Do passages proving the authority of the Lord’s Supper have to be read before partaking of it?
Question:
Concerning the Lord's Supper, what if during worship there is neglect in having someone read out loud, to the congregation, any passages that explain what they are doing, why they are doing it, and the manner in which it is to be done in the first place? Maybe I'm mistaken, but isn't it necessary that biblical authority be shown to the church before they participate in something like the partaking of Lord's Supper and passing the collection plate, that they might participate in the proper faith? What passages if any support the point that it is necessary to show authority first before partaking in these forms of worship? I was visiting a congregation today and it kind of alerted me when I noticed no authority was given before the Lord's Supper was passed. Though prayer was offered and passages that help put the focus on Christ sacrifice on the cross were read before partaking the Lord's Supper, none of the passages dealing with the Lord's Supper itself and how it is to be taken were read (Matthew 26:26-27 and I Corinthians 11:27 for example).
Answer:
It is wrong to both take away as well as add to God's word. "Whatever I command you, be careful to observe it; you shall not add to it nor take away from it" (Deuteronomy 12:32). Therefore, to say that passages must be read showing the authority for the Lord's Supper before each observance of the memorial has to be shown from the Scriptures. The passages describing the Lord's Supper and what is to be done do not even hint that a reading is required:
"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. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins" (Matthew 26:26-28).
"And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42).
"Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight" (Acts 20:7).
"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? For we, though many, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread" (I Corinthians 10:16-17).
"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." For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body" (I Corinthians 11:23-29).
Sometimes visiting other congregations is a blessing because it wakes us up to the fact that things we just assume had to be done are not actually in the Scriptures. Realizing that someone else does things differently makes us look deeper into the Bible and that leads to our growth.
There is nothing wrong with reading passages to show why we partake of the Lord's Supper, but there is something wrong with declaring that it is a requirement when God didn't say so.
