1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Song of Solomon 5:1
I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come.
Eat, O friends, drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved!
ROBERT HAWKER (1753-1827): The first thing of importance concerning the holy Supper, which we here learn, is that the thing itself is of Christ’s express institution. This I conceive to be a matter of high moment―it ought indeed to have been enough to endear it, and recommend it forever, to the faithful: yet had not the Lord again taught His servant Paul what is here related, and God the Holy Ghost caused it to be handed down in the Church by those written records, we should not have known how highly Jesus prized it.
MATTHEW HENRY (1662-1714): The Lord’s supper is not a temporary, but a standing and perpetual ordinance―it is to be celebrated “till the Lord shall come.”―This is our warrant for keeping this feast. It was our Lord’s will that we should thus celebrate the memorials of His death and passion, till He come in His own glory, and the Father’s glory, with His holy angels.
J. C. RYLE (1816-1900): Our Lord Jesus most distinctly commanded His disciples to “eat bread” and “drink wine” in remembrance of Him. What right has any Christian to disobey this commandment? It is impossible to say that any professing Christian is in a safe, healthy, or satisfactory condition of soul, who coolly and deliberately refuses to use an ordinance which the Lord Jesus Christ appointed for his profit.
CHARLES SIMEON (1759-1836): A neglect of it involves us in the deepest guilt. It implies rebellion against the highest authority—Christ, the Supreme Governor of heaven and earth, has said, “Do this.” Yet the language of too many is, “I will not.” But it is ingratitude towards our greatest Benefactor—Christ has even “given his own life a ransom for us;” and shall we disregard His dying command? “On the same night that he was betrayed,” He instituted these memorials of His death. Had He, at that season, such a concern for us, and can we refuse to do so small a thing in remembrance of Him?
C. H. SPURGEON (1834-1892): And yet, some of you never come to His table. May I gently ask you, how you make this disobedience consort with genuine affection for Him? “If ye love me, keep my commandments,” John 14:15.
MATTHEW HENRY: It is, moreover, hinted here, concerning this ordinance, that it should be frequent: “As often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup.”
C. H. SPURGEON: Our Lord said, in instituting the ordinance, “This do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me,” I will not say that these words absolutely teach that we should frequently come to the Communion Table, but I do think they give us a hint that if we act rightly, we shall often observe this Supper of the Lord.
ROBERT HAWKER: Nothing can be more plain, than that it is the Lord’s pleasure, that His people should often meet in His name, for this holy purpose.
JOHN CALVIN (1509-1564): It was not instituted by Jesus for two or three times a year, but for a frequent exercise of our faith.
GEORGE MÜLLER (1805-1898): Although we have no express command respecting the frequency of its observance, yet the example of the apostles and of the first disciples would lead us to observe this ordinance every Lord’s day.
MATTHEW HENRY: The ancient churches celebrated this ordinance every Lord’s day, if not every day when they assembled for worship.
ANDREW FULLER (1754-1815): That the supper was celebrated on the first day of the week by the church at Troas is certain, Acts 20:7; that it was so every first day of the week is possible, perhaps probable; but the passage does not prove that it was so…It is the practice of this, and all the Baptist churches in Scotland, to commemorate the Lord’s death every Lord’s Day. I do not think this to be binding, but I am persuaded there can be nothing wrong in it, and that probably, it was then the practice of the primitive churches.
A. P. GIBBS (1890-1967): Some years ago an older Christian mentioned that he met each Lord’s day with believers to observe the Lord’s Supper. A young believer looked at him in astonishment and inquired incredulously; “You mean you take communion every Lord’s day?” “Yes,” replied the other, “We break bread each Sunday.” At this the young man remarked: “Apparently you have forgotten that old adage, ‘Familiarity breeds contempt.’ Why, a rite so often repeated is apt to lose all its significance and value. I would suggest that you take communion once a month. Better still, once every three months.”
GEORGE WHITEFIELD (1714-1770): I do think that is too seldom by a great deal to have it administered.
JOHN CALVIN: The Lord’s Supper might be most properly administered, if it were set before the church very frequently, and at least once in every week. But because the frailty of the people is still so great, there is danger that this sacred mystery be misunderstood if it be celebrated so often [so let it be observed] once a month.
A. P. GIBBS: Can you imagine a young man who has courted the affections of a young woman, and has obtained her acceptance of his proposal of marriage, complaining to a friend, “Must I go and see her once a week? Wouldn’t once a month be sufficient?”
WILLIAM S. PLUMER (1802-1880): It is a serious question whether the Christian world is not sadly delinquent in having so few communions.
A. P. GIBBS: Do we really love the Lord Jesus? If so, we shall not be thinking of how seldom we can remember Him in the way He has requested, but how often we are privileged to do so. Surely once a week is not too often to remember the One who we profess to love above all others and who, in His wonderful grace, bore our sins and suffered all the judgment of a holy God in our stead, and rose to be our Lord and very best Friend.
C. H. SPURGEON: At any rate, let it be often. My witness is, and I think I speak the mind of many of God’s people, that coming as some of us do, weekly, to the Lord’s table, we do not find the breaking of bread to have lost its significance—it is always fresh to us. I have often remarked, on Lord’s day evening, whatever the subject may have been, whether Sinai has thundered over our heads, or the plaintive notes of Calvary have pierced our hearts, it always seems equally appropriate to come to the breaking of bread. Shame on the Christian church that she should put it off to once a month, and mar the first day of the week by depriving it of its glory in the meeting together for fellowship and breaking of bread, and showing forth the death of Christ till He come. Those who know the sweetness of each Lord’s Day celebrating His Supper will not be content, I am sure, to put it off to less frequent seasons.
JONATHAN EDWARDS (1703-1758): It seems plain by the Scripture that the primitive Christians were wont to celebrate this memorial of the sufferings of their dear Redeemer every Lord’s Day. I believe it will be again in the Church of Christ in the days that are approaching.
