OF THE LORD’s SUPPER

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1] Although the Zwinglian teachers are not to be reckoned among the theologians who affiliate with

[acknowledge and profess] the Augsburg Confession, as they separated from them at the very time when

this Confession was presented, nevertheless, since they are intruding themselves (into their assembly],

and are attempting, under the name of this Christian Confession, to spread their error, we intend also to

make a needful statement [we have judged that the Church of Christ should be instructed also]

concerning this controversy.

STATUS CONTROVERSIAE.

Chief Controversy between Our Doctrine and That of the Sacramentarians regarding This Article.

2] Whether in the Holy Supper the true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ are truly and essentially

present, are distributed with the bread and wine, and received with the mouth by all those who use this

Sacrament, whether they be worthy or unworthy, godly or ungodly, believing or unbelieving; by the

believing for consolation and life, by the unbelieving for judgment? The Sacramentarians say, No; we

say, Yes.

3] For the explanation of this controversy it is to be noted in the beginning that there are two kinds of

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Sacramentarians. Some are gross Sacramentarians, who declare in plain (deutschen), clear words as they

believe in their hearts, that in the Holy Supper nothing but bread and wine is present, and distributed and

received with the mouth. 4] Others, however, are subtle Sacramentarians, and the most injurious of all,

who partly speak very speciously in our own words, and pretend that they also believe a true presence of

the true, essential, living body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper, however, that 5] this occurs

spiritually through faith. Nevertheless they retain under these specious words precisely the former gross

opinion, namely, that in the Holy Supper nothing is present and received with the mouth except bread

and wine. For with them the word spiritually means nothing else than the Spirit of Christ or the power of

the absent body of Christ and His merit, which is present; but the body of Christ is in no mode or way

present, except only above in the highest heaven, to which we should elevate ourselves into heaven by

the thoughts of our faith, and there, not at all, however, in the bread and wine of the Holy Supper, should

seek this body and blood [of Christ].

AFFIRMATIVA.

Confession of the Pure Doctrine concerning the Holy Supper against the Sacramentarians.

6] 1. We believe, teach, and confess that in the Holy Supper the body and blood of Christ are truly and

essentially present, and are truly distributed and received with the bread and wine.

7] 2. We believe, teach, and confess that the words of the testament of Christ are not to be understood

otherwise than as they read, according to the letter, so that the bread does not signify the absent body and

the wine the absent blood of Christ, but that, on account of the sacramental union, they [the bread and

wine] are truly the body and blood of Christ.

8] 3. Now, as to the consecration, we believe, teach, and confess that no work of man or recitation of the

minister [of the church] produces this presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper, but

that this is to be ascribed only and alone to the almighty power of our Lord Jesus Christ.

9] 4. But at the same time we also believe, teach, and confess unanimously that in the use of the Holy

Supper the words of the institution of Christ should in no way be omitted, but should be publicly recited,

as it is written 1 Cor. 10, 16: The cup of blessing which we bless, etc. This blessing occurs through the

recitation of the words of Christ.

10] 5. The grounds, however, on which we stand against the Sacramentarians in this matter are those

which Dr. Luther has laid down in his Large Confession concerning the Lord’s Supper.

The first is this article 11] of our Christian faith: Jesus Christ is true, essential, natural, perfect God and

man in one person, undivided and inseparable.

12] The second: That God’s right hand is everywhere; at which Christ is placed in deed and in truth

according to His human nature, [and therefore] being present, rules, and has in His hands and beneath

His feet everything that is in heaven and on earth [as Scripture says, Eph. 1, 22], where no man else, nor

angel, but only the Son of Mary is placed; hence He can do this [those things which we have said].

13] The third: That God’s Word is not false, and does not deceive.

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14] The fourth: That God has and knows of various modes of being in any place, and not only the one [is

not bound to the one] which philosophers call localis (local) for circumscribed].

15] 6. We believe, teach, and confess that the body and blood of Christ are received with the bread and

wine, not only spiritually by faith, but also orally; yet not in a Capernaitic, but in a supernatural, heavenly

mode, because of the sacramental union; as the words of Christ clearly show, when Christ gives direction

to take, eat, and drink, as was also done by the apostles; for it is written Mark 14, 23: And they all drank

of it. St. Paul likewise says, 1 Cor. 10, 16: The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body

of Christ? that is: He who eats this bread eats the body of Christ, which also the chief ancient teachers of

the Church, Chrysostom, Cyprian, Leo I, Gregory, Ambrose, Augustine, unanimously testify.

16] 7. We believe, teach, and confess that not only the true believers [in Christ] and the worthy, but also

the unworthy and unbelievers, receive the true body and blood of Christ; however, not for life and

consolation, but for judgment and condemnation, if they are not converted and do not repent, 1 Cor. 11,

27. 29.

17] For although they thrust Christ from themselves as a Savior, yet they must admit Him even against

their will as a strict Judge, who is just as present also to exercise and render judgment upon impenitent

guests as He is present to work life and consolation in the hearts of the true believers and worthy guests.

