IX

The doctrinal teaching of the New Testament on the subject of the Holy Eucharist may then be summarised as follows.

1. An essential element in Christian life is such communion with our Lord as is described as eating His flesh and drinking His blood.

2. At any rate a pre-eminent way of eating His flesh and drinking His blood is the reception of the Holy Communion.

3. In view of our Lord’s words, “This is My body,” “This is My blood,” and St. Paul’s words, “The cup of blessing which we bless” and “The bread which we break,” the gift of our Lord’s flesh and blood is to be connected with the acts of the minister, and not only with the reception by the communicant.

4. The Christian Church is in a supernatural and sacramental relation to Christ; Christians are a priestly body; and Christian life and worship have a sacrificial element.

5. The spiritual sacrifices in Christian life and worship must be in union with the one, abiding, heavenly sacrifice of Christ.

6. The language used about the Eucharist and the position assigned to it suggest that, as communion with Christ is pre-eminently granted by means of it, so the sacrificial aspect of Christian life and worship have their centre in it, and are thereby brought into relation with the heavenly offering of Christ. As a memorial of Him, it is a memorial in some special sense of His death, which formed an essential element in that dedication of His life which led on to the presentation of His risen and ascended manhood in heaven.