Rightly administering the Lord’s Supper is a mark of a true church. It occupies a critically important place in the life of God’s people as a memorial of Christ, the message of the gospel, and a means of his grace. Yet, even among those who share this perspective there remain differences in practice. I will address the frequency of the Lord’s Supper in a later post, but I would first like to address the method of partaking of the bread and the cup; specifically, whether or not we should keep the bread and the wine separate (eating and then drinking) or combine the elements by dipping the bread into the wine and then consuming both together.
I know that some of you will read this and think that this is straining out a gnat, missing the forrest for the trees, or spending too much time on a trivial matter. But in my estimation this is an important matter we should consider seriously.
Let me say up front that there are godly and learned men who come to different conclusions after serious biblical and theological reflection. Unfortunately, I believe most simply do what they do (on either side) out of mere tradition or convenience.
INTINCTION
Keeping the elements separate, eating the bread and then drinking the wine, is the earliest recorded practice of the church. While we don’t know exactly when the practice of Intinction, dipping the bread into the wine and then eating, first shows up, we first read about it in the fourth century where Pope Julius I writes against the practice. Intinction didn’t get much attention during the Protestant Reformation, but Herman Witsius, Francis Turretin, and John Owen are examples within the reformed tradition that argue for keeping the elements separate. Charles Hodge speaks to the issue of intinction in his Systematic Theology.
“That it is against the nature of the sacrament, when instead of the two elements being distributed separately, the bread is dipped into the wine, and both are received together. This mode of administering the Lord’s Supper, was, it is said, introduced at first, only in reference to the sick; then it was practised in some of the monasteries; and was partially introduced into the parishes. It never, however, received the sanction of the Roman Church. In the Greek and the other oriental churches it became the ordinary method, so far as the laity are concerned. The bread and wine are mixed together in the cup, and, by a spoon, placed in the mouth of the recipient. Among the Syrians the usual custom was for the priest to take a morsel of bread, dip it in the wine and place it in the mouth of the communicant. From the East this passed for a time over to the West, but was soon superseded by a still greater departure from the Scriptural rule.”
EAT AND DRINK
Those who oppose intinction do so for a few different reasons that, when combined, compel us to keep the elements of the Lord’s Supper separate.
The Command to Eat and Drink
Jesus himself separated the bread from the wine when he instituted the Lord’s Supper, each person receiving them in turn (Mk. 14:22-24; Mt. 26:26-29; Luke 22:14-20). In giving us this sacrament Jesus’ command is clear. Eat and drink.
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