Eucharistic meditation

2 Corinthians 5:16: From now on we recognize no man according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.

It’s not too much to say that the truth expressed in our sermon text is the heart of Calvin’s understanding of the Lord’s Supper. In his mind, the Roman Catholic Church tried to know Christ according to the flesh. They wanted to have Christ, flesh and blood, on the table and in the mouth.

Calvin saw that as a denial of the gospel. Christ came in flesh, but He no longer lives according to flesh. He was born of Mary in the flesh, but He was reborn from the grave by the Spirit. We do know Him, intimately, know Him as members of His Body and His Bride. But we know Him not because He is with us in flesh, but because He died to flesh and now lives in and with us by the Spirit.

At this table, we encounter, we fellowship with, we feed on, the crucified and risen Christ, the Christ who appeared in flesh, but has been glorified in a Spiritual body, the Christ sown in weakness, raised in power, sown in shame, raised in glory, the Christ in flesh, raised by the Spirit.

For even though we have known Christ according to flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.