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News and views from the German-language region of Europe

June 24, 2011

The body of Christ

Filed under Sabbath Thoughts

Yesterday was "Corpus Christi" in Germany, a holiday in the federal states that are predominantly Roman Catholic.

This holiday does not commemorate a particular event in Jesus’ life but instead celebrates the body of Christ as pictured by the communion wafer that is distributed during Catholic mass. "Corpus Christi" is associated with the doctrine of transubstantiation, which says that the wine and wafer are transformed into the blood and body (flesh) of Christ during communion.

We won’t find either of these traditions in the Bible. "Corpus Christi" on a set day of the year after Pentecost is not a biblical holiday.

Further, according to the Bible, we are not supposed to consume blood, and human flesh is not clean food. So if the doctrine of transubstantiation were true, we would violate two clear biblical commands. Instead, Jesus said that we are to understand the partaking of His blood and body as something spiritual, not literal: "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing. The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life" (John 6:63).

Those who use the Bible as their guide do partake of the body (and blood) of Christ. They do it one time a year in a solemn ceremony on the evening when the 14th of Nisan begins.

For the next seven days, those who use the Bible as their guide eat only unleavened bread. That unleavened bread is a symbol of sincerity and truth. It reminds us of our commitment to live God’s way of life and to have our heavenly father and His son make their dwelling in us (John 14:23). The days of unleavened bread each year are a renewal and strengthening of our desire and goal to "internalize" Jesus Christ, His thoughts and way of doing things.

For Christians who follow the Bible, the spring festival season is the real "Corpus Christi."

With these thoughts I wish us all a rewarding Sabbath!

Paul Kieffer's blog with personal insights and news from the German-language region in Europe.

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