Required reading
Systematic Theology by Charles Hodge (Vol 3) (Available from Amazon or free here) - Continue Chapter 20 by reading up to the subheading '19. Doctrine of the Church of Rome on the Lord's Supper'
My summary
Today Hodge teaches us the difference between Lutheran and Reformed views of the Lord's Supper.
A lot of the reading comprises quotes from various confessions. But Hodge gives a good summary of the difference with these words:
'They [Lutherans] admitted the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the supper, but it was a presence to faith. The real body of Christ is in heaven and not on earth ; therefore they denied that his body and blood, " in terra adesse," and taught that nothing in the sacrament is received by the mouth but the bread and wine. This is one point of difference between the Lutherans and the Reformed. The former teaching that the literal, natural body of Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, is actually present in, with, and under the bread, and his blood shed upon the cross and which was the life of his body while on earth, is present in, with, and under the consecrated wine. The latter teach that the natural body of Christ is in heaven, and is not on earth, and therefore is not present in the elements of bread and in the supper of the Lord. What is present, according to Calvin, is not the natural body and blood of Christ, but a supernatural, life-giving influence emanating from his glorified body in heaven, and conveyed to the believer by the power of the Holy Ghost. According to the Reformed generally, it is not this supernatural power of the glorified body of Christ that is present and received, but the sacrificial efficacy of his body broken and his blood shed for the remission of sins.'
What grabbed me
I liked Hodge's concluding remark about some of the more obscure comments of Luther: 'At other times, however, Luther, as appears from the passages above quoted, attributes to the Lord's Supper a peculiar effect due to the real, natural body of Christ therein received, which, in virtue of its union with his divine nature, is imbued with a supernatural, life-giving power. To this power he refers the glorious future resurrection of the believer. In this he made some approximation to the modern doctrine that the redemptive work of Christ consists in the infusion into our nature of a new force, or organic law which, by a process of natural, historical development, works out the salvation of soul and body. Julius Muller rejoices that this view did not take root in the Lutheran Church, as it is, as he says, plainly contrary to Scripture. If the resurrection of believers be due to the body of Christ as received in the Lord's Supper, what is to become of children, of confessors and martyrs, and of all the Old Testament saints, who never partook of the Lord's Supper .'
Indeed!
Next week's reading
Continue Chapter 20 by reading up to the subheading '20. Prayer'.
Now it's your turn
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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