Should one prayer or two be given at the Lord’s Supper?
Question:
Is it proper to give thanks for the bread and the cup in one prayer instead of two separate prayers? I have been searching for scriptural examples that support one position or the other or both.
Answer:
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you"" (Matthew 26:26-27).
"And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." Then He took the cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, and they all drank from it" (Mark 14:22-23).
"For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me"" (I Corinthians 11:23-25).
Since the example we have is the partaking of the bread and then the fruit of the vine with a prayer of thanks given before each one, we cannot alter it without first showing that there are other examples doing something different or showing that the prayers were a mere incidental in the Lord's Supper. Neither is true; therefore, we offer two prayers.
