The Lords Supper: How Often?

[Mike Gibson]

 

Some believe once a year at Easter. Some do it as they feel led. A very few do every week. Is there anything to stand on?

[Phillip W. Gordon]

Brother I follow the leading of the Lord on when to do it. From what I have read in history the early church did have the Lord's Supper every first day of the week, which some churches still practice. I Cor. 11:26 says, "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup,...." I believe that the Lord has left that decision to us. The important thing is showing the Lord's death.

[David Huston]

As Bro. Gordon has said, the only instruction we have as to frequency is "as often as ye eat...." We celebrate the Lord's Supper mostly in our home groups in the context of the meal. Our thinking is that we want to do it regularly, but not so often that it becomes a meaningless ritual for people. In actual practice, I would say that our groups add the bread and the cup to their meal about once every two to three months. It varies from group to group because we allow the group and/or group leader to decide. We also suggest to families that they can celebrate the Lord;s Supper at home around the family dinner table. We rarely do this in a congregational setting.

[Mike R. Prevost]

As to frequency, we DO have more instruction that just "as oft as ye ...".  That is, IF you consider apostolic example to be a form of instruction.  

There is some evidence that the early church DID observe the Lord's Supper weekly, on the first day of the week (Sunday).  First, though look that the following passage:

 

1Co 16:1-2  Now concerning the collection for the saints, as I have given order to the churches of Galatia, even so do ye.  2  Upon the first day of the week let every one of you lay by him in store, as God hath prospered him, that there be no gatherings when I come.

Here it seems that in Corinth, it was customary for the church to meet on the first day of the week.  The following passage indicates that Troas had the same custom.

 

Act 20:5-8  These going before tarried for us at Troas.  6  And we sailed away from Philippi after the days of unleavened bread, and came unto them to Troas in five days; where we abode seven days.  7  And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.  8  And there were many lights in the upper chamber, where they were gathered together.

Luke record's that the disciples of Troas met on the first day of the week to break bread.  But, then what is "breaking bread".  I could be eating a normal meal.  It is very possible that this was a fellowship meal that included the Lord's Supper.  We see some evidence of this in 1 Cor 11:

 

1Co 11:17-22  Now in this that I declare unto you I praise you not, that ye come together not for the better, but for the worse.  18  For first of all, when ye come together in the church, I hear that there be divisions among you; and I partly believe it.  19  For there must be also heresies among you, that they which are approved may be made manifest among you.  20  When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.  21  For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken.  22  What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not.

 

Here, Paul is scolding the church of Corinth for not celebrating the Lord's SUpper properly.  He says that "When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.  21  For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken."  He is NOT saying that they shouldn't meet to observe the Lord's Supper.  Rather, he is saying that what they are doing cannot be called the Lord's Supper, because "one is hungry, and another is drunken".  The strong implication is that they SHOULD be meeting to observe the Lord's Supper and that they should do it properly.  Also, there is implication that the Lord's Supper was observed in the context of a larger meal. 

 

Also, don't miss a couple of points in regard to Corinth.  First, from 1 Cor 16:1-2 (above) we saw that Corinth DID meet on the first day of the week.  And we also see from Paul's negavice statement in 11:20 ("When ye come together therefore into one place, this is not to eat the Lord's supper.") that they SHOULD be comong together to eat the Lord's Supper.  That is, the Lord's Supper was one of the purposes they came together, the reasons for which can be found earlier in 1 Cor 10.  

 

Other examples of frequency are in Acts 2:

 

Act 2:42-46  And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.  43  And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.  44  And all that believed were together, and had all things common;  45  And sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need.  46  And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart,

 

The concern here is the meaning of "breaking of bread".  In the scriptures, the act of eating together seems to be one of the highest forms of human fellowship, showing unity and comraderie.  This "breaking of bread" no doubt includes the idea of a common meal.  However, as we have seen from other passages (and even the institution of the Lord's Supper), the Lord's Supper was celebrated in the context of a larger meal.  The fact that "breaking of bread" is distrinct from "fellowship" in Acts 2:42 and in a list among other spiritual activities such as "the apostles' doctrine and prayers" indicates that it is something distinct from both a common fellow ship meal AND distinct from the teaching/preaching of the word ("apostle's doctrine").  So, it seems that initially the Lord's Supper may have been celebrated very often -- even daily in various house meetings.  Later in Acts and inthe Epistles we see evidence of a weekly observance at a larger gathering of the church on the first day of the week.

