Overview

This chapter confesses the second sacrament: the Lord’s Supper, instituted by Christ for the perpetual remembrance of His sacrifice, the sealing of its benefits, the spiritual nourishment of believers, and their communion with Him and one another. It defines the Supper against the Roman Mass — denying transubstantiation and any re-sacrifice of Christ — and affirms the real, spiritual receiving of Christ by faith.

The Confession, Section by Section

29.1–29.2 — The institution and ends of the Supper; against the Mass

Our Lord Jesus, in the night wherein he was betrayed, instituted the sacrament of his body and blood, called the Lord’s Supper, to be observed in his church unto the end of the world; for the perpetual remembrance of the sacrifice of himself in his death, the sealing all benefits thereof unto true believers… and to be a bond and pledge of their communion with him, and with each other.

In this sacrament Christ is not offered up to his Father, nor any real sacrifice made at all for remission of sins of the quick or dead; but only a commemoration of that one offering up of himself, by himself, upon the cross, once for all.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…do this in remembrance of me… For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” (1 Cor. 11:24–26, ESV)

“…we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” (Heb. 10:10, 14, ESV)

Further proofs: Matt. 26:26–28; 1 Cor. 10:16–17, 21; Heb. 7:27; 9:25–28.

Exposition: The Supper is a perpetual ordinance for the remembrance of Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice, the sealing of its benefits, and the bond of communion with Christ and His people. Crucially, it is not a re-sacrifice: Christ “is not offered up to his Father” again, for His one offering on the cross was “once for all.” This denies the Roman doctrine of the Mass as a propitiatory sacrifice. The Supper looks back to the finished cross and forward to His coming (“until he comes”).

29.3–29.4 — The administration; abuses rejected

…the minister [is] to declare his word of institution to the people; to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants; but to none who are not then present in the congregation.

Private masses, or receiving this sacrament by a priest, or any other, alone; as likewise the denial of the cup to the people… are all contrary to the nature of this sacrament, and to the institution of Christ.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“Drink of it, all of you.” (Matt. 26:27, ESV)

Further proofs: 1 Cor. 11:23–26; Mark 14:23; 1 Cor. 10:16.

Exposition: The Supper is a congregational act — bread and wine set apart by the word of institution and prayer, broken and given to the gathered communicants, the minister also partaking. The chapter rejects several Roman corruptions: private masses (the priest communing alone), withholding the cup from the laity (Christ said “all of you”), and worshiping the elements. The Supper is to be administered as Christ instituted it.

29.5–29.6 — The elements remain bread and wine; against transubstantiation

The outward elements in this sacrament, duly set apart to the uses ordained by Christ, have such relation to him crucified, as that, truly, yet sacramentally only, they are sometimes called by the name of the things they represent, to wit, the body and blood of Christ; albeit, in substance and nature, they still remain truly and only bread and wine, as they were before.

That doctrine which maintains a change of the substance of bread and wine, into the substance of Christ’s body and blood (commonly called transubstantiation)… is repugnant, not to Scripture alone, but even to common sense and reason; overthroweth the nature of the sacrament; and hath been, and is, the cause of manifold superstitions, yea, of gross idolatries.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“…he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, ‘Take; this is my body.’” (Mark 14:22, ESV)

Further proofs: 1 Cor. 11:26–28 (Paul still calls it “bread” after consecration); Luke 24:6, 39; Acts 3:21; 1 Cor. 10:16.

Exposition: Applying the principle of “sacramental union” (27.2): the bread and wine are “sometimes called by the name of the things they represent” — Christ’s body and blood — but “in substance and nature… still remain truly and only bread and wine.” Transubstantiation (the bread literally becoming Christ’s body) is rejected as contrary to Scripture, reason, and the nature of a sacrament, and as the root of idolatry (worshiping the host). Christ’s body is in heaven (Acts 3:21); it is not physically present in the elements.

29.7–29.8 — The real spiritual presence; received by faith

Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements in this sacrament, do then also inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death: the body and blood of Christ being then not corporally or carnally in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance, as the elements themselves are to their outward senses.

…ignorant and wicked men… so are they unworthy of the Lord’s table, and cannot, without great sin against Christ, while they remain such, partake of these holy mysteries.

Scripture Proofs (ESV):

“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16, ESV)

“Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself.” (1 Cor. 11:28–29, ESV)

Further proofs: John 6:53–58; 1 Cor. 11:27–32.

Exposition: The Reformed middle way. Christ is really present in the Supper — not corporally “in, with, or under” the elements (against both Rome and Lutheran consubstantiation), but truly and “spiritually present to the faith of believers.” Worthy receivers “really and indeed… spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death.” The Supper is no bare memorial; by faith the believer genuinely communes with the living Christ. But it must be received “worthily” — with self-examination, faith, and repentance — for those who partake “without discerning the body” eat and drink “judgment” on themselves. The unworthy and unbelieving receive only the outward sign, not Christ.

Doctrinal Summary

The Lord’s Supper, instituted by Christ on the night of His betrayal, is to be observed perpetually for the remembrance of His once-for-all sacrifice, the sealing of its benefits, the nourishing of believers, and the bond of their communion with Him and one another. It is not a re-sacrifice of Christ but a commemoration of the cross. The bread and wine remain in substance bread and wine, against transubstantiation, yet are sacramentally called Christ’s body and blood. Worthy receivers, by faith, really and spiritually feed upon Christ crucified and all His benefits; but those who receive unworthily, without discerning the body, eat and drink judgment to themselves.

Connections

• WLC Q168–177 — what the Lord’s Supper is; how it is to be received; worthy receiving; self-examination; how the Supper differs from baptism.
• WSC Q96–97 — “The Lord’s Supper is a sacrament, wherein, by giving and receiving bread and wine… Christ’s death is showed forth; and the worthy receivers are, not after a corporal and carnal manner, but by faith, made partakers of his body and blood, with all his benefits, to their spiritual nourishment and growth in grace”; the worthy receiving of the Supper.
• WCF 27 (the nature of sacraments), WCF 28 (baptism, the other sacrament), WCF 8 (Christ’s one sacrifice, here commemorated), WCF 26 (the communion of saints, sealed at the Table).
• Loci: The Lord’s Supper / Eucharist; the real spiritual presence; sacramental union; worthy reception.

Pastoral & Practical Significance

The Lord’s Table is one of the believer’s richest means of grace, and this chapter teaches us to come neither carelessly nor fearfully but worthily — that is, by faith. Against the view that the Supper is a mere memorial, the Confession insists Christ is really present and really feeds His people: at the Table you do not merely think about Christ, you commune with Him, receiving Him and all the benefits of His death by faith, “as really… as the elements themselves are to [your] outward senses.” That makes the Supper a feast of assurance — the gospel placed on your tongue, sealing to you that Christ’s body was broken and His blood shed for you. Against presumption, the chapter calls for self-examination (1 Cor. 11:28): we come confessing sin, trusting Christ, and discerning the body. But “worthy” does not mean “perfect” — it means coming as a repentant sinner resting on Christ, exactly the kind of person the Table is for. The weak, the struggling, and the grieving believer should come hungriest of all, for here Christ nourishes faith and strengthens His people for the journey home, until He comes.

For Reflection

• Do I come to the Table expecting a real communion with Christ, or treating it as bare ritual or mere memory?
• Self-examination means coming as a repentant sinner trusting Christ — not as one who is “good enough.” Does fear of unworthiness wrongly keep me away?
• The Supper proclaims the Lord’s death “until he comes.” How does it both look back to the cross and forward to His return?