Tuesday, March 30, 2010

What to Do if You Don't Believe Jesus' Words?

Change them.

Or at least that's what one of the children's Bibles we've stumbled across does. In the story of the Last Supper, Jesus says this to His disciples: "Remember my broken body when you eat the Passover bread again. Remember the blood I shed when you drink the Passover wine again."

Terrible. Terrible. Terrible. For so many reasons. First of all, it misquotes Jesus. A large swath of Protestantism refuses to take Jesus at His words when He says "This is my body" and "This is my blood." So, they have to change His simple words into something altogether different.

Moreover, Jesus at the Last Supper, Jesus wasn't continuing the Passover. We don't eat the Passover bread or drink the Passover wine anymore. What Jesus institutes is the cup of the new covenant. The Passover meal pointed forward to the Lord's Supper. Once the latter has come, the former is done.

Lastly, the misquoting Jesus omits something rather significant: the Gospel. What Jesus actually said gives comfort; these words do not. Missing are two vital parts of Jesus' words: "for you" and "for the forgiveness of sins."

Sad, really. Is means is.

3 comments:

Rev. Josh Sullivan said...

I recently had a discussion with a Presbyterian minister in town. We spoke about the sacrament and he does not believe it does what Christ says it does (or is what Christ says it is). The idea that the "the sacrament is the gospel" is one worth fighting for (and burning children's bibles, in my humble opinion).

Anonymous said...

I hope that children's Bible is not from Concordia Publishing.

Hemmer said...

It's not. Don't worry. Every children's book from CPH has been great.