Day 29 • Question 78
78
Are
then
the
bread
and
wine
changed
into
the
real
body
and
blood
of
Christ?
No.
Just
as
the
water
of
baptism
is
not
changed
into
the
blood
of
Christ
and
is
not
the
washing
away
of
sins
itself
but
is
simply
God's
sign
and
pledge,
1
so
also
the
bread
in
the
Lord's
supper
does
not
become
the
body
of
Christ
itself,
2
although
it
is
called
Christ's
body
3
in
keeping
with
the
nature
and
usage
of
sacraments.
4
Footnote 1
Ephesians 5:26
that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word,
Titus 3:5
he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,
Footnote 2
Matthew 26:26-29
"Take, eat; this is my body." "Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 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."
Footnote 3
1 Corinthians 10:16-17
The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread.
1 Corinthians 11:26-28
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes. 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. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup.
Footnote 4
Genesis 17:10-11
This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.
Exodus 12:11
In this manner you shall eat it: with your belt fastened, your sandals on your feet, and your staff in your hand. And you shall eat it in haste. It is the LORD's Passover.
Exodus 12:13
The blood shall be a sign for you, on the houses where you are. And when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you, when I strike the land of Egypt.
1 Corinthians 10:3-4
and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.
1 Peter 3:21
Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,