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Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper Paperback – October 18, 2002
The primary purpose of this book is to introduce, explain, and defend a particular doctrine of the Lord’s Supper — the doctrine taught by John Calvin and most of the sixteenth-century Reformed confessions.
Paperback
First published October 1, 2002
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411 people want to read
About the author
Keith A. Mathison
18 books55 followersDr. Keith A. Mathison is associate editor of Tabletalk magazine. He is also academic dean and professor of systematic theology at Reformation Bible College in Sanford, Fla., and author of From Age to Age: The Unfolding of Biblical Eschatology.
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June 5, 2019
This is indeed the book to read on the doctrine of the Lord's Supper. It is comprehensive, even-handed, and deep in the theology of the sacrament. Mathison begins by retelling John Calvin's view of the Lord's Supper, and then follows that with a history of the subsequent centuries of Reformed theologians' writings on the doctrine. He then looks at the biblical texts that speak to the doctrine in both the Old and New Testaments. He critiques the main views, articulates his "Reformed Eucharistic Orthodoxy" and then concludes with practical matters.
Calvin stresses the connectedness between "word" and "sacrament." The sacraments are "seals of the promises of God" as well as "signs of his covenant." p. 9 Calvin argues that the Lord's Supper is not simply a memorial meal, contra Zwingli, but the presence of Jesus Christ is real, through the Holy Spirit. As Calvin himself writes, "The bond of this connection is therefore the Spirit of Christ, with whom we are joined in unity, and is like a channel through which all that Christ himself is and has is conveyed to us." p. 18
Unfortunately, it is Zwingli's views on the Lord's Supper that have carried the day, and are the predominant view in most non-Catholic and non-Lutheran churches today. Chapters 2-4 retell the development of the two Reformed strains of the doctrine of the Eucharist--the Calvinist and the Zwinglian. The two develop side by side for many years, and by the time of the Puritans, the Calvinistic doctrine is diluted with Zwinglian influence.
By the time of the 19th century, the memorialist position gains ascendancy, despite John Nevin's overwhelming arguments on the Eucharist against those of Charles Hodges. Hodges' views remained supreme due to his influence at Princeton along with his influential "Systematic Theology".
Once Mathison gets to the biblical texts themselves, in chapter 5, the book is in full swing and the meat of his arguments are established, in my opinion, in connecting the Eucharist to the Passover and sacrificial system. The Passover was a shadow of the Lord's Supper and the two must be understood in connection together, or misunderstood apart.
Mathison writes, that Israel's "dramatic reenactment of [the Passover] illustrates their ongoing participation in this decisive act of redemption." p. 188 He later writes, "Later generations, by observing the Passover, continued to participate in that one decisive act of redemption." p. 201
Later, in the book, Mathison connects the words of the Passover to those in the Eucharist. In the Passover liturgy, it is said, "This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate when they came from the land of Egypt." Of course Jesus changes these words at the Last Supper, saying of the bread, "This is my body."
Mathison writes of these two sayings, "The words of the Passover liturgy were not understood to mean that each generation of Jews somehow ate the very same physical pieces of bread that their forefathers had eaten and digested... In neither case are the words meant to be understood in an absolutely literal manner." This is where Roman Catholics and Lutherans go astray--they use an "arbitrary literalism" as Mathison describes it. This takes them down the wrong road, theologically.
In the section on the New Testament texts, Mathison writes, "Jesus refers to the bread as his body because there is a connection between him and those who partake of this bread in faith... In the Lord's Supper, Christians partake of the true Passover Lamb. They partake of the benefits of his great redemptive act on the cross. They are united to Christ and are seen 'in him.'" p. 212
In another important section, Mathison brings our attention to the Psalms sung at the Passover meal--Psalms 114-118. These Psalms are not simply "memorial" Psalms. These are Psalms of presence:
Psalm 114:7:
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob...
