Papal and Protestant
Idolatry
Eighth Lecture
We will read for our lesson to-night a part of the sixth chapter of John's gospel.
"26 Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
"27 Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath the Father sealed.
"28 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
"29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.
"30 They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?
"31 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.
"32 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you. Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.
"33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.293
"34 Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread."
The disciples were following Christ for the loaves and fishes, they thought as Israel were fed in the wilderness with manna, they would be fed literally. But Christ did not want disciples who were drawn to him by such motives. His kingdom was spiritual. His true bread was the word of God, the truth of his spiritual teaching of heart purity and salvation from sin. They had no thought beyond the perishable food.
"35 And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life : he that cometh to me shall never hunger ; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.
"36 But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.
"37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
"38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
"39 And this the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
"40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.
"41 The Jews then murmured at him, because he said, I am the bread which came down from heaven.
"42 And they said, Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? how is it then that he saith, I came down from heaven?
"43 Jesus therefore answered and said unto them, Murmur not among yourselves.
294"44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him : and I will raise him up at the last day.
"45 It is written in the prophets, And they shall be all taught of God. Every man therefore that hath 'heard, and bath learned of the Father, cometh unto me.""I am the bread." This was perplexing to them. They knew him only as the son of Joseph and Mary, a man like other men. They did not understand his words were the bread of life, or that his life was a ransom for all sinners. They were after the literal bread. They were drawn to him carnally just as all who join the so-called church for worldly advantage, reputation and business success. He don't want any such disciples. "No man can come to me except the Father draw him." That is, the Holy Spirit must convince him of sin, and the truth must reveal his heart corruption before be can feel the need of a Saviour. ' "46 Not that any man hath seen the Father, save he which is of God, he hath seen the Father.
"47 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life
"48 I am that bread of life.
"49 Your fathers did eat bread in the wilderness, and are dead.
"50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die."This is the passage on which Romanists build their teaching of the Mass. They take these words of Christ literally, just as do the Protestant sects the other Scriptures on the passover supper which
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"62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
"63 It is the Spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life."The carnal Jews taking Christ's words literally stumbled at them and could not Pee how it could be done. They had more common sense than Catholics now. They did not know the tricks of Rome by which the deceived people are now made to believe that a priest's prayers can work the miracle of creating the literal body of Christ, to give eternal life for the eating with our teeth.
"64 But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
"65 And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father."66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
"67 Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away?
"68 Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life."The carnal disciples were thus separated from the spiritual. Peter was drawn to Christ by his words of truth, and not as Catholics by literal bread, nor as those who followed for loaves and fishes. The true disciples were too wise for any literal imposture.
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PRAYER.
Our Father in heaven, we have gathered once more and for the last time until we come up to be judged by thy word which we have heard while here in the flesh. We pray to-night that we may not be as those disciples which followed for the loaves and fishes, nor as those under the imposture of papal idolalry and superstition who trust the incantations of Baal priests and seek eternal life in perishable bread and wine.
Thou hast said "cursed is he who trusts in man or makest flesh his arm." We pray that thou wouldst enable the people to see the difference between carnal and spiritual religion, and that the efficacy of the broken body and shed blood of Jesus Christ is obtained by faith direct from him who died for us, and not second-handed by the ministrations of those who would make gain of souls for houses of merchandise.
May deliverance come for many now in bondage under human yokes and the service of sin and Satan, and become partakers of that liberty with which thy Son makes us free. Grant that the seed sown in these lectures may find lodgment in many hearts and bring forth fruits of holiness and salvation. Though we meet no more on earth, grant that our next meeting may be one of joy for our obedience to the gospel and experience of its saving power through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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I come now in my closing lecture first to the idolatry of the ages in the great apostasy of the Christian Church which has for its pretended authority the words of Jesus which we have read in John sixth chapter. The bread and wine of the Passover supper, which is by some degree of superstition not only of Roman Catholics but the professed Protestant daughters of Rome, received as soul nourishment with all the sanctity of Christ's body and blood, either in the shadow or substance.
Such importance is given this sacrament, so called, that it has superceded brotherly love, and by sectarian divisions is exalted above Christ himself. It has caused endless controversies, and rivers of blood have flowed from contentions about the bread and wine, and sacrifice of the mass.
It is a delicate subject to discuss among multitudes of professed Protestants. But if we have any regard for the Bible. and its holy religion we will honestly inquire what God says about it.
The supper Jesus ate with his disciples is called the passover and feast of unleavened bread twenty-one times in the Gospels and 1 Corinthians. It was instituted in Egypt, and account of it is in Exodus 12th chapter. It is called the Lord's passover many times in the books of Moses, and hence the Lord's Supper. The passover supper therefore was the only Lord's supper in the Bible, except the antitype, the spiritual which we eat by faith and not with our teeth, the eating of his flesh he speaks of in the sixth chapter of John.
