. However, in order that the common people and the weak, who also would like to be Christians, may be induced to see the reason and the need for receiving the sacrament, we shall devote a little attention to this point

[45] In the first place, we have a clear text in the words of Christ, "Do this in remembrance of me." These are words of precept and command, enjoining all who would be Christians to partake of the sacrament. They are words addressed to disciples of Christ; hence whoever would be one of them, let him faithfully hold to this sacrament, not from compulsion, coerced by men, but to obey and please the Lord Christ.

[49] Thus you see that we are not granted liberty to despise the sacrament. When a person, with nothing to hinder him, lets a long period of time elapse without ever desiring the sacrament, I call that despising it. If you want such liberty, you may just as well take the further liberty not to be a Christian; then you need not believe or pray, for the one is just as much Christ’s commandment as the other. But if you wish to be a Christian, you must from time to time satisfy and obey this commandment.

[58] For this reason we must make a distinction among men. Those who are shameless and unruly must be told to stay away, for they are not fit to receive the forgiveness of sins since they do not desire it and do not want to be good. [59] The others, who are not so callous and dissolute but would like to be good, should not absent themselves, even though in other respects they are weak and frail. As St. Hilary has said, "Unless a man has committed such a sin that he has forfeited the name of Christian and has to be expelled from the congregation, he should not exclude himself from the sacrament," lest he deprive himself of life.^b [60] No one will make such progress that he does not retain many common infirmities in his flesh and blood.

[61] People with such misgivings must learn that it is the highest wisdom to realize that this sacrament does not depend upon our worthiness. We are not baptized because we are worthy and holy, nor do we come to confession pure and without sin; on the contrary, we come as poor, miserable men, precisely because we are unworthy. The only exception is the person who desires no grace and absolution and has no intention to amend his life.

[67] Surely it is a sin and a shame that, when he tenderly and faithfully summons and exhorts us to our highest and greatest good, we act so distantly toward it, neglecting it so long that we grow quite cold and callous and lose all desire and love for it.

[16]
7. We believe, teach, and confess that not only the genuine believers and those who are worthy but also the unworthy and the unbelievers receive the true body and blood of Christ; but if they are not converted and do not repent, they receive them not to life and salvation but to their judgment and condemnation.

[17]
For although they reject Christ as a redeemer, they must accept him even contrary to their will as a strict judge. He is just as much present to exercise and manifest his judgment on unrepentant guests as he is to work life and consolation in the hearts of believing and worthy guests.

[18]
8. We believe, teach, and confess that there is only one kind of unworthy guest, namely, those who do not believe. Of such it is written, "He who does not believe is condemned already" (John 3:18). The unworthy use of the holy sacrament increases, magnifies, and aggravates this condemnation (1 Cor. 11:27, 29).

[19]
9. We believe, teach, and confess that no genuine believer, no matter how weak he may be, as long as he retains a living faith, will receive the Holy Supper to his condemnation, for Christ instituted this Supper particularly for Christians who are weak in faith but repentant, to comfort them and to strengthen their weak faith.

[20]
10. We believe, teach, and confess that the entire worthiness of the guests at this heavenly feast is and consists solely and alone in the most holy obedience and complete merit of Christ, which we make our own through genuine faith and of which we are assured through the sacrament. Worthiness consists not at all in our own virtues or in our internal and external preparations.

Notes:

Latin Phrases & Greek Words:

Doctrina Divina: "Divine Doctrine."

Doctrina Humana: "Human Doctrine."

Sedes Doctrinae: "Seat of Doctrine," or "Body of Doctrine." (Although "doctrine" here is plural, this refers to the one "set" of doctrine (singular) which is the whole of Scripture's teaching.)

Norma Normans: "The norm that norms" or "the norming norm." This is the standard by which everything else is measured. Nothing takes the place of it. It defines everything else. - For example, although there are many yardsticks in the world, the only "true" yardstick, perfect in its measurement (even to the point of defining the measurement itself) is in some lab (I believe in England). All other yardsticks are measured in relation to this one stick and are approximations of it, at best. No other yardstick, no matter how close, can perfectly measure up to it. So Scripture is that one standard. Nothing else can take the place of it and everything must be measured by/according to it.

Norma Normata: "The norm that/which is normed" or "the normed norm." In our above example, this would be all the other yardsticks in the world. We use them for measurements, even though they can only, at best, represent what the one perfect yardstick is. Although not perfect, it is still very useful. In this way, the Lutheran Confessions are "normed" or measured by Scripture.

Sola Scriptura: "Scripture Alone."

Paredideto: paredi,deto (3rd person singular, imperfect, indicative, passive from paradi,dwmi.) This form of the word appears only in 1 Corinthians 11:23.