Psalm 116:18-19:
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 118:19-20:
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
Psalm 118:22:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
Psalm 118:26b:
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
My only real criticism of the book is that he seems to stop short of really diving into the texts that can even further establish the Calvinistic doctrine of the Eucharist. It seems like he's only just skimmed the surface. This would have made the book considerably longer, but would have made it complete.
The final chapter, chapter 9, is "Practical Issues and Debates." Here he demolishes the idea that communion should only be offered occasionally, that we can rightfully offer grape juice instead of wine, and even confesses that paedobaptists have not truly grappled with the argument of those in support of paedocommunion.
All in all this is an outstanding book that justifies its reputation. It gets a bit long in parts, as much of it is repetitive, as any book dealing with historical theology will be. But Mathison does a good job of advancing his argument and demonstrating that the church must take hold of, and advanced Calvin's "Reformed Eucharistic Orthodoxy."
Calvin stresses the connectedness between "word" and "sacrament." The sacraments are "seals of the promises of God" as well as "signs of his covenant." p. 9 Calvin argues that the Lord's Supper is not simply a memorial meal, contra Zwingli, but the presence of Jesus Christ is real, through the Holy Spirit. As Calvin himself writes, "The bond of this connection is therefore the Spirit of Christ, with whom we are joined in unity, and is like a channel through which all that Christ himself is and has is conveyed to us." p. 18
Unfortunately, it is Zwingli's views on the Lord's Supper that have carried the day, and are the predominant view in most non-Catholic and non-Lutheran churches today. Chapters 2-4 retell the development of the two Reformed strains of the doctrine of the Eucharist--the Calvinist and the Zwinglian. The two develop side by side for many years, and by the time of the Puritans, the Calvinistic doctrine is diluted with Zwinglian influence.
By the time of the 19th century, the memorialist position gains ascendancy, despite John Nevin's overwhelming arguments on the Eucharist against those of Charles Hodges. Hodges' views remained supreme due to his influence at Princeton along with his influential "Systematic Theology".
Once Mathison gets to the biblical texts themselves, in chapter 5, the book is in full swing and the meat of his arguments are established, in my opinion, in connecting the Eucharist to the Passover and sacrificial system. The Passover was a shadow of the Lord's Supper and the two must be understood in connection together, or misunderstood apart.
Mathison writes, that Israel's "dramatic reenactment of [the Passover] illustrates their ongoing participation in this decisive act of redemption." p. 188 He later writes, "Later generations, by observing the Passover, continued to participate in that one decisive act of redemption." p. 201
Later, in the book, Mathison connects the words of the Passover to those in the Eucharist. In the Passover liturgy, it is said, "This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors ate when they came from the land of Egypt." Of course Jesus changes these words at the Last Supper, saying of the bread, "This is my body."
Mathison writes of these two sayings, "The words of the Passover liturgy were not understood to mean that each generation of Jews somehow ate the very same physical pieces of bread that their forefathers had eaten and digested... In neither case are the words meant to be understood in an absolutely literal manner." This is where Roman Catholics and Lutherans go astray--they use an "arbitrary literalism" as Mathison describes it. This takes them down the wrong road, theologically.
In the section on the New Testament texts, Mathison writes, "Jesus refers to the bread as his body because there is a connection between him and those who partake of this bread in faith... In the Lord's Supper, Christians partake of the true Passover Lamb. They partake of the benefits of his great redemptive act on the cross. They are united to Christ and are seen 'in him.'" p. 212
In another important section, Mathison brings our attention to the Psalms sung at the Passover meal--Psalms 114-118. These Psalms are not simply "memorial" Psalms. These are Psalms of presence:
Psalm 114:7:
Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord,
at the presence of the God of Jacob...
Psalm 116:18-19:
I will pay my vows to the Lord
in the presence of all his people,
in the courts of the house of the Lord,
in your midst, O Jerusalem.
Psalm 118:19-20:
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
Psalm 118:22:
The stone that the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone.
