Treaty with the Chickasaw, 1818

Treaty with the Chickasaws, to settle all territorial controversies, and to remove all ground of complaint or dissatisfaction, that might arise to interrupt the peace and harmony which have so long and so happily existed between the United States of America and the Chickesaw nation of Indians, James Monroe, President of the said United States, by Isaac Shelby and Andrew Jackson, of the one part, and the whole Chickesaw nation, by their chiefs, head men, and warriors, in full council assembled, of the other part, have agreed on the following articles; which, when ratified by the President and Senate of the United States of America, shall form a treaty binding on all parties.

ART. 1. Peace and friendship are hereby firmly established and made perpetual, between the

Chickasaw male dress

United States of America and the Chickesaw nation of Indians.

ART. 2. To obtain the object of the foregoing article, the Chickesaw nation of Indians cede to the United States of America, (with the exception of such reservation as shall be hereafter mentioned,) all claim or title which the said nation has to the land lying north of the south boundary of the state of Tennessee, which is bounded south by the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude, and which lands, hereby ceded, lies within the following boundary, viz: Beginning on the Tennessee river, about thirty-five miles, by water, below colonel George Colbert’s ferry, where the thirty-fifth degree of north latitude strikes the same; thence, due west, with said degree of north latitude, to where it cuts the Mississippi river at or near the Chickasaw Bluffs; thence, up the said Mississippi river, to the mouth of the Ohio; thence, up the Ohio river, to the mouth of Tennessee river; thence, up the Tennessee river, to the place of beginning.

ART. 3. In consideration of the relinquishment of claim and cession of lands in the preceding article, and to perpetuate the happiness of the Chickesaw nation of Indians, the commissioners of the United States, before named, agree to allow the said nation the sum of twenty thousand dollars per annum, for fifteen successive years, to be paid annually; and, as a farther consideration for the objects aforesaid, and at the request of the chiefs of the said nation, the commissioners agree to pay captain John Gordon, of Tennessee, the sum of one thousand one hundred and fifteen dollars, it being a debt due by general William Colbert, of said nation, to the aforesaid Gordon; and the further sum of two thousand dollars, due by said nation of Indians, to captain David Smith, now of Kentucky, for that sum by him expended, in supplying himself and forty-five soldiers from Tennessee, in the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety-five, when assisting them (at their request and invitation,) in defending their towns against the invasion of the Creek Indians; both which sums, (on the application of the said nation,) is to be paid, within sixty days after the ratification of this treaty, to the aforesaid Gordon and Smith.

ART. 4. The commissioners agree, on the further and particular application of the chiefs, and for the benefit of the poor and warriors of the said nation, that a tract of land, containing four miles square, to include a salt lick or springs, on or near the river Sandy, a branch of the Tennessee river, and within the land hereby ceded, be reserved, and to be laid off in a square or oblong, so as to include the best timber, at the option of their beloved chief Levi Colbert, and major James Brown, or either of them; who are hereby made agents and trustees for the nation, to lease the said salt lick or springs, on the following express conditions, viz: For the benefit of this reservation, as before recited, the trustees or agents are bound to lease the said reservation to some citizen or citizens of the United States, for a reasonable quantity salt, to be paid annually to the said nation, for the use thereof; and that, from and after two years after the ratification of this treaty, no salt, made at the works to be erected on this reservation, shall be sold within the limits of the same for a higher price than one dollar per bushel of fifty pounds weight; on failure of which the lease shall be forfeited, and the reservation revert to the United States.

ART. 5. The commissioners agree, that there shall be paid to Oppassantubby, a principal chief of the Chickesaw nation, within sixty days after the ratification of this treaty, the sum of five hundred dollars, as a full compensation for the reservation of two miles square, on the north side of Tennessee river, secured to him and his heirs by the treaty held, with the said Chickesaw nation, on the twentyeth day of September, 1816; and the further sum of twenty-five dollars to John Lewis, a half breed, for a saddle he lost while in the service of the United States; and, to shew the regard the President of the United States has for the said Chickesaw nation, at the request of the chiefs of the said nation, the commissioners agree that the sum of one thousand and eighty-nine dollars shall be paid to Maj. James Colbert, interpreter, within the period stated in the first part of this article, it being the amount of a sum of money taken from his pocket, in the month of June, 1816, at the theatre in Baltimore: And the said commissioners, as a further regard for said nation, do agree that the reservations made to George Colbert and Levi Colbert, in the treaty; held at the council house of said nation, on the twenty-sixth [twentieth] day of September, 1816, the first to Col. George Colbert, on the north side of Tennessee river, and those to Maj. Levi Colbert, on the east side of the Tombigby river, shall enure to the sole use of the said Col. George Colbert, and Maj. Levi Colbert, their heirs and assigns, forever, with their butts and bounds, as defined by said treaty, and agreeable to the marks and boundaries as laid off and marked by the surveyor of the United States, where that is the case, and where the reservations has not been laid off and marked by a surveyor of the United States, the same shall be so done as soon after the ratification of this treaty as practicable, on the application of the reservees, or their legally appointed agent under them, and agreeably to the definition in the before recited treaty. This agreement is made on the following express conditions: that the said land, and those living on it, shall be subject to the laws of the United States, and all legal taxation that may be imposed on the land or citizens of the United States inhabiting the territory where said land is situate. The commissioners further agree, that the reservation secured to John McCleish, on the north side of Tennessee river, by the before recited treaty, in consequence of his having been raised in the state of Tennessee, and marrying a white woman, shall enure to the sole use of the said John McCleish, his heirs and assigns, forever, on the same conditions attached to the lands of Col. George Colbert and Maj. Levi Colbert, in this article.