 

On other item regarding frequency related to it's association with Passover.  Jesus said of the bread "this do in remembrance of me".  Jesus said of the wine "this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me".  Drink what?  This was the third cup of the Passover meal.  Was he saying "frequency doesn't matter" or was he saying that when your celebrate the yearly Passover, do it in rememberance of Him.  This was evidently an issue in the early Church; the so called Quartodecimanism Controversy (the controversy over the 14th):

 

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quartodecimanism:
The practice elsewhere was to continue the fast until the eve of the Sunday following; the objection to the Quartodeciman practice was that the 14th of Nisan could fall on any day of the week. Outside of Roman Asia, Christians wished to associate Easter with Sunday, the day on which Jesus rose from the dead according to all the Gospels, and which had long been a Christian holy day,[3] known as the Lord's Day. According to the writings of Irenaeus (d. c. 202), the Roman church had celebrated Easter on a Sunday at least since the time of Bishop Xystus (Sixtus I, 115–125).[4]Irenaeus, who followed the Sunday custom, also stated, however, that bishop Polycarp (a disciple of John the Apostle) of Smyrna (c.69-c.155) in Asia Minor, one of the Seven churches of Asia, was Quartodeciman, celebrating on Nisan 14. Shortly after Anicetus became bishop of Rome in about 155, Polycarp had visited Rome, and among the topics discussed was this divergence of custom. But, Irenaeus noted,

Anicetus could not persuade Polycarp to forgo the [Quartodeciman] observance inasmuch as these things had been always observed by John the disciple of the Lord, and by other apostles with whom he had been conversant; nor did Polycarp persuade Anicetus to keep it: Anicetus said that he must hold to the way of the elders before him.

Neither Polycarp nor Anicetus was able to persuade the other to his position, but neither did they consider the matter of sufficient importance to justify a schism. Indeed, Irenaeus also noted that "Anicetus conceded to Polycarp in the Church the celebration of the Eucharist, by way of showing him respect"; Anicetus and Polycarp parted in peace leaving the question unsettled.[4][5]

 

Note that Irenaeus and Polycarp were "good guys" (Polycarp a direct disciple of John, and Irenaeus a direct disciple of Polycarp).  Not sure about Anicetus -- he seemed hung up on pegging it to Easter (a Roman pagan holiday), plus, acording the the Catholics, he was one of the Popes (2 strikes against him!).  Both yearly observance though.  This also may not have much reference to the Lord's Supper, but, perhaps, to the Church also celebrating Passover.  But some churches celebrate the Lord's Supper yearly because of it's tie to Passover.

 

So, which is right?  There seems to be three frequencies with biblical support: daily, weekly, and yearly.  I would be happy with either one.  I tend toward weekly or yearly, and come from a congregation that did celebrate it weekly -- we wanted to be as apostolic as we could.  ;)

 

Hope that helps!

 

 

[Alex Thornhill]

Weekly sounds like a good frequency for taking communion to me, from the "tone" of scripture on this matter.  It's tough to make a definite rule- which is good, since definite rules usually turn to legalism, but the "tone" of the scriptures seems to imply weekly communion.  

 

The benefits I could think of with taking communion weekly would be the self-examination that communion requires.  I also believe grace can be transmitted by taking communion, since it allows us the opportunity to obey scripture, remember and display the gospel, and to connect us to a universal Christian practice.  I also like the evangelistic aspect of communion, where the emblems of the body of Christ are shared with all in attendance (saint, sinner and even child), as long as everything is being done in a spirit of reverence to prevent anyone from taking communion in an unworthy worthy manner and causing them harm.

 

-Bro. Alex