Psalm 118:26b:
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
My only real criticism of the book is that he seems to stop short of really diving into the texts that can even further establish the Calvinistic doctrine of the Eucharist. It seems like he's only just skimmed the surface. This would have made the book considerably longer, but would have made it complete.
The final chapter, chapter 9, is "Practical Issues and Debates." Here he demolishes the idea that communion should only be offered occasionally, that we can rightfully offer grape juice instead of wine, and even confesses that paedobaptists have not truly grappled with the argument of those in support of paedocommunion.
All in all this is an outstanding book that justifies its reputation. It gets a bit long in parts, as much of it is repetitive, as any book dealing with historical theology will be. But Mathison does a good job of advancing his argument and demonstrating that the church must take hold of, and advanced Calvin's "Reformed Eucharistic Orthodoxy."
November 30, 2010
A very, very good book. All of Mathison's books are worth reading. He knows his bible. He knows theology. And unlike most Protestants he knows his history. This book, along with Schenk's Presbyterian Doctrine of Children in the Covenant should be required reading for all ministers. Both books show how we have deviated from the Scriptural standards, which the reformers recovered. I wonder if his section on paedo-communion would even be published now following all the Federal Vision controversy.
December 20, 2023
Great resource on Calvin's view of the eucharist. I enjoyed it. Didn't engage with Nevins much which would've been really interesting.
September 29, 2013
EDIT: I feel I have to edit my review based on more reflection and rereading of Mathison. This book is still extremely valuable in clearly summarizing large and difficult swaths of 19th century Reformed theology. It is unsurpassed in that regard. I must take issue, however, with his treatment of William Cunningham. He references p. 254 of Cunningham (Theology of Reformers) as holding to a merely intellectual view of the Supper. Yet if he continued the discussion to the next page, he would see that Cunningham said that was only one aspect of the Supper. The other, noted on p.254, was the powerful *sealing* of the Supper. Cunningham goes into further detail on p. 273ff, where he explains the Westminster view most ably. And herein lies the rub: as wonderful as Calvin is, the Reformed churches are under the authority of Westminster, not Geneva. And on p.280 Cunningham clinches the debate: he demonstrates Westminster's meaning by bringing in Rutherford and Gillespie as showing that "the seals confirm, not make saints." If Cunningham is simply identifying and explaining Westminster, then Cunningham's view wins, charges of modified Zwinglianism notwithstanding.
Mr Mathison, like his book on postmillennialism and scripture, gives a thorough, clear, and sufficient case for his position.
Review of Keith Mathison's Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper.
Thesis: The modern Reformed church has lost sight of Calvin's robust view of the Supper leading to a neglect of the Supper in general.
Exposition of Calvin's view of the Supper: Calvin defined sacraments as "visible words from God" (7); the offer in the sacrament is objective, but can only be received by faith. The sign and seal of a sacrament must be distinguished but can never be separated. It is a seal of the promise that believers who truly partake of it partake of the body and blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the bond of the mystical union between the believer and Christ. We are united to Christ in baptism and grow in this union in participation in the Lord's Supper (19).
How Is Christ Present? Christ is bodily in heaven and the reality and benefits of Christ are channeled to us by means of the Holy Spirit. The flesh, indeed the whole Christ, is given to us by means of the Holy Spirit (29):
1. The body of Christ remains in heaven and retains all its properties.
2. The Holy Spirit lifts our souls to heaven whereby we partake of the body of Christ.
3. Eating Christ is a heavenly action in a spiritual [read Holy Spirit] manner.
4. The presence of Christ is a real presence and a real descent effected by the Holy Spirit.
Historical and Biblical Surveys
Mathison then surveys the field of church history and the Old and New Testaments to bolster his thesis that Calvin's view is the biblical view.
Practical Conclusions
Mathison critiques inadequate views of the Supper (Zwingli, Lutheran, and Roman) and ends with a call for: 1) using real wine; 2) having the supper weekly or frequently and 3) urging Reformed folk to give a decent response to paedocommunion (he never actually critiques paedocommunion, making one wonder...).
