The Lord’s Supper, Passover, and Holy Communion: Understanding Their Distinctions


The Lord’s Supper, Passover, and Holy Communion are significant practices in Scripture. While they share connections in God’s redemptive plan, they differ in meaning, purpose, and application. Understanding these distinctions helps us properly honor God and discern the Lord’s body.

The Passover: A Foreshadowing of Christ

The Passover, instituted in Exodus 12, commemorated the Israelites’ deliverance from Egypt. On the night of the first Passover, the blood of a lamb applied to their doorposts caused the angel of death to “pass over” their homes, sparing them from judgment. God commanded:

“This day shall be to you a memorial, and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations” (Exodus 12:14).

The Passover was a prophetic symbol of the ultimate Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, who would take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). It pointed to Christ’s sacrifice as the fulfillment of God’s plan for humanity’s salvation.

The Lord’s Supper: A New Covenant

At the Last Supper, Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples but redefined its meaning. He took bread, broke it, and said:

  • “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:24).

He then took the cup, saying:

  • “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Corinthians 11:25).

The Lord’s Supper marked the transition from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant of grace. It shifted the focus from Israel’s deliverance from Egypt to humanity’s deliverance from sin through Christ’s death.

Holy Communion: A Life-Giving Practice

Holy Communion, practiced today by believers, is the continuation of the New Covenant instituted at the Lord’s Supper. It is a sacred act of thanksgiving, fellowship, and spiritual reflection. Paul describes it as:

  • “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 reminds us of Christ’s atoning death, celebrates our union with Him, and unites us as one body in Christ. It is a proclamation of His victory over sin and death, giving us access to eternal life.

Discerning the Lord’s Body

Paul warns believers against partaking in Holy Communion without reverence or understanding:

  • “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body” (1 Corinthians 11:29).

To discern the Lord’s body means:

  1. Acknowledging Christ’s Sacrifice: Recognizing the bread and wine as symbols of His body and blood given for our redemption.
  2. Honoring the Unity of Believers: Understanding that we are one body in Christ, called to love and respect one another (1 Corinthians 12:27).

Failing to do so dishonors Christ’s sacrifice and disconnects us from the blessings of His life.

The Life in Holy Communion

Holy Communion is not an empty ritual; it is a profound spiritual act. Jesus said:

  • “Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:54).

When we partake in Holy Communion:

  • We Proclaim the Lord’s Death: A testimony of His victory over sin and death (1 Corinthians 11:26).
  • We Receive Life in Christ: Through faith, we access the spiritual nourishment and power of His sacrifice (John 6:63).
  • We Fellowship as One Body: Celebrating our unity in Christ and with one another (Ephesians 5:30).

A Real-Life Reflection

Imagine a vineyard where the grapes must be crushed to produce wine. The crushing symbolizes Christ’s suffering for our sins. The wine, a result of this process, represents His blood that brings us salvation. Partaking in Holy Communion is like sharing in the spiritual abundance that comes from Christ’s sacrifice, celebrating the life and unity it provides.

Key Takeaways

Holy Communion is a continuation of the Lord’s Supper and a fulfillment of the Passover’s prophetic symbolism. It is a time to:

  1. Proclaim Christ’s Victory: Testify to His power over sin and death.
  2. Celebrate Spiritual Life: Acknowledge the eternal life granted through His body and blood.
  3. Honor the Body of Christ: Maintain unity and love within the Church knowing that we are one body. We are members of his body, flesh and bones.
The Lord Jesus Christ said in his prayer for us in John.17:20-23: 

"Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word;
That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: -- The glory of the Son of God has been given to us to be one with the Father.
I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me."

As we partake, let us remember that the Holy Communion is more than bread and wine; it is a life-giving encounter with Christ through the Spirit. Let us approach it with faith, love, and gratitude, discerning the Lord’s body and proclaiming His victory until He returns “And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb” (Revelation 12:11).

In doing so, we partake in His love, power, wisdom, eternal life, and grace, united as one body in Christ.  “The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, be with you all” (2 Corinthians 13:14).

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