Answer:
Transubstantiation
is a doctrine of the
Roman Catholic
Church. The
Catechism of the
Catholic Church
defines this
doctrine in section
1376:
"The Council of
Trent summarizes the
Catholic faith by
declaring: 'Because
Christ our Redeemer
said that it was
truly his body that
he was offering
under the species of
bread, it has always
been the conviction
of the Church of
God, and this holy
Council now declares
again, that by the
consecration of the
bread and wine there
takes place a change
of the whole
substance of the
bread into the
substance of the
body of Christ our
Lord and of the
whole substance of
the wine into the
substance of his
blood. This change
the holy Catholic
Church has fittingly
and properly called
transubstantiation."
In other words, the
Roman Catholic
Church teaches that
once an ordained
priest blesses the
bread of the Lord's
Supper, it is
transformed into the
actual flesh of
Christ (though it
retains the
appearance, odor,
and taste of bread);
and when he blesses
the wine, it is
transformed into the
actual blood of
Christ (though it
retains the
appearance, odor,
and taste of wine).
Is such a concept
Biblical? There are
some Scriptures that
if interpreted
strictly literally
would lead to the
“real presence” of
Christ in the bread
and wine. Examples
are John 6:32-58;
Matthew 26:26; Luke
22:17-23; and 1
Corinthians
11:24-25. The
passage pointed to
most frequently is
John 6:32-58 and
especially verses
53-57, “Jesus said
to them, ‘I tell you
the truth, unless
you eat the flesh of
the Son of Man and
drink His blood, you
have no life in you.
Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my
blood has eternal
life … For my flesh
is real food and my
blood is real drink.
Whoever eats my
flesh and drinks my
blood remains in me,
and I in him … so
the one who feeds on
me will live because
of me.’”
Roman Catholics
interpret this
passage literally,
and apply its
message to the
Lord’s Supper, which
they title the
“Eucharist” or
“Mass.” Those who
reject the idea of
transubstantiation
interpret Jesus’
words in John
6:53-57 figuratively
or symbolically. How
can we know which
interpretation is
correct? Thankfully,
Jesus made it
exceedingly obvious
what He meant. John
6:63 declares, “The
Spirit gives life;
the flesh counts for
nothing. The words I
have spoken to you
are spirit and they
are life.” Jesus
specifically stated
that His words are
“spirit.” Jesus was
using physical
concepts, eating and
drinking, to teach
spiritual truth.
Just as consuming
physical food and
drink sustains our
physical bodies, so
are our spiritual
lives saved and
built up by
spiritually
receiving Him, by
grace through faith.
Eating Jesus’ flesh
and drinking His
blood are symbols of
fully and completely
receiving Him in our
lives.
The Scriptures
declare that the
Lord's Supper is a
memorial to the body
and blood of Christ
(Luke 22:19; 1
Corinthians
11:24-25), not the
actual consumption
of His physical body
and blood. When
Jesus was speaking
in John chapter 6,
Jesus had not yet
had the Last Supper
with His disciples,
in which He
instituted the
Lord’s Supper. To
read the
Lord’s Supper /
Christian Communion
back into John
chapter 6 is
unwarranted. For a
more complete
discussion of these
issues, please read
our article on the
Holy Eucharist.
The most serious
reason
transubstantiation
should be rejected
is because it is
viewed by the Roman
Catholic Church as a
"re-sacrifice" of
Jesus Christ for our
sins, or as a
“re-offering /
re-presentation” of
His sacrifice. This
is directly in
contradiction to
what Scripture says,
that Jesus died
"once for all" and
does not need to be
sacrificed again
(Hebrews 10:10; 1
Peter 3:18). Hebrews
7:27 declares,
"Unlike the other
high priests, He
(Jesus) does not
need to offer
sacrifices day after
day, first for his
own sins, and then
for the sins of the
people. He
sacrificed for their
sins ONCE for all
when He offered
Himself."