Summary
This is a masterful exposition typical of Mathison. He gives tight logic, cogent argumentation and attempts to wrestle with tough, relevant issues (paedocommunion).
Mr Mathison, like his book on postmillennialism and scripture, gives a thorough, clear, and sufficient case for his position.
Review of Keith Mathison's Given for You: Reclaiming Calvin's Doctrine of the Lord's Supper.
Thesis: The modern Reformed church has lost sight of Calvin's robust view of the Supper leading to a neglect of the Supper in general.
Exposition of Calvin's view of the Supper: Calvin defined sacraments as "visible words from God" (7); the offer in the sacrament is objective, but can only be received by faith. The sign and seal of a sacrament must be distinguished but can never be separated. It is a seal of the promise that believers who truly partake of it partake of the body and blood of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the bond of the mystical union between the believer and Christ. We are united to Christ in baptism and grow in this union in participation in the Lord's Supper (19).
How Is Christ Present? Christ is bodily in heaven and the reality and benefits of Christ are channeled to us by means of the Holy Spirit. The flesh, indeed the whole Christ, is given to us by means of the Holy Spirit (29):
1. The body of Christ remains in heaven and retains all its properties.
2. The Holy Spirit lifts our souls to heaven whereby we partake of the body of Christ.
3. Eating Christ is a heavenly action in a spiritual [read Holy Spirit] manner.
4. The presence of Christ is a real presence and a real descent effected by the Holy Spirit.
Historical and Biblical Surveys
Mathison then surveys the field of church history and the Old and New Testaments to bolster his thesis that Calvin's view is the biblical view.
Practical Conclusions
Mathison critiques inadequate views of the Supper (Zwingli, Lutheran, and Roman) and ends with a call for: 1) using real wine; 2) having the supper weekly or frequently and 3) urging Reformed folk to give a decent response to paedocommunion (he never actually critiques paedocommunion, making one wonder...).
Summary
This is a masterful exposition typical of Mathison. He gives tight logic, cogent argumentation and attempts to wrestle with tough, relevant issues (paedocommunion).
July 8, 2024
I have thoroughly enjoyed everything I’ve read from Mathison. He is a clear communicator who clearly dives deep into his subject of interest before writing.
I will admit that I had been reading Turretin and assuming that he represents Calvin’s view of efficacy and presence. Mathison, however, seems to pin the abandonment of Calvin’s view largely on Turretin. So, that’s awkward for me.
I was likewise ignorant that Calvin explicitly stated his agreement with Melancthon on his view of the Supper and that Calvin assented to the Augsburg Confession.
I was not aware of the emphasis that Calvin put on our partaking of the human nature of Christ in the sacrament.
Mathison deals more extensively with the issue of wine at the Supper than I have seen anywhere else, and his argument is compelling.
Most surprisingly, Mathison admits that Reformed theologians need to more seriously deal with the issue of paedocommunion. I did not know that the practice was so historically dominant in the West (Mathison says it was definitely dominant from the third to twelfth centuries and possibly earlier).
This was extremely informative.
I will admit that I had been reading Turretin and assuming that he represents Calvin’s view of efficacy and presence. Mathison, however, seems to pin the abandonment of Calvin’s view largely on Turretin. So, that’s awkward for me.
I was likewise ignorant that Calvin explicitly stated his agreement with Melancthon on his view of the Supper and that Calvin assented to the Augsburg Confession.
I was not aware of the emphasis that Calvin put on our partaking of the human nature of Christ in the sacrament.
Mathison deals more extensively with the issue of wine at the Supper than I have seen anywhere else, and his argument is compelling.
Most surprisingly, Mathison admits that Reformed theologians need to more seriously deal with the issue of paedocommunion. I did not know that the practice was so historically dominant in the West (Mathison says it was definitely dominant from the third to twelfth centuries and possibly earlier).
This was extremely informative.
