Commentary on the Epistles to the Corinthians John Calvin (continued)
Commentary on the Corinthians
This do, as often as ye drink Christ, then, has appointed a two-fold sign in the Supper.
What God hath joined together let not man put asunder. (Matthew 19:6.)
To distribute, therefore, the bread without the cup, is to man Christ's institution. 696 For we hear Christ's words. As he commands us to eat of the bread, so he commands us to drink of the cup To obey the one half of the command and neglect the other half — what is this but to make sport of his commandment? And to keep back the people from that cup, which Christ sets before all, after first drinking of it, as is done under the tyranny of the Pope — who can deny that this is diabolical presumption? As to the cavil that they bring forward — that Christ spoke merely to the Apostles, and not to the common people — it is exceedingly childish, and is easily refuted from this passage — for Paul here addresses himself to men and women indiscriminately, and to the whole body of the Church. He declares that he had delivered this to them agreeably to the commandment of the Lord. (1 Corinthians 11:23.)
By what spirit will those pretend to be actuated, who have dared to set aside this ordinance? Yet even at this day this gross abuse is obstinately defended; and what occasion is there for wonder, if they endeavor impudently to excuse, by words and writings, what they so cruelly maintain by fire and sword?
26. For as often as ye shall eat. Paul now adds what kind of remembrance ought to be cherished — that is, with thanksgiving; not that the remembrance consists wholly in confession with the mouth; for the chief thing is, that the efficacy of Christ's death be sealed in our consciences; but this knowledge should stir us up to a confession in respect of praise, so as to declare before men what we feel inwardly before God. The Supper then is (so to speak) a kind of memorial, which must always remain in the Church, until the last coming of Christ; and it has been appointed for this purpose, that Christ may put us in mind of the benefit of his death, and that we may recognize it 697 before men. Hence it has the name of the Eucharist. 698
If, therefore, you would celebrate the Supper aright, you must bear in mind, that a profession of your faith is required from you. Hence we see how shamelessly those mock God, who boast that they have in the mass something of the nature of the Supper. For what is the mass? They confess (for I am not speaking of Papists, but of the pretended followers of Nicodemus) that it is full of abominable superstitions. By outward gesture they give a pretended approval of them. What kind of showing forth of the death of Christ is this? Do they not rather renounce it?
696"L'institution du Fils de Dieu;" — "The institution of the Son of God." 697"Que de nostre part le recognoissions;" — "That we, on our part, may recognise it." 698From, {εὐχαριστήσας}, (having given thanks,) which is made use of by Paul, and also by the Evangelists, (see Harmony, vol. 3, p. 205, n. 1,) in their account of the original appointment of the Supper. The term is at the same time expressive of the spirit of the institution, in respect of thanksgiving. --- Ed