Where in the Bible can we confirm this!

Did Jesus institute the sacrament of Eucharist? Did He instruct his disciples to literally eat His body and drink His blood? Did Jesus confirm by eating this bread and drinking this cup, we are partaking His body and blood? Well lets’ take a look at the inerrant Bible for these answers!

The sacrament of the Eucharist was instituted by Jesus during the Last Supper. Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it and giving it to his disciples said, “Take and eat; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:26-28). As Jesus established the sacrament of the Eucharist, He also reminded his disciples to “Do this in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).

Jesus did literally ask us to eat His body and drink His blood in John chapter 6: 51-55. Jesus said: “I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world” (John 6: 51). Jesus further reiterates to the confused Jews who were disputing how we can eat His flesh that “For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink” (John 6:55). Thus, Jesus confirmed His real presence in the Eucharist! Jesus Christ is truly present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist!

Let’s look at what St Paul has to say about the Eucharist. St Paul boasts he received these instructions from Jesus, “For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you” (1 Cor 11:23). Then he goes on to describe the Last Supper, “The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” (1 Cor 11: 24- 26). Does this ring a bell? These are the very words the priest says during the liturgy of the Eucharist in every mass. Again in 1Cor 10:16-17, he explains the cup of thanksgiving is the blood of Christ and the bread is the body of Christ, “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”

St Paul also emphasizes that we should not receive the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ in an unworthy manner! “So then, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. Everyone ought to examine themselves before they eat of the bread and drink from the cup. For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves.” (1 Cor 11: 27 – 29). Like St Ambrose once said that God who created the entire universe by His Word can indeed transubstantiate bread and wine to His Body and Blood! And, Jesus did confirm He is truly present in the Eucharist!