April 5, 2023
A thorough treatment of a very challenging doctrine. If you want one book to lay out the Reformed view of the Eucharist, this is a great place to go. For a first time read, I think the historical portion is a bit overwhelming, but the details of Calvin's view are extremely helpful, especially in how Mathison coordinates this doctrine with others like the incarnation and union with Christ. The Scriptural arguments and the final systematic presentation are persuasive. Overcoming the symbolic memorialist position is a difficult task, especially today when it is so prevalent, but it is something which should be seriously considered and discussed.
October 5, 2018
One of the best modern treatments of the Lords Supper. Mathison cogently argues for Calvin’s doctrine of the Lords Supper.
May 22, 2025
Really good.
To quote RC Sproul in the forward, "The term 'must read' may be overused and therefore trivialized. But if ever there was a genuine 'must read' book, it is this one"
To quote RC Sproul in the forward, "The term 'must read' may be overused and therefore trivialized. But if ever there was a genuine 'must read' book, it is this one"
Want to read
December 6, 2017In a video interview about Federal Vision, Doug Wilson mentions this book as a place that reveals Calvin's view of the Lord's Supper, and Wilson says that Calvin's view on this issue would probably get him in trouble with modern Presbyterian churches.
One of Wilson's arguments against Reformed theology, when he was still a Baptist, was that if you're going to baptize infants, why not give them communion too, ho, ho, ho. So the Reformers were great in getting us out of Rome, but they didn't go far enough. And then he became Reformed. Eventually, he became convinced that his original Baptist argument was correct. So in his move away from Baptist theology, he eventually got to the place where being Reformed was not enough (hence the title of one of his books).
One of Wilson's arguments against Reformed theology, when he was still a Baptist, was that if you're going to baptize infants, why not give them communion too, ho, ho, ho. So the Reformers were great in getting us out of Rome, but they didn't go far enough. And then he became Reformed. Eventually, he became convinced that his original Baptist argument was correct. So in his move away from Baptist theology, he eventually got to the place where being Reformed was not enough (hence the title of one of his books).
March 1, 2013
My understanding of the Lord's Supper has greatly increased from reading this book. The Lord's Supper is a highly important regular part of the Christian life, and it's a shame that it is not studied and valued more by people today. Mathison does a good job laying out the historical and biblical teachings on the Eucharist, defending the view of Calvin, as opposed to the Romanist, Lutheran, and Zwinglian views (and the various modifications of Zwingli's view).
January 26, 2009
Outstanding.
March 21, 2013
This book is an excellent introduction to the Calvinist understanding of the Lord's Supper. Highly Recommend.
August 7, 2023
I would give this a 4.5 stars if I could.
This is a thorough introduction to the Calvinistic view of Communion. It teaches Calvin's view, the views of other Reformed theologians throughout history, Biblical backing, understanding and pushing against other views, and some miscellaneous topics. It perfectly balances going into the sources themselves with large chunks of quotes, while also explaining them in very digestible ways. The end of every chapter includes a summary to help you bring it all together and remember the major points. I highly recommend reading this if you're interested in understanding the theology of Calvin on the matter.
I only have three critiques. The chapter "Moving to Reformed Orthodoxy" felt weirdly placed. It would've probably been better if it was placed at the end or not at all, because it felt like it was just repeating the first chapter on Calvin's view. Second, The discussion on paedocommunion felt like it could've been fleshed out more. The author points to other resources, but I wish they expanded on how the credocommunionists would respond to the paedocommunionist's critiques. Finally, while I'm a Reformed Presbyterian myself, some of the arguments against Transubstantiation were less than strong. There were some damning points, but others felt contradictory to how the author previously described it earlier.
This is a thorough introduction to the Calvinistic view of Communion. It teaches Calvin's view, the views of other Reformed theologians throughout history, Biblical backing, understanding and pushing against other views, and some miscellaneous topics. It perfectly balances going into the sources themselves with large chunks of quotes, while also explaining them in very digestible ways. The end of every chapter includes a summary to help you bring it all together and remember the major points. I highly recommend reading this if you're interested in understanding the theology of Calvin on the matter.
