This week on Things Unseen, we've been reflecting on some of the New Testament words that help

us to understand and to enjoy the Lord's Supper. Words that help focus our minds when we come

to the Lord's table, and we've thought about proclamation and benediction or blessing.

The day's word is participation, or if you prefer communion. You remember Paul's question

to the Corinthian Christians? The couple blessing that we bless, is it not a participation

or communion in the blood of Christ, and the bread that we break, is it not a participation

or communion in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one

body, because we all partake of the one bread. I'm sure you know that the Greek word that

lies behind the word participation or communion is kind of near. It's the word for fellowship,

communion, sharing in something. So Paul is saying that when we receive the Supper, we are

sharing in, we're having communion in, the Lord's body and blood. But what does that mean? Well,

he's obviously echoing here what Jesus said when he instituted the Lord's Supper. He gave

the disciples the bread and the wine and said, this is my body, this is my blood of the covenant

which is poured out for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Now what did he mean by that? I think the

best way to think about this is not to leap to conclusions, something we're tempted to do,

because this question has proved to be controversial. But to build up our answer, step by step.

So first of all, I think it should be clear at the outset that Jesus wasn't identifying the bread

and wine with his body and blood. His body and blood were present at the table. The bread and the

wine were in his hands. It must have been obvious to the disciples that they weren't one and the same.

So then what he was saying was something like this. Here at this table, what I give you expresses my

love for you. This bread and wine represent me. They express me as incarnate in flesh and blood. And

so when I offer you this bread and wine, I'm offering you nothing less than myself. And correspondingly,

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