Re: [Worship] the cup of the new covenant...& marriage?

["Bruce L Johnson" <bjohnson@worshipmap.com>]

The following focuses on HOW we interpret the rich
Scriptural language about the Last/Lord's Supper.  I do not
write this simply out of concern that we be careful in
our interpretation --as deeply as I care about that-- but
because I want to encourage us all to think through how
we USE this language and imagery responsibly to enrich
our times of worship.         This applies not just when we're
planning Scriptures, songs and prayers for observing the
Supper, but to worship planning in general.

    Scripture provides us a breadth or rich and powerful imagery
to help us understand our God and his works --imagery
(along with language and stories) that can be used mightily
in our worship.     So let's make every effort to use it --
both carefully and fully.

_________


Dave Humpal <ebedyah@elite.net> writes:

> Years ago I did some research on The Lord's Supper, and I agree with Bruce
> that it was based on the Passover Meal, and that's where any symbolism
> should come from.

Thanks for the support and clarification, Dave.

Perhaps I should also clarify a point made earlier -- I don't necessarily
think that ALL the Lord's Supper assocations are to be understood
solely with reference to Passover.    In fact, in my first post,  I pointed
out that the gospels themselves draw us to see connections between
the Supper and the provision of manna in the desert (esp in John 6),
and to the sealing of the covenant with blood and the 'covenant meal'
on Sinai (Ex 24 --note Jesus' reference to "the new covenant in my
blood").        Rev 19, and a few other passages, even invite
us to make a connection with the great, final "wedding feast of the Lamb"
and so, at least loosely, to what first century weddings were like.

So my point is NOT that non-Passover connections are invalid.
In fact, I higly encourage folks to take adequate account
of these other connections, and for pastors and worship leaders to
make use of them.    This  can greatly enrich our understanding of
the RICHNESS of the Supper's meaning, and the many ways
God wants to use it to teach us, encourage us....   I find that
many worship leaders and pastors use very little of this
wealth in the songs, remarks and prayers surrounding
communion.  That's unfortunate.  (That's part of the reason
I wrote a few communion songs myself,   that try to highight
some of these forgotten connections  --for a couple of examples,
see www.worshipmap.com/lyrics/bljindexnf.html#feast )


For that matter, we often don't even do much with the Passover meal
connections, which are quite rich of themselves ! -- e.g., the fact
that it is a shared/corporate meal [not just 'Jesus and me'],
the 'unleavened bread' emphasis on how God's redeems us
to set us apart as holy (emphasized in Ex 12-13 and 1 Cor 5).

But we need to remember that some of these connections
are more central than others --including, but not restricted to
the 'Passover' connections--  and give the primacy to the
stronger connections, i.e., to keep at the center the connections
Scripture itself places at the center.
_________________________

There is another danger --in what we DO with possible
connections or allusions.  The danger is that we will
overinterpret details, or tease out correspondences and theological
points (including eschatological ones) that the Scripture texts do
not either explicitly point to, or at least make strong allusion to.

When Scripture uses a metaphor it is Scripture itself that must define
for us the LIMITS of the metaphor.     A metaphor makes a comparison
between two things focused on specific correspondences.  It does
NOT mean that they are alike in all ways, but only in particular
characteristics, which the speaker makes clear by the way (s)he
uses/applies the metaphor in context.

For example, when Scripture says God is our "Rock" (fortress,
high tower, etc),  it is speaking of his being strong, dependable,
one who keeps us safe, etc.   We discover this by reading the
texts that use this language, and observing HOW they use it.
     It is not legitimate for us to take any and every characteristic
of a rock --e.g., that it is unfeeling, unresponive, lifeless -- or even
those which look to US like they make some sense.
We must let the author/text speak.

(BTW, this is one of the things I watch out for in Christian song
lyrics.  If it uses poetic imagery --a good thing-- does it pick
up a biblical image [not always necessary] and press it in a
direction Scripture does not?    There should be some freedom
here, but also care  --sometimes using a biblical image in a
way Scripture does not may lead people to misunderstand
what the image is doing when they come across it in Scripture.)
_________________

So, again, there may be a number of other connections, allusions... in
the elements and actions of the Lord's Supper, including some very
valuable ones (e.g., the manna connection).   But we must be sure
we allow the text itself to point us in the right direction, and to
define how any connections are (and are not) to be understood.

We must distinguish what is primary and clearest, from what
is secondary (though real) or less clear/certain.  And we must
take very seriously the fact that Jesus instituted the Supper within
the context of a Passover meal, and give primacy
to that element.    Certainly, if we are seeking to understand the specific
words and actions of Jesus on that night, the FIRST place to go is to the
Passover setting.     If that explains it, I do not believe it is then
appropriate to appeal to some OTHER non-Passover custom or idea
unless the passage (or other passages that speak of the Supper) points
to a clear connection.

All of this is simply an extension of some basic rules of interpretation:

· set the word or act in its proper immediate context
· the primacy of what is most explicitly stated (especially what
is highlighted, repeated....) over more distant allusions
· interpreting what is less clear in light of what IS clear

___________

One final observation on how we use Jewish customs to understand
Scripture      --  I believe very much in the value
of knowing what we can about the traditions, customs, culture
and literature of the times and region during which Scripture was
written (which is why I spent several years in "Near Eastern" studies)
It can clarify confusing points and help us to ask much better questions
of the text.

But the FINAL word must be Scripture itself.   Knowing
the setting may alert us to things we might otherwise miss; but we
must then test these parallels and connections to be sure the text IS
pointing to them (and if so, see HOW it uses them)... and beware
imagining .       We might conclude that such-and-such a custom was
very likely observed at the Last Supper (because that's "how they did it"),
including many details the text makes NO mention of.     But IF the
text does make something out of this particular detail, perhaps does
not make any mention of it at all, I see no grounds for basing
an interpretation or application of the passage on this detail.


Bruce Johnson
www.worshipmap.com







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