I only have three critiques. The chapter "Moving to Reformed Orthodoxy" felt weirdly placed. It would've probably been better if it was placed at the end or not at all, because it felt like it was just repeating the first chapter on Calvin's view. Second, The discussion on paedocommunion felt like it could've been fleshed out more. The author points to other resources, but I wish they expanded on how the credocommunionists would respond to the paedocommunionist's critiques. Finally, while I'm a Reformed Presbyterian myself, some of the arguments against Transubstantiation were less than strong. There were some damning points, but others felt contradictory to how the author previously described it earlier.
May 16, 2017
For the most part, a very useful book. Mathison has done a lot of spade work to produce a faithful presentation of Calvin's view of the Lord's Supper. The first half is dedicated to how the ebb and flow of Protestants' view of the Lord's Supper for the last 500 years. The second half looks at the Biblical foundations for Calvin's view in the Old and New Testaments, followed by critiques of Roman Catholic and Lutheran views. He ends by surveying some of the "sticky issues" associated (i.e. grape juice vs. wine, paedo-communion, and frequency). Helpful as a historical overview of the associated debates and views, and very useful in tackling how to properly frame and understand the sacrament.
July 23, 2019
When R.C. Sproul calls this "the best and most comprehensive treatment of the Reformed doctrine of the Lord's Supper I have ever seen", the importance of this book should be made apparent. I did struggle to understand some of what Mathison was saying in the earlier parts of the books, although they began to make sense once I'd got further along, yet it would definitely help to have a reasonable understanding of the Lord's Supper before approaching this book. I have to say, though, that this book both challenged and increased my understanding of the Lord's Supper, increasing my reverence and appreciation for what God graciously gives to us through this New Testament sacrament.
March 7, 2021
Mathison explores John Calvin's understanding of the Lord's Supper (along with the views of Reformers such as Luther, Bucer, Zwingli, Bullinger, Melanchthon, Turretin, Owen, Ames, Edwards, etc.) and contrasts it with Roman Catholic, Lutheran, and symbolic memorial views. A very thorough study that provides history, interpretation of all relevant sections of Scripture, and practical guidance.
February 18, 2019
Great book on the Lord’s Supper! Excellent historical content on Jean Calvin’s practices which influence most Reformed churches and help many in Presbyterianism to explain and ENJOY the sacrament! Loved this book and have referred to it several times!
November 21, 2024
Skimmed this one. It was ok...you'd probably get just as much out of reading the sections in Calvin's Institutes and commentaries on the NT. Some helpful comments here and there, especially as he was explaining Bullinger's view.
April 4, 2025
Read this now!
I've read several books on this topic, but this book is the only one I'll need moving forward. It's as comprehensive as it is clear, and should be a must read for any Christian.
I've read several books on this topic, but this book is the only one I'll need moving forward. It's as comprehensive as it is clear, and should be a must read for any Christian.
August 3, 2017
Life/worship changing
March 7, 2023
Excellent.
January 11, 2025
Wonderful! The truth of what the author terms “suprasubstantiation” is glorious. More Reformed Christians should and must embrace it.
December 30, 2020
As important as the sacraments are, very little is written on them. this is a dense, thorough, biblical and historical look at the Lord's Supper and worth every moment taken to read.
June 12, 2012
Calvin’s doctrine of the Eucharist was not only Biblical, it was the main Confessional position of the 16th century. So argues the author, and he does so convincingly. Only gradually was it replaced by Symbolic Memorialism, which reached its height among the Reformed churches in the late 19th century.
Mathison first outlines from Calvin’s own writings and a number of top Calvin scholars the position of the great reformer of Geneva. He then looks at the position of others since; those following Calvin, those who modified his views a little and those who openly attacked them (including Hodge). Mathison then spends considerable time handling the relevant passages of Scripture before surveying the main Eucharistic positions in the Western catholic church (Transubstantiation, Consubstantiation, Calvin’s position, and Symbolic Memorialism).
