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Eucharistic theology

Also known as Lord's Supper, Real presence, Transubstantiation, This is my body.

In what sense Christ is present in the bread and wine of the Eucharist, and what the rite accomplishes. The words 'This is my body' have been read in several ways.

Researched for v0.1 (AI-assisted); citations are standard references not re-checked in this build. Requires specialist review.

Open in the Scripture LibraryRead Matthew 26:26 in context

Disputed: 5 positions (listed without ranking) — Change of substance (transubstantiation) · Real change without a philosophical definition · Sacramental union · True spiritual presence · Memorial

Passages

  • Matthew 26:26 (central)
    While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is My body.”

    τοῦτό ἐστιν τὸ σῶμά μου — 'this is my body'.

  • Mark 14:22
    While they were eating, Jesus took bread, spoke a blessing and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take it; this is My body.”
  • Luke 22:19
    And He took the bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”

    'Do this in remembrance (ἀνάμνησιν) of me.'

  • 1 Corinthians 11:24
    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.”
  • 1 Corinthians 10:16
    Is not the cup of blessing that we bless a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?

    Communion (κοινωνία) in the body and blood of Christ.

  • John 6:53
    So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I tell you, unless you eat the flesh and drink the blood of the Son of Man, you have no life in you.

Scripture quotations: Berean Standard Bible (BSB), public domain. Other translations, the Greek and Hebrew, and word study are in the reader.

What the text establishes, and what interpreters infer

Established by the text

  • The Synoptic Gospels and Paul report Jesus saying of the bread 'this is my body' and of the cup words concerning his blood and the covenant.
  • Luke and Paul add 'do this in remembrance of me'.

Inferred by interpreters

  • That 'is' denotes a change of substance (transubstantiation).
  • That Christ's body and blood are truly present 'in, with and under' the bread and wine.
  • That Christ is truly but spiritually present to faith.
  • That 'is' means 'signifies' and the rite is chiefly a memorial.

An inference listed here may be well founded; it is listed separately because the passage alone does not state it.

Historical context

The Fourth Lateran Council (1215) used the term 'transubstantiated'. At the Marburg Colloquy (1529) Luther and Zwingli agreed on fourteen of fifteen articles but not on the Supper. The Council of Trent (1551) reaffirmed transubstantiation; the Church of England's Article XXVIII rejected it while affirming a real partaking of Christ by faith.

Positions

Listed without ranking. Traditions are internally diverse; the notes on each association matter.

Change of substance (transubstantiation)

The substance of bread and wine becomes Christ's body and blood while the appearances remain.

Argued by

Associated today with

Real change without a philosophical definition

The gifts truly become the body and blood of Christ; the manner is a mystery (Greek μεταβολή).

Associated today with

Sacramental union

Christ's true body and blood are present in, with and under the bread and wine.

Argued by

Associated today with

True spiritual presence

Believers truly feed on Christ by the Spirit through faith; the elements are not changed.

Associated today with

Memorial

The Supper commemorates Christ's death; 'is' means 'signifies'.

Argued by

Associated today with

  • Baptist — Atlas: Baptist ChurchesCommon, though some Baptists hold a spiritual-presence view.
  • Evangelical (non-denominational)
  • Pentecostal — Atlas: Pentecostalism

Sources

“Source checked” means the work and the point cited were confirmed while building this entry; “partly checked” means only part of it was; “not yet checked” means it is a standard reference awaiting review. None of these is a review of this entry, which remains an unreviewed draft.

  • Fourth Lateran Council, Constitution 1 (bread and wine 'transubstantiated') (1215). source not yet checked
  • Council of Trent, Session XIII, Decree on the Eucharist (1551). source not yet checked
  • Luther, Zwingli and others, Marburg Articles (agreement on 14 of 15 articles; division over the Supper) (1529). source not yet checked
  • Church of England, Thirty-Nine Articles, Article XXVIII (of the Lord's Supper) (1571). source not yet checked