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Jesus ate this passover with his disciples, and I call attention to the fact that there is no record in the New Testament of any new institution. I ask you to read what is said in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. In Matthew 26: 17 we read:
"Now the first day of the feast of unleavened bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the passover?"
Jesus directed them to a man to whom they were to say:
"The Master saith my time is at hand; I will keep the passover at thy house with my disciples."
And the disciples did as Jesus appointed there, "And they made ready the passover."
So the disciples were first to speak to Jesus of the feast their law required them to observe. Jesus, "who was made under the law," kept this ordinance of the law, and directed them where to prepare the Jewish feast which was the Lord's supper. So the disciples prepared the passover as Jesus directed. It was the passover, and nothing else, which they prepared on the table. This is the acount in Mark and Luke. So the record shows that unleavened bread and wine belonged to that feast. In Matthew 26: 26 we read:
"And as they were eating Jesus took bread and blessed it:"
As they were at supper, or were at the table;
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they never ate the passover nor other meal until the blessing was asked.
The language simply means the time of eating. Jesus began by taking the bread and blessing it. Just as when he fed the five thousand he first took the bread and blessed it. There is nothing said of anything but the passover. Then he tells them that the unleavened bread he broke for them represented his broken body. It was the type of the law. And the wine represented the blood of atonement. The Jews had always observed it in commemoration of deliverance in Egypt. But now Jesus shows them that it points to his death for man's salvation. They did not know he was to die, but in future so long as they observed the passover they should remember it pointed to his death. They were to remember him as the end of this Jewish type as often as they ate this sacred feast of the law. The gospel by Mark has the same as
Matthew. Luke has a more full description. We will now read Luke 2: 1.
"1 Now the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover."
"7 Then came the day of unleavend bread when the Passover must be killed.
"8 And he sent Peter and John saying, Go and prepare us the Passover, that we may eat.
"9 And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we prepare?
"10 And he said unto them, Behold when ye are entered into the city, there shall a man meet you bear301
ing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house where he entereth in.
"11 And ye shall say unto the goodman of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
"12 And he shall show you a large upper room furnished. There make ready.
"13 And they went, and found as he had said unto them; and they made ready the passover."Here we have as in Matthew a specific direction by our Saviour where to prepare the passover, and that they did prepare the Passover in that upper room. Hence it was the passover and no new supper which was prepared, including the bread and wine. These words are plain and admit of no difference of understanding.
"17 And he took the cup and gave thanks, and said, the twelve apostles with him.
"15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer, for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God."So then we have these words of Jesus that his great desire was to eat the passover with his disciples, and that it was the supper prepared in that upper room, and that it was the passover he did eat and nothing else. And Jesus says the supper was to be fulfilled in his kingdom. So it was an ordinance of the law of Moses along with circuincision and sacrifices to be fulfilled in Christ, and to be done away when the spiritual eating by faith takes the place of the typical supper. Shall we be
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lieve what Jesus says of the supper that it was fulfilled in his atoning death like all other ordinances Or shall we say Jesus was mistaken when he said it was fulfilled in his spiritual kingdom when we eat his body by faith, and he said the fleshly eating "profiteth nothing"?
Hear Jesus further, verse 17:
"17 "And he took the cup and gave thanks, and said take this and divide it among yourselves
"18 For I say unto you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God shall come."
Or as Matthew has it, "Until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."Therefore when all ordinance types are ended in the spiritual feast then will they commune with him and he with them. As in Revelations 3: 20.
"I stand at the door and knock : if any man hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and sup with him and he with me."
Hear the rest of Luke 22 on the passover:
"19 And he took bread and gave thanks and break it, and gave unto them saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
"20 Likewise the cup after supper, saying, This is the new testament in my blood which is shed for you."In Matthew is only one mention of his taking the cup. The Jews had four cups of wine in their passover with unleavened bread and cup of sweetened sauce with bitter herbs. In Luke the cup is
mentioned twice. Jesus tells them the meaning
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of the bread and the wine of the passover as pointing to his broken body and blood which causes the angel of death to pass over those who by faith have his blood on their door posts. He charges the Jews who eat this passover to remember him in this feast of the law. He did not institute the supper for it was instituted in Egypt as the central type of the great sacrifice for the sins of mankind. Hence the importance' Jesus gave to the eating of this passover before he suffered, that he might put this lesson in their memory so long as they, the believing Jews, should continue these ordinances as they did for thirty-one years until they were declared abolished.
The great error which perpetuates this Jewish rite is in making it an institution of Jesus, when his words show it was nothing more than the Jewish passover. And in teaching that Jesus made it a means by which to remember him, whereas he simply taught that while eating that supper' they should remember him as the end of all such types of the law. The teaching was not to help their memories of him by the feast, but to remember what the feast was for while they observed this fleshly rite. The tendency then as in all ages since was to put salvation in bread and wine instead of Christ. This so-called memorial of Christ's death has done more to make the Church forget Christ as Saviour, than it ever did to teach saving faith in his death. And all who observe this rite to re-
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