After making a very strong case for Calvin’s doctrine of the Sacrament he covers a number of practical issues that affect Eucharistic practice in Evangelical churches. First is the issue of frequency; weekly or less often? Following Calvin he concludes that it should be ‘at least weekly’.
The second issue covered is the use of real wine in the Lord’s Supper. He sees no Biblical reason whatsoever for using anything other than 'the fruit of the vine', and in this he is in line with 1800 years of unanimous Christian practice and the majority of Christians still.
Finally he asks whether infants should be barred from this Sacrament; are they only 'half members of the covenant'? This is a highly controversial area (though one discussed more and more in reformed churches as Paedocommunion becomes increasingly popular) and he spends relatively little time on it. It is good for a quick overview of some of the issues around the practice but doesn't go into them in much depth. He concludes that there are no good reasons for keeping children from the Eucharist until they are catechised or able relate conversion experiences as mature believers. On this one point he differs from Calvin, though he claims he is thus in agreement with the early church, the Hussites and a few of the Reformers.
To close the work he takes a quick look at some of the earliest Christian writings on this Sacrament.
Absolutely loved it. Though the writing style is not always engaging.
Favourite part: his survey of the debate between Hodge and Nevin over ‘the Mystical Presence’.
Mathison first outlines from Calvin’s own writings and a number of top Calvin scholars the position of the great reformer of Geneva. He then looks at the position of others since; those following Calvin, those who modified his views a little and those who openly attacked them (including Hodge). Mathison then spends considerable time handling the relevant passages of Scripture before surveying the main Eucharistic positions in the Western catholic church (Transubstantiation, Consubstantiation, Calvin’s position, and Symbolic Memorialism).
After making a very strong case for Calvin’s doctrine of the Sacrament he covers a number of practical issues that affect Eucharistic practice in Evangelical churches. First is the issue of frequency; weekly or less often? Following Calvin he concludes that it should be ‘at least weekly’.
The second issue covered is the use of real wine in the Lord’s Supper. He sees no Biblical reason whatsoever for using anything other than 'the fruit of the vine', and in this he is in line with 1800 years of unanimous Christian practice and the majority of Christians still.
Finally he asks whether infants should be barred from this Sacrament; are they only 'half members of the covenant'? This is a highly controversial area (though one discussed more and more in reformed churches as Paedocommunion becomes increasingly popular) and he spends relatively little time on it. It is good for a quick overview of some of the issues around the practice but doesn't go into them in much depth. He concludes that there are no good reasons for keeping children from the Eucharist until they are catechised or able relate conversion experiences as mature believers. On this one point he differs from Calvin, though he claims he is thus in agreement with the early church, the Hussites and a few of the Reformers.
To close the work he takes a quick look at some of the earliest Christian writings on this Sacrament.
Absolutely loved it. Though the writing style is not always engaging.
Favourite part: his survey of the debate between Hodge and Nevin over ‘the Mystical Presence’.
December 21, 2013
I thought this book did an excellent job of breaking down the issues and controversies surrounding the Eucharist and its application in Reformed churches. I felt both sides of any debate were given equal treatment, and Mathison makes his own arguments in a concise, well-argued manner.
If there was one thing I found missing or unsatisfactory about the book, it happens to be one of the principal arguments. Mathison explains how Catholic, Lutheran and "evangelical" understandings of the Lord's Supper are contradictory or against scripture, and he does so well. However, his insistence that Calvin's doctrine is the only coherent doctrine left on the table was not at all convincing to me. How Christ can be 'real' in the sacrement and fully Christ (God/man), and yet--against Lutherans and Catholics--not be locally present? Just by saying the sacrement is mediated by the Spirit does not eliminate the contradiction of a placeless, real presence. Maybe I just didn't pick up on a necessary part of the explanation?
