Quotes About Communion (or Eucharist or Lord's Supper)

Communion, the Lord's Supper, or the Eucharist: whatever you call it, there's a relatively consistent tradition on its meaning and practice in these quotes from throughout Christian history.

For the record, the word Eucharist means "thanksgiving," and it is what the early church commonly called the fellowship meal of bread and wine. The word communion comes from 1 Cor. 10:16, where the Greek word is koinonia, which would be better translated "fellowship" today. The verse says:

The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the fellowship of the body of Christ?

In context, the word "fellowship" here can also mean having a part in or partaking of the blood and body of Christ.

Finally, the term, "the Lord's supper," is used in 1 Cor. 11:20 to refer to the fellowship meal. Eucharisteo—Eucharist or thanksgiving—is used in that passage as well, in v. 24.

Ignatius, A.D. 110

Break one and the same bread, which is the medicine of immortality, the antidote which prevents us from dying, and a cleansing remedy driving away evil so that we should live in God through Jesus Christ. (Letter to the Ephesians 20)

Clothe yourselves with meekness and be renewed in faith—that is, the flesh of the Lord—and in love—that is, the blood of Jesus Christ. (Letter to the Trallians 8)

[The gnostics] abstain from the Eucharist and from prayer because they do not confess the Eucharist to be the flesh of our Savior Jesus Christ, who suffered for our sins and which the Father, out of his goodness, raised up again. Those, therefore, who speak against the gift of God, incur death in the midst of their disputes. It would be better for them to treat it with respect so that they, too, might rise again. It is appropriate, therefore, that you keep aloof from people like them and avoid speaking with them either privately or publicly. Instead, pay attention to the prophets and, above all, to the Gospel, in which the suffering of Christ has been revealed to us and the resurrection has been fully proven. (Letter to the Smyrneans 7)

Justin Martyr, c. A.D. 150

There is then brought to the president of the brethren [I think this refers to whoever is presiding at a meeting, but no one knows for certain] bread and a cup of wine mixed with water. He takes them, gives praise and glory to the Father of the universe through the name of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and offers thanks at considerable length for our being counted worthy to receive these things at his hands. And when he has concluded the prayers and thanksgivings, all the people present express their assent by saying Amen. …
   And when the president has given thanks, and all the people have expressed their assent, those who are called by us deacons give to each of those present to partake of the bread and wine mixed with water over which the thanksgiving was pronounced, and to those who are absent they carry away a portion. (First Apology 65)

And this food is called among us the Eucharist, of which no one is allowed to partake but the man who believes that the things which we teach are true, who has been washed with the washing that is for the remission of sins and to regeneration, and who is so living as Christ has enjoined. For not as common bread and common drink do we receive these, but in the same way as Jesus Christ our Savior, having been made flesh by the Word of God, had both flesh and blood for our salvation, so likewise have we been taught that the food which is blessed by the prayer of his word, and from which our blood and flesh by transmutation are nourished, is the flesh and blood of that Jesus who was made flesh.
   For the apostles, in the memoirs composed by them, which are called Gospels, have thus delivered to us what was commanded to them, that Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, said, "This do in remembrance of me, this is my body." In the same way, having taken the cup and given thanks, he said, "This is my blood," and he gave it to them alone.
   This the wicked devils have imitated in the mysteries of Mithras, commanding the same thing to be done. For, that bread and a cup of water are placed with certain incantations in the mystic rites of one who is being initiated, you either know or can learn. (First Apology 66)

"The offering of fine flour, sirs," I said, "which was prescribed to be presented on behalf of those purified from leprosy, was a type of the bread of the Eucharist [i.e., communion or Lord's supper; Eucharist means "thanksgiving"]. Our Lord Jesus Christ prescribed this celebration in memory of the suffering which he endured on behalf of those who are purified in soul from all iniquity, in order that we may … thank [reference to Eucharist, meaning thanksgiving] God for having created the world … for the sake of man, for delivering us from the evil we were in, and for utterly overthrowing principalities and powers by him who suffered according to his will." (Dialogue with Trypho 41)

[God] then speaks of those Gentiles, namely us [Christians], who in every place offer sacrifices to him: the bread of the Eucharist [which means "thanksgiving"] and the cup of the Eucharist. (Dialogue with Trypho 41)

Clement of Alexandria, c. A.D. 190

Here is to be noted the mystery of the bread, inasmuch as he speaks of it as flesh; and as flesh that has risen through fire, as the wheat springs up from decay and germination. In truth, it has risen through fire for the joy of the Church, as bread baked. … But since He said, "And the bread which I will give is My flesh," and since flesh is moistened with blood, and blood is figuratively termed wine, we are bidden to know that, as bread, crumbled into a mixture of wine and water, seizes on the wine and leaves the watery portion, so also the flesh of Christ, the bread of heaven absorbs the blood; that is, those among men who are heavenly, nourishing them up to immortality, and leaving only to destruction the lusts of the flesh. (The Instructor I:7)

Furthermore, milk is mixed with sweet wine; and the mixture is beneficial, as when suffering is mixed in the cup in order to immortality. For the milk is curdled by the wine, and separated, and whatever adulteration is in it is drained off. (The Instructior I:7)

