I Cor. 11:23

[JimO]

From the NAB - "I received from the Lord what I handed on to you, namely, that the Lord Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread…

I know that many of us use the passages in I Cor. 11 often to defend the Church’s position on the Eucharist, but this particular verse fascinates me and, I believe, is the key to the significance of the passages on the Eucharist.

First, Paul recounts the essential elements of the Last Supper almost verbatum from the Gospels. But, obviously, he wasn’t there. Most assume that he learned this from his dealings with the Apostles and the Christian community.

But that’s not what he says. He says “I received from the Lord…” not “I received from the Apostles…” or “I received from Peter…” or “I received from the believers…”. To me, this speaks to his receiving direct revelation from the Lord, so that he would pass on the teaching of the Eucharist properly to the Gentiles. Paul doesn’t mix words and this isn’t a careless expression. He also doesn’t indicate in his letters that something was “from the Lord” unless it was. That phrase, coupled with his claim to Apostleship, carried great weight in the early Christian community.

Any thoughts?

 

[RSiscoe]

He could have meant the Jesus appeared to him and personally gave him the information, or he could have meant that he received it from the apostles, who received it from Jesus. In that case, he would still be receiving it from Jesus, but it would have been through another. There are other places in the Bible that say a person was told something by one person, when it was actually a messenger who delivered the message.

I would tend to think that he received it from Jesus, through another, since that is the way God usually operates, but I could be wrong. He may have received it directly from Jesus. That is certainly possible.

God Bless and keep studying.

 

[johnq]

JimO:

First, Paul recounts the essential elements of the Last Supper almost verbatum from the Gospels. But, obviously, he wasn’t there. Most assume that he learned this from his dealings with the Apostles and the Christian community.

But that’s not what he says. He says “I received from the Lord…” not “I received from the Apostles…” or “I received from Peter…” or “I received from the believers…”. To me, this speaks to his receiving direct revelation from the Lord, so that he would pass on the teaching of the Eucharist properly to the Gentiles.

He received his information straight from Jesus.

Galations 1:
11I want you to know, brothers, that the gospel I preached is not something that man made up. 12I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.

Most people do not realize that Paul waited three years before he started his ministery. Then he went to the Church (Peter) to confirm what he learned.

Galations 1:
18] Then, after three years, I went to Jerusalem, to see Peter, and I tarried with him fifteen days.
19] But other of the apostles I saw none, saving James the brother of the Lord.
20] Now the things which I write to you, behold, before God, I lie not.

 

[JimO]

johnq:

He received his information straight from Jesus.

Thanks for the Scripture references. What I try to tell people who do not believe in Transubstantiation, is that John 6 is not the only place where this is taught. Paul’s writings appeal greatly to Evangelical Protestants and even those who will argue 'til the cows come home over the interpretation are often caught off guard when faced not simply with the passages in 1 Cor. 10 and 11, but with this subtle indication of the significance of the matter.