“For we, though many, ARE one bread and one body, for we all partake of that one bread”

17 For we, though many, ARE one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread. 1 Corinthians 10:17

6 Your glorying is not good. Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?
7 Therefore, purge out the old leaven, that you may BE A NEW LUMP, since you truly ARE unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
8 Therefore, let us keep the feast, not with the old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:6-8

4 For as we have many members in one body, but all the members do not have the same FUNCTION,
5 so we, being many, are one body in Christ, and individually members of one another.
6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, let us USE them; Romans 12:4-6

27 Now you ARE the body of Christ, and members individually. 1 Corinthians 12:27 (The entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 12 teaches that each member has his God given gifts and functions; and that the members need each other and their gifts and contributions. Read chapter 12 with the bread of Communion in mind.)

15 Do you not know that your BODIES are members of Christ?…
1 Corinthians 6:15a
5b “… a BODY You have prepared for Me.
7b ” … to DO Your will, O God.’ “
10 By that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the BODY of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:5-10 (Think of this scripture with the bread of Communion in mind)

24 who Himself bore our sins in His own BODY on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness —-by whose stripes you were healed.
25 For you all were like sheep going astray, but now have returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. 1 Peter 2:24-25 (Think of this scripture with the bread of Communion in mind.)

Every so often, I hear the assertion that the bread and cup of Communion, and the body and the blood, have the same meaning. This is absolutely false. The meanings for the body and blood are wonderfully complimentary but are not identical. In order to show some of their differences, I would like to use two very ridiculous examples. Please bear with me on these. Hopefully, these two examples will give the reader some understanding of the unique meanings of the bread and the cup: Example 1: Suppose I were to say to a Christian, “You are the blood of Christ. You are also the cup of Communion.” He would probably say back to me, “I am redeemed by the blood of Christ; I am covered with the blood and forgiven by the blood of Christ; but it makes no sense [... read more...]