Holy Communion: The Feast of Life Eternal


Holy Communion is one of the most profound spiritual practices in the Christian faith, yet its significance is often misunderstood or reduced to mere ritual. This sacred act connects believers to the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, symbolizing our oneness with Him and one another. Let’s explore what Holy Communion truly is, its origin, and its deeper meaning.

What Is Communion?

The word "communion" comes from the Greek term koinonia, which means fellowship, partnership, or sharing. Holy Communion, therefore, is the sharing in the body and blood of Christ.

  • “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” (1 Corinthians 10:16).

Holy Communion is not just a physical act but a spiritual fellowship. It represents the believer's unity with Christ and the entire body of believers.

The Origin of the Term "Holy Communion"

The term “Holy Communion” is not directly found in Scripture but is derived from the practice described in the New Testament, particularly in 1 Corinthians 10:16. The word "holy" emphasizes the sacred nature of this act, distinguishing it from ordinary meals.

The Difference Between Holy Communion and the Lord's Supper

The Lord’s Supper refers to the final meal Jesus shared with His disciples before His crucifixion (Luke 22:19-20). During this meal, Jesus instituted what we now call Holy Communion, using bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood; the word of life and the Spirit of life.

  • The Lord’s Supper was a specific event marking the new covenant.
  • Holy Communion is the ongoing spiritual practice where believers partake in what the Lord’s Supper symbolizes—our oneness with Christ and the remembrance of His sacrifice.

More Than Meat and Drink

Holy Communion is much more than eating bread or drinking wine; it is a spiritual experience. It is feasting on the spiritual meal of the Word and Spirit of God. Without the body and blood of Christ, we cannot have access to the Spirit and Word of Life.

  • “The kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost". (Romans 14:17)
  • Eph.5.18 - "And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit". (Ephesians 5:18)

The bread symbolizes the body of Christ, broken for our healing and deliverance from sin and death. And broken for our access in to the presence of God. Also the bread symbolizes the Word of Life. Christ is the Word of life. The body gives us access to the Word of life. 

The wine represents His blood, shed for the forgiveness of sins, and we are made holy, righteous and blameless before God. And the wine also symbolizes the Holy Spirit, the Wine of life, Water of life and breath of life. The act itself is spiritual. It is the feast of life eternal where we partake in the life of Christ.
  • “He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (John 6:56).

Communion: A Spiritual Reality

  1. Bread of Life: Jesus is the Word of God, the bread of life (John 6:35). When we partake of Holy Communion, we are symbolically feeding on the Word of life.
  2. Wine of Life: The blood of Christ is the wine of life but also the Spirit of God is often symbolized by water, wine, oil or breath (John 7:37-39). In Communion, we are partakers of the blood that cleanses us from sins and we also drink of the Spirit that gives us life and empowers us to live the new life in Christ.
  3. Unity in Christ: By partaking in the communion, we acknowledge that we have been baptized into one body by one Spirit (1 Corinthians 12:13).

Communion in Life and Death

Holy Communion speaks of both the death and life of Christ.

  1. Death in the Flesh: We partake in His death, acknowledging that He bore our sins and paid the penalty for our transgressions.
    • “For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26).
  2. Life in the Spirit: We are partakers of his life through His resurrection, we are given new life in the Spirit. We are partakers of the Spirit of life.
    • “If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you” (Romans 8:11).

A Daily Reminder

Holy Communion is not a mere ritual but a reminder of our spiritual reality:

  • We are dead to sin and alive in Christ.

  • We are one in and with Christ in God.

  • We are partakers of the divine nature, living by His Spirit.

“For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God” (Colossians 3:3).

Planting and Growth: A Picture of Communion

Consider a seed planted in the ground. It dies before it can sprout into new life. Similarly, Christ died and was buried so that we could be raised to life in Him. When we partake in Communion, we are participating in this spiritual cycle of death to sin and new life in Christ in righteousness. 

Like watering and nurturing a plant, our communion with Christ requires continual fellowship and thanksgiving.

The Power of Thanksgiving

Holy Communion is not about consuming physical flesh or blood or about breaking and eating physical bread and drinking of wine but about Fellowship and Thanksgiving for what Christ has done. When we partake, we give thanks in fellowship:

  • For the body of Christ broken to give us access to the Word and Spirit of life.
  • For the blood of Christ that cleanses us and establishes a new covenant giving us access to God's mercy, grace and inheritance in Christ.
  • For the Spirit of Christ that empowers us to live victoriously.

Jesus said, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing John.6.47 - 

Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

John 6

47 - Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.

48 - I am that bread of life.

49 - Your fathers did eat manna in the wilderness, and are dead.

50 - This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

51 - I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world.

Jesus Christ is the living word of life or living word of God and Son of God. If you believe in him, God's word and Son, you shall have life and never die.

53 - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you.

54 - Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day.

55 - For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.

56 - He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.

57 - As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.

58 - This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. 

Jesus Christ is not talking about eating his physical flesh and drinking his blood. He is talking about believing in him as the lamb of God, Living Word of God, and Son of God.

John.6.63 - It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.


Conclusion

Holy Communion is the feast of life eternal—a spiritual act of fellowship, unity, and thanksgiving. It connects us to the life of Christ and reminds us of His sacrifice and resurrection.

What gives life is the word of God (Bread of life) and Spirit of God (Breath of life). Christ is the bread of life and the Spirit of God is the breath of life. Keep your heart and mind on this while partaking in the holy communion. It is faith in the body and blood of Christ that gives us access to the word and breath of life. 

Let us approach Holy Communion with reverence, gratitude, and the understanding that it is not just a tradition but a celebration of the life we have in Christ. Giving us free access to the power, wisdom and provision of God in God's holy presence.

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