The sixth sip from the golden cup of Babylon, J1 which should not be overlooked, is " Omission of the Cup." This restriction of the use of the wine of the communion to the priests came in at the. Council of Constance (AD 1414-1418), was confirmed by the Council of Basle (A.D 1431), and reaffirmed by the Council of Trent (AD 1545-1563). Turning to the Sacred Scriptures and examining them on the subject of the celebration of the Lord's Supper, one finds that both emblems-the bread and the. Wine are to be partaken of by the laity as well as by the ministers who officiate in the service. This is a vital point, one which should be studied carefully and prayerfully by all devout Roman Catholics. The communicants of the papal church are never permitted to partake of the cup at the altar, although the priest himself partakes of both the bread and the wine.
The unquestionable authority is the word of God, to which one must resort in order to know whether or not the omission of the sacramental cup is a correct procedure. In the Gospel of Mark it is clear that Jesus, on instituting the Lord's Supper, gave the cup and "they all drank of it." (Mark 14:23) The withholding of the wine from the laity is unscriptural, as acknowledged by Leo the Great, who said in 443 that the omission of the cup is "sacrilegious dissimulation."[1]
In the study of this subject one finds that several Roman bishops were very much opposed to the introduction of this doctrine. Gelasius I, Urban II, Paschal II, and others raised their voices in protest against it, and despite the fact that even the General Council of Constance (AD 1414-1418). In its thirteenth session, admitted that the primitive church partook of both the bread and the wine in the communion service[2], this omission of the cup was introduced and has long since been adopted.
The withholding of the cup from the laity is diametrically opposed to the teaching of the word of God, as is clearly set forth in the following texts: "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread. And when He had given thanks, He brake it, and said, Take, eat. This is My body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of Me. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the New Testament in My blood: this do you, as oft as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." (1 Corinthians 11:23-25)
If either of the emblems were to be suspended, it should have been the bread, because more is said about the blood than concerning the body of the Lord. The following texts show how much importance is placed upon the blood of Christ: "Forasmuch as you know that you were not redeemed with corruptible things. ... but with the precious blood of Christ." (1 Peter 1:18) "And [they] have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 7:14) "Being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved." (Roman 5:9) "And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb." (Revelation 12:11)
To omit the cup from the communion service is to strike at the very heart of the atonement made by Christ. The following renderings of various versions of Matthew 26:27 give us unmistakable evidence that the Lord intended that no one should be denied the privilege of partaking of the cup.
"And taking a cup, He gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, 'All of you drink of this.'" (Revised Roman Catholic New Testament)
"Then He took a cup, and offered thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink, all of you, of this." (R. A. Knox, Roman Catholic)
"And He took the cup, and offered thanks; and gave [it] to them, saying: Take, drink of this all of you." (Murdock's translation from the Syriac)
"He also took a cup and after thanking God He gave it to them saying, Drink of it, all of you. (Moffatt)
And He took a cup, and gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, Drink of it, all of you." (American Baptist Improved)
"And having taken the cup, and given thanks, He gave to them, saying, Drink you of it-all. " (Young)
"And taking a cup and giving thanks, He gave unto them, saying, Drink of it all of you. (The Emphasized Bible, Rotherham)
"And He took the wine-cup and gave thanks and gave it to them, saying, 'You must all drink from it.' " (Goodspeed)
"Then He took a cup, and after saying the thanks-giving, gave it to them, with the words: 'Drink from it, all of you." (Twentieth Century New Testament)
"And He took the cup and gave thanks, and gave it to them saying, Drink from it, all of you." (Weymouth)
"And taking the cup and giving thanks, He gives it to them, saying, 'All drink of it.'" (Concordant)
"And taking the chalice, He gave thanks, and gave to them, saying: Drink you all of this." (Douay)
Love for Jesus and His precious word ought to constrain all to follow His instruction by partaking of both the sacramental cup and the bread, and to refuse to be influenced by the decrees laid down by the church councils that legislate contrary to the teachings of Holy Writ.
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