If there was one thing I found missing or unsatisfactory about the book, it happens to be one of the principal arguments. Mathison explains how Catholic, Lutheran and "evangelical" understandings of the Lord's Supper are contradictory or against scripture, and he does so well. However, his insistence that Calvin's doctrine is the only coherent doctrine left on the table was not at all convincing to me. How Christ can be 'real' in the sacrement and fully Christ (God/man), and yet--against Lutherans and Catholics--not be locally present? Just by saying the sacrement is mediated by the Spirit does not eliminate the contradiction of a placeless, real presence. Maybe I just didn't pick up on a necessary part of the explanation?
March 22, 2010
Overall comprehensive look at Calvin's view of the sacrament and how that view has been passed down to us today. Great section discussing relevant passages in Old and New Testament, and helpful presentation of practical issues and debates.
In light of the amount of information covered, the book suffers from a writing voice that sounds more like a term paper than a speaker who draws you in for an intimate conversation on the subject. As a result, it's an easy book to pick up and then put back down once your curiosity has been satiated, though admittedly, I read the book in reverse, starting with the last chapter working forward.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who has interest in the subject. It is an accessible read for those who have limited exposure to deeper theological debates of the subject, while also providing a great resource for those who have read the primary sources and wish to contextualize the subject matter for today's listeners.
In light of the amount of information covered, the book suffers from a writing voice that sounds more like a term paper than a speaker who draws you in for an intimate conversation on the subject. As a result, it's an easy book to pick up and then put back down once your curiosity has been satiated, though admittedly, I read the book in reverse, starting with the last chapter working forward.
Definitely recommend this to anyone who has interest in the subject. It is an accessible read for those who have limited exposure to deeper theological debates of the subject, while also providing a great resource for those who have read the primary sources and wish to contextualize the subject matter for today's listeners.
January 18, 2008
Mathison's Given For You on Calvin's view of the Supper is a must have. Not overly profound; reads kind of like a really, really good, long seminary paper, and occasionally cliched. But about as good of an overview as I've seen. Lots of nice, clearly outlined, short sub-chapters. Makes a good argument for wine in the Meal and even for paedo-communion. The part on Nevin is especially good. He also shows there were important differences on the meal between fellow Princeton theologians (as well as between fellow Scottish theologians, Southern, etc.). Because he wrote a book on postmillennialism I had avoided this one for some time, but I'm glad I gave him a chance.
Three other books to consider: NT Wright's The Meal Jesus Gave Us; Peter Leithart's Blessed are the Hungry; and Robert Letham's one (Letham gives a counter-balance to Mathison on the Paedo-communion stuff).
Three other books to consider: NT Wright's The Meal Jesus Gave Us; Peter Leithart's Blessed are the Hungry; and Robert Letham's one (Letham gives a counter-balance to Mathison on the Paedo-communion stuff).
May 7, 2014
A fantastic book on an important topic. Being raised non-denominational evangelical, the sacraments were unimportant. As I became reformed, I wanted to understand the significance placed on the sacraments in scripture, and this was a very helpful book. It addressed the 3 counter views of the Supper (transubstantiation, consubstantiation, and mere symbolism) and then forcefully asserted the historic reformed position, the real presence view. Nothing happens with the elements themselves, but the Spirit does work in them and impart grace through them. A great aid in understanding the theology of the sign and the thing signified.
February 8, 2011
Mathison does a tremendous job explaining and commending Calvin's doctrine of the true presence of Christ in the Lord's Supper. When the believer takes the Supper, body and blood of Christ are made present to the believer by the Holy Spirit, and the believer feeds on the gift of Christ. The faithful response is gratitude, which makes the Supper a sacrifice of praise, a Eucharist.
Originally read in 2005.
Originally read in 2005.
June 17, 2015
By no means an exhaustive treatment on the subject, this is still a great comprehensive book explaining and defending the Reformed view of the Lord's Supper. Although I would have liked a little more explanation on the Biblical rationale, the historical survey from the Reformation onward to the present was a gem. The section on practical issues was also quite good (despite what might be interpreted as paedocommunion sympathies).
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