Luther's Catechisms: Commentary on the Lord's Prayer

Then Luther came. Not that he intended to upset the apple cart. But Rome had taught that the bread and wine became the body and blood of Christ and ceased being bread and wine.

Calvin and Zwingli took opposite views. They believed that the bread and wine merely represented the body and blood. They reasoned that Jesus' body would have been exhausted centuries ago had Jesus meant his words literally. They also referred to Jesus' words in the "I Am" statements in John's Gospel as proof that "is" doesn't always mean "is" in the Gospels.

Thus I begin this piece with Paul's words to the Corinthian congregation. And I purposely used bold and italics to make a point. Paul refers to the elements in the Lord's Supper as both body and blood AND bread and wine. The elements do not cease their original composition; the elements do take on a spiritual quality at some point so that "in, with, and under the bread and wine is present the body and blood of Christ."

That answers Rome's contention that the elements change. It also addresses whether the body and blood is present in the Sacrament, and Paul's words are a resounding "Yes!" The fact that partaking of the sacrament (bread and cup) in an unworthily manner is guilty of sinning against the body of Christ tells us that something more than simple bread and wine are involved. Christ himself is present!

As for whether Christ's body can last centuries of Christian nourishment, I seek to make two points. First, the properties of living tissue is the ability to regenerate itself. Dead tissue cannot regenerate itself. I assert that denying the presence of Christ in this sacrament on the basis of this argument is to deny the Resurrection.

In feeding the 5000, Jesus took five loaves and two fish. He blessed them, then began breaking and had the disciples distribute. Those five loaves and two fish went a long way to feed the 5000 men (plus who knows how many women and children). And there were twelve baskets of food left over! If Jesus can perform this miracle, can he not do the same with his body?

As for Jesus' "I Am" statements (the only place Jesus says "I Am..." followed by some picture for the mind's eye). These statements are found in John's Gospel, not in the Synoptics. Thus, we need to see how John reports the institution of

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