When we as Christians talk about “taking communion”, we all define this as eating bread and drinking wine/juice in remembrance of Christ's sacrifice, as he commanded his disciples to do at their last meal together.
So is this on the only way that we have “communion” with God?
In this 5 part study of the original Greek words, we will search the Scriptures to see if
Is taking the bread and the cup the only way we have communion with Jesus?
Where is the body of Christ is today?
What does blood has to do with the covenant?
What does it mean to abide in Christ?
Was the sacrifice of Christ was only once?
(Disclaimer: Back when Covid was going on back in 2020, I was watching a lot of the Catholic channel and became very interested in this topic and wanted to learn more about it, so bear with me :) and I hope to share some things I learned)
What does the word “communion” mean?
The English word "communion" comes from a Latin word "communis" meaning "common, general, universal”.
In the New Testament, 1 Corinthians 10:16 is usually the verse quoted in reference to defining the breaking of bread and drinking of the cup as "communion":
“Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a communion in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a communion in the body of Christ?” 1 Corinthians 10:16
The Greek word translated as “communion in this verse is "koinonia" -koy-no-NEE-ah- (G2842 in Strong's Greek Lexicon – a noun from the Greek word "koinos" meaning common) and its definition is something in which one shares or participates, a partnership, common goal or fellowship.
The word "communion" is used in about half of the common English translations such as the KJV and ESV when translating "koinonia" in 1 Corinthians 10:16 - but in other English versions this word is translated as "sharing", “partaking”, "participation" or “communication”.
There is another word in Scripture translated interchangeably with koinonia as “partaking”, which is the Greek word “metecho” -meh-TECK-oh (G3348 in Strong's Greek Lexicon – from “meta” meaning “with” and “echo” meaning “to have, possess”.)
S now, let's look at these 2 words – koinonia and metecho - in 1 Corinthians 10:16-21 using the King James Version:
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion (koinonia) in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion (koinonia) in the body of Christ?
For we being many are one bread and one body: for we are all partakers (metechomen) of that one bread.
Behold Israel... are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers (koinonoi) of the altar?
But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that you should have fellowship(koinonous) with demons.
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: you cannot be partakers (metechein) of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils.”
Maybe you are wondering, is this the only passage in the Bible where we find the word communion or the Greek word koinonia? No – in fact the Greek word koinonia is found in other verses as well.
The King James Bible translates koinonia as “communion” in 2 additional verses in Scripture, but translates koinonia as different words in the rest of the instances, as listed below.
Compare words you have in your translation of God’s Word, and see how it matches the Greek words for communion and partaking.
Luke 5:9-10 James and John, partners of Peter
1 Cor. 1:9 called into the fellowship of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord
1 Cor. 10:16 Is not the cup of blessing the communion in the blood of Christ?
Is not the bread the communion in the body of Christ?
2 Cor. 13:14 communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all
2 Cor. 6:14 How can there be communion of righteousness and unrighteousness, or communion of light and darkness?
Galatians 2:9 James, Peter and John, gave us the right hand of fellowship
Philippians 1:5 fellowship in the gospel
Philippians 3:10 partnership in the sufferings of Jesus
Philemon 1:6 communication/sharing of the faith
Hebrews 2:14 as the children have partaken in flesh and blood
Jesus likewise shared in (meteschen) in the same things
Hebrews 13:16 But do not forget to do good and share
1 Peter 4:12-1 partakers in the sufferings of Christ
1 John 1:3 fellowship with believers and fellowship with the Father and the Son.
1 John 1:6-7 if we say that we have fellowship with God but walk in darkness, we lie. But if we walk in the light we have fellowship with one another
Questions:
In the above verses, we see that the same Greek word koinonia has been translated as 'communion' some of the time - and as other words - the rest of the time. Do you think that's a good practice?
If koinonia were always translated as communion, would you think that “communion” is ONLY about eating the bread and drinking the cup?
Do we get to pick and choose the things we are going to be a part of, i.e. have koinonia with? If we choose to eat the bread and drink the cup, is it ok to refuse to be a part of the other things above?
Do the Scriptures indicate that koinonia in taking the bread and drinking the cup is more important than koinonia in the faith, or with God, or with our fellow believers, or in the message of Christ or in His sufferings?
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