WCF 29.5
Westminster Confession of Faith
29.5. Of the Lord’s Supper
The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to Him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ; albeit in substance and nature they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.
Proof texts
- Matt. 26:26, 27, 28 — [26] Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” [27] And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, [28] for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
- 1 Cor. 11:26, 27, 28 — [26] For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. [27] Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. [28] Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
- Matt. 26:29 — [29] I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.”
For discussion
- The Assembly cited Matt. 26:26, 27, 28 in support of this answer. Read it in context — how does it bear on what is claimed here?
- 3 passages are cited here. Which does the most work, and is anything claimed that the proofs do not obviously carry?
- WSC Q97 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
- WLC Q171 treats the same ground. What does it add, and why might it put things differently?
Read alongside
WSC Q97 · WLC Q171 · WLC Q149 · WSC Q88 · BC 8.1 · BC 8.2 · BC 8.3 · HC Q65 · 1689 28.1 · SD 28.1 · IAR 7.1 · SC60 6.1 · SC60 6.2 · SC60 6.3 · SC60 6.4 · SC60 6.5 · SHC 6.1 · SHC 6.2 · IAR 8.1 · SC60 7.1 · SC60 7.2 · SC60 7.3 · SHC 7.1 · SHC 7.2 · SHC 7.3
Leader's notes
A Commentary on the Confession of Faith (A.A. Hodge): These Sections teach the Reformed doctrine as to the relation which in the Lord's Supper subsists between the sign and the grace signified — that is, as to the nature of the presence of Christ in the sacrament, and the sense in which, consequently, the worthy recipient is said to feed upon the body and blood of the Lord. This Reformed doctrine may be stated as follows : 1st. The bread and wine — always remaining mere bread and wine, without change — represent, by the divine appointment, the flesh and blood of the Redeemer offered as a sacrifice for sin. The relation between the bread and wine and the body and blood is purely moral or representative. 2d. The…
An Exposition of the Confession of Faith (Robert Shaw): In these sections certain dangerous errors and superstitious practices of the Church of Home are condemned ; and we have placed all these sections together, that we may include the leading error, called transubstantiation, which has given rise to the absurd doctrine of the sacrifice of the mass, and the various other tenets and practices here rejected. I. The Church of Rome holds that the words, " This is my body," and, " This is my blood," are to be understood in their most literal sense; and that the priest, by pronouncing these words, with a good intention, changes the substance of the bread and wine into the real body and blood of Jesus Christ; which change is known by…