On Transubstantiation

On Transubstantiation

Few things today separate the Christian community like the topic of Transubstantiation. The doctrine of the host becoming the actual body of Christ during the Eucharist or Communion.
I have heard the foolish arguments about exactly when the host becomes the body.
When the priest blesses it?
When it enters your mouth?
When it entered the stomach?
Am I chewing Jesus?

Let’s look at this from a Biblical view. I put to you that the subject as about authority and faith. Not bread and wine.

Do you like baseball? Ever watch a game? If a batter hits a single and runs for first base, sliding for it, and the crowd yells “He’s out”
Is he?
If the video shows the ball hitting the base before the batters foot? Is he out?
When the Umpire says “he’s safe” then he is. If he says he is “out” then he is.
Because he has the authority to determine out or safe. The crowd may yell and the video may show different but when the authority has spoken the determination is final. The manager bumping, yelling or kicking dirt on the umpire doesn’t matter. Only the decision matters.

When the Centurion came to The Lord in Matthew 8 he recognized that Jesus was a man of authority and only needed to say the word and his servant would be healed. Jesus counted this recognition to him as faith saying that nowhere in Israel has he found such faith.

When Jairus came to The Lord about his daughter they arrived at the home to see the people mourning. The Lord said that she was sleeping.
Was she? The crowd said she was dead, the fact on the ground was that she was dead to every observable test.
But when Jesus went into her room he didn’t make long speeches or prayers for His Father to return the spirit of the girl or make any grand flourishes. He just said “little girl, arise” in today’s vernacular we would say “sweetheart wake up” and she did because He was the authority. He said she was sleeping, so she was. Mark 5

After Lazarus had been dead for four days, Jesus arrived and said simply “Lazarus, come forth” and he did. The crowd was mourning and said he was dead. The facts of the situation were that Lazarus was dead.
but He said to come forth and so Lazarus did. Regardless of the facts or public opinion. John 11

I could go on about calming storms (Who is this that the sea and the waves obey him) or about the demons recognizing Him and not arguing about being cast out but asking to go into pigs. Etc, etc.

When The Lord taught the people he would tell them that the kingdom of heaven is like such and such, not is such and such (a man who finds a pearl, a house built on rock, etc)

Now, lets look at the Eucharist, Matthew 26, Mark 14, Luke 22, John 13
At the last supper. The Lord said “Take this and eat for it is my body, take this and drink for it is my blood” not is like but is.
The disciples didn’t react with disgust or revulsion at a chalice full of blood or raw meat given to them. Jesus wasn’t turning them into vampires or cannibals. It was an authoritative statement. Form and substance, word and substance. They submitted to His authority and as an act of faith took and ate. It was his body and blood not because it changed into raw meat or blood, but because He said it was. The substance still looked like bread, tasted like bread, digested like bread.
But the same Voice that said the girl was asleep, that told Lazarus to come forth, that told the storm to calm, that told the Centurion to go home, said this is my body, this is my blood.

When the priest stands in The Lords stead and says The Lords words he is acting in The Lords authority. When the priest says “the body of Christ” and you say Amen and accept it as such. It is such. Not because of you, but because of Him.
Taking Communion or celebrating the Eucharist is a acceptance of The Lords authority. An act of faith.

Now to go a step further. If you believe John chapter one and that nothing was made without Jesus and through him everything was created. Then that same voice also said “Let there be light”
And that same voice is the one you will hear at the last judgement when the enemy says that you are unworthy and full of sin. That you are “out”
That same voice says “Safe”
“That one is mine, and I say Safe”

Now don’t you feel silly asking if you’re chewing Jesus?