18] 8. We believe, teach, and confess also that there is only one kind of unworthy guests, namely, those

who do not believe, concerning whom it is written John 3, 18: He that believeth not is condemned

already. And this judgment becomes greater and more grievous, being aggravated, by the unworthy use

of the Holy Supper, 1 Cor. 11, 29.

19] 9. We believe, teach, and confess that no true believer, as long as he retains living faith, however

weak he may be, receives the Holy Supper to his judgment, which was instituted especially for Christians

weak in faith, yet penitent, for the consolation and strengthening of their weak faith [Matt. 9, 12; 11, 5.

28].

20] 10. We believe, teach, and confess that all the worthiness of the guests of this heavenly feast is and

consists in the most holy obedience and perfect merit of Christ alone, which we appropriate to ourselves

by true faith, and whereof [of the application of this merit] we are assured by the Sacrament, and not at

all in [but in nowise does this worthiness depend upon] our virtues or inward and outward preparations.

NEGATIVA.

Contrary, Condemned Doctrines of the Sacramentarians.

21] On the other hand, we unanimously reject and condemn all the following erroneous articles, which

are opposed and contrary to the doctrine presented above, the simple faith, and the [pure] confession

concerning the Lord’s Supper;

22] 1. The papistic transubstantiation, when it is taught in the Papacy that in the Holy Supper the bread

and wine lose their substance and natural essence, and are thus annihilated; that they are changed into the

body of Christ, and the outward form alone remains.

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23] 2. The papistic sacrifice of the Mass for the sins of the living and the dead.

24] 3. That [the sacrilege whereby] to laymen one form only of the Sacrament is given, and, contrary to

the plain words of the testament of Christ, the cup is withheld from them, and they are [thus] deprived of

His blood.

25] 4. When it is taught that the words of the testament of Christ must not be understood or believed

simply as they read, but that they are obscure expressions, whose meaning must be sought first in other

passages of Scripture.

26] 5. That in the Holy Supper the body of Christ is not received orally with the bread; but that with the

mouth only bread and wine are received, the body of Christ, however, only spiritually by faith.

27] 6. That the bread and wine in the Holy Supper are nothing more than [symbols or] tokens by which

Christians recognize one another.

28] 7. That the bread and wine are only figures, similitudes, and representations of the far absent body

and blood of Christ.

29] 8. That the bread and wine are no more than a memorial, seal, and pledge, through which we are

assured that when faith elevates itself to heaven, it there becomes partaker of the body and blood of

Christ as truly as we eat bread and drink wine in the Supper.

30] 9. That the assurance and confirmation of our faith [concerning salvation] in the Holy Supper occur

through the external signs of bread and wine alone, and not through the true, [verily] present body and

blood of Christ.

31] 10. That in the Holy Supper only the power, efficacy, and merit of the absent body and blood of

Christ are distributed.

32] 11. That the body of Christ is so enclosed in heaven that it can in no way be at once and at one time

in many or all places upon earth where His Holy Supper is celebrated.

33] 12. That Christ has not promised, neither could have effected, the essential presence of His body and

blood in the Holy Supper, because the nature and property of His assumed human nature cannot suffer

nor permit it.

34] 13. That God, according to [even by] all His omnipotence (which is dreadful to hear), is not able to

cause His body to be essentially present in more than one place at one time.

35] 14. That not the omnipotent words of Christ’s testament, but faith, produces and makes [is the cause

of] the presence of the body and blood of Christ in the Holy Supper.

36] 15. That believers must not seek the body [and blood] of Christ in the bread and wine of the Holy

Supper, but raise their eyes from the bread to heaven and there seek the body of Christ.

37] 16. That unbelieving, impenitent Christians do not receive the true body and blood of Christ in the

Holy Supper, but only bread and wine.

38] 17. That the worthiness of the guests at this heavenly meal consists not alone in true faith in Christ,

but also in the external preparation of men.

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39] 18. That even the true believers, who have and retain a true, living, pure faith in Christ, can receive

this Sacrament to their judgment, because they are still imperfect in their outward life.

40] 19. That the external visible elements of the bread and wine should be adored in the Holy Sacrament.

41] 20. Likewise, we consign also to the just judgment of God all presumptuous, frivolous, blasphemous

questions (which decency forbids to mention) and [other] expressions, which most blasphemously and

with great offense [to the Church] are proposed by the Sacramentarians in a gross, carnal, Capernaitic

way concerning the supernatural, heavenly mysteries of this Sacrament.

42] 21. Hence we hereby utterly [reject and] condemn the Capernaitic eating of the body of Christ, as

though [we taught that] His flesh were rent with the teeth, and digested like other food, which the

Sacramentarians, against the testimony of their conscience, after all our frequent protests, wilfully force

upon us, and in this way make our doctrine odious to their hearers; and on the other hand, we maintain

and believe, according to the simple words of the testament of Christ, the true, yet supernatural eating of

the body of Christ, as also the drinking of His blood, which human senses and reason do not

comprehend, but as in all other articles of faith our reason is brought into captivity to the obedience of

Christ, and this mystery is not apprehended otherwise than by faith alone, and revealed in the Word

alone.

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