Afterwards [after the Israelites arrived in Canaan, after drinking water in the wilderness] the sacred vine produced the prophetic cluster. This was a sign to them, when wandering had trained them, and they entered their rest. It represents the great cluster, the Word, bruised for us. For the blood of the grape—that is, the Word—desired to be mixed with water, as his blood is mingled with salvation.
     And the blood of the Lord is twofold. For there is the blood of his flesh, by which we are redeemed from corruption, and the spiritual, that by which we are anointed. To drink the blood of Jesus, is to become partaker of the Lord’s immortality.
     The Spirit is the energetic principle of the Word, as blood is of flesh. Accordingly, as wine is blended with water, so is the Spirit with man. The one, the mixture of wine and water, nourishes to faith, while the other, the Spirit, conducts to immortality. And the mixture of both—of the water and of the Word—is called Eucharist [lit. "thanksgiving"], renowned and glorious grace. They who partake of it by faith are sanctified in both body and soul.
     For the divine mixture, man, the Father’s will has mystically compounded by the Spirit and the Word. For, in truth, the spirit is joined to the soul, which is inspired by it, and the flesh, because of which the Word became flesh, is joined to the Word. (The Instructor II:2)

Tertullian, c. A.D. 210

For you abuse also our humble feasts, on the ground that they are extravagant as well as infamously wicked. ... But one sees the mote in another’s eye more readily than the beam in his own. ... The Salii cannot have their feast without going into debt; you must get the accountants to tell you what the tenths of Hercules and the sacrificial banquets cost; the choicest cook is appointed for the Apaturia, the Dionysia, the Attic mysteries; the smoke from the banquet of Serapis will call out the firemen. Yet about the modest supper of the Christians alone a great ado is made.
     Our feast explains itself by its name. The Greeks call it agapè, i.e., affection. Whatever it costs, our outlay in the name of godliness is profitable, since with the good things of the feast we benefit the needy. It is not like it is with you: parasites do not aspire to the glory of satisfying their licentious propensities ... but as it is with God himself, a special respect is shown to the lowly. ... As it is an act of religious service, it permits no vileness or immodesty. The participants, before reclining, taste first of prayer to God. As much is eaten as satisfies the cravings of hunger; as much is drunk as befits the chaste. They say it is enough, as those who remember that even during the night they have to worship God. They talk as those who know that the Lord is one of their auditors.
     After washing our hands and the bringing in of lights, each is asked to stand forth and sing, to the best of his ability, a hymn to God; either one from the holy Scriptures or one of his own composing—a proof of the measure of our drinking.
     As the feast commenced with prayer, so with prayer it is closed. We go from it, not like troops of mischief-makers ... but to care as much about our modesty and chastity as if we had been at a school of virtue rather than a banquet. (Apology 39)

We take also, in congregations before daybreak and from the hand of no one but the presidents, the sacrament of the Eucharist, which the Lord commanded to be eaten at meal-times and instructed to be taken alike by all. … We feel pained should any wine or bread, even though our own, fall upon the ground. (De Corona 3)

Origen, c. A.D. 230

The names of the organs of sense are frequently applied to the soul, so that it may be said to see with the eyes of the heart … so it is said to hear with the ears when it perceives the deeper meaning of a statement. For this reason we also say that it makes use of teeth when it chews and eats the bread of life which comes down from heaven. (De Principiis I:1:9)

Martin Luther, 1517 - 1546

[Christ's] mission and work it is to help against sin and death, to justify and bring life. He has placed his help in baptism and the Sacrament [i.e., communion/Eucharist/Lord's supper], and incorporated it in the Word and preaching. To our eyes Baptism [capitalized in original] appears to be nothing more than ordinary water, and the Sacrament of Christ's body and blood simple bread and wine, like other bread and wine, and the sermon, hot air from a man's mouth. But we must not trust what our eyes see. ("First Sunday in Advent" from Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. V [Grand Rapids, MI:BakerBooks, 2007])

I [i.e., God] have given you baptism as a gift for the forgiveness of sins, and preach to you unceasingly by word of mouth concerning this treasure, sealing it with the Sacrament of my body and blood, so that you need never doubt. True, it seems little and insignificant that by the washing of water, the Word, and the Sacrament this should all be effected. But don't let your eyes deceive you. ("First Sunday in Advent" from Complete Sermons of Martin Luther, vol. V [Grand Rapids, MI:BakerBooks, 2007])

[commenting on John 6:44-55] The partaking of this bread is nothing but faith in Christ our Lord ... these words are not to be misconstrued and made to refer to the Sacrament of the Altar; whoever so interprets them does violence to this Gospel text. ... Why should Christ here have in mind that Sacrament when it was not yet instituted? (On Faith and Coming to Christ [1528])

John Wesley, c. 1780

But it is strange that it should be neglected by any that do fear God, and desire to save their souls; And yet nothing is more common. One reason why many neglect it is, they are so much afraid of "eating and drinking unworthily," that they never think how much greater the danger is when they do not eat or drink it at all. ...
     I am to show that it is the duty of every Christian to receive the Lord's Supper as often as he can. ... The First reason why it is the duty of every Christian so to do is, because it is a plain command of Christ. That this is his command, appears from the words of the text, "Do this in remembrance of me:" ... A Second reason why every Christian should do this as often as he can, is, because the benefits of doing it are so great to all that do it in obedience to him; viz., the forgiveness of our past sins and the present strengthening and refreshing of our souls. ...
     The grace of God given herein confirms to us the pardon of our sins, by enabling us to leave them. As our bodies are strengthened by bread and wine, so are our souls by these tokens of the body and blood of Christ. This is the food of our souls: This gives strength to perform our duty, and leads us on to perfection.
     Let every one, therefore, who has either any desire to please God, or any love of his own soul, obey God, and consult the good of his own soul, by communicating every time he can; like the first Christians, with whom the Christian sacrifice was a constant part of the Lord's day service. And for several centuries they received it almost every day: Four times a week always, and every saint's day beside. Accordingly, those that joined in the prayers of the faithful never failed to partake of the blessed sacrament. (Sermons of John Wesley, Sermon 101)