ART. 6. The two contracting parties covenant and agree, that the line of the south boundary of the state of Tennessee, as described in the second article of this treaty, shall be ascertained and marked by commissioners appointed by the President of the United States; that the marks shall be bold; the trees to be blazed on both sides of the line, and the fore and aft trees marked U. S.; and that the commissioners shall be attended by two persons, to be designated by the Chickasaw nation; and the said nation shall have due and seasonable notice when said operation is to be commenced. It is further agreed by the commissioners, that all improvements actually made by individuals of the Chickesaw nation, which shall be found within the lands ceded by this treaty, that a fair and reasonable compensation shall be paid therefor, to the respective individuals having made or owned the same.

ART. 7. In consideration of the friendly and conciliatory disposition evinced during the negociation of this treaty, by the Chickesaw chiefs and warriors, but more particularly, as a manifestation of the friendship and liberality of the President of the United States, the commissioners agree to give, on the ratification of this treaty, to Chinnubby, King of the Chickesaws nation, to Teshuamingo, William M’Gilvery, Anpassantubby, Samuel Seely, James Brown, Levi Colbert, Ickaryoucuttaha, George Pettygrove, Immartarharmicco, Chickesaw chiefs, and to Malcum M’Gee, interpreter to this treaty, each, one hundred and fifty dollars, in cash; and to Major William Glover, Col. George Colbert, Hopoyeahanmmar, Immauklusharhopoyea, Tushkarhopoye, Hopoyeahaummar, jun. Immauklusharhopyea, James Colbert, Coweamartblar, Illachouwarhopoyea, military leaders, one hundred dollars each; and do further agree, that any annuity heretofore secured to the Chickesaw nation of Indians, by treaty, to be paid in goods, shall hereafter be paid in cash.

In testimony whereof the said commissioners, and undersigned chiefs and warriors, have set their hands and seals. Done at the treaty ground east of Old Town, this nineteenth day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and eighteen.

Portrait of a young Chickasaw woman.

Isaac Shelby, [L. S.]
Andrew Jackson, [L. S.]
Levi Colbert, his x mark, [L. S.]
Samuel Seely, his x mark, [L. S.]
Chinnubby, King, his x mark, [L. S.]
Teshuamingo, his x mark, [L. S.]
William McGilvery, his x mark, [L. S.]
Arpasheushtubby, his x mark, [L. S.]
James Brown, his x mark, [L. S.]
Ickaryaucuttaha, his x mark, [L. S.]
George Pettygrove, his x mark, [L. S.]
Immartaharmico, his x mark, [L. S.]
Major General William Colbert, his x mark, [L. S.]Major William Glover, his x mark, [L. S.]
Hopayahaummar, his x mark, [L. S.]
Immouklusharhopoyea, his x mark, [L. S.]
Tuskaehopoyea, his x mark, [L. S.]
Hopoyahaummar, jun. his x mark, [L. S.]
Immaaklusharhopoyea, his x mark, [L. S.]
James Colbert, [L. S.]
Cowemarthlar, his x mark, [L. S.]
Illackanwarhopoyes, his x mark, [L. S.]
Col. George Colbert, his x mark, [L. S.]

In the presence of--

Robert Butler, adjutant-general and secretary,
Th. J. Sherburne, agent for the Chickasaw nation of Indians,
Malculm McGee, interpreter, his x mark,
Martin Colbert,
J. C. Bronaugh, assistant inspector-general S. D.,
Thos. H. Shelby, of Kentucky,
R. K. Call, Captain U. S. Army,
Benjamin Smith, of Kentucky,
Richard I. Easter, A. D. Q. M. General.
Ms. B. Winchester,
W. B. Lewis.

Be sure to listen and subscribe to the Bishop's Podcast: Apostolic Bishop, at:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-apostolicbishops-podcast/id1472262392?fbclid=IwAR2FlRYnNsw5Vu_Bz4PjyEdiAxFMawhtD2BFr_S7WysrpFcYjuQYSHGAlZ

The Real Presence (Lord's Supper, Episode XI)

Referenced Texts

Mt 26:26-28 “Take, eat; this is My body....”27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks,... saying,... 28 ... this is My blood of the new covenant,..."

Jn 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you."

Cor 10 1:16 "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?"

1 Cor 10:16-17 "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 17 For we, thoughmany, are one bread and one body; for we all partake of that one bread."

1 Cor 11:28-29 "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body."

The Body and Blood of Christ Are Present in the Eucharist in a Real Manner.

When a biblical study of the Lord's Supper is executed, it soon becomes clear that both the earthly substances (bread and wine) and the heavenly elements (the body and blood of our Lord) are veritably and genuinely present at the same moment—in any true communion service.

When the Christian considers the words of Christ, spoken at the time of institution: "This is my body" and"This is my blood," it is good, also, to think on the sober words of the noble John Chrysostom:

“Let us submit to God in all things and not contradict Him, even if what He says seems contrary to our reason and intellect; rather let His words prevail over our reason and intellect. Let us act in this way with regard to the (eucharistic) mysteries, looking not only at what falls under our senses but holding on to His words. For His word cannot lead us astray. . . When the word says, `This is My Body', be convinced of it and believe it, and look at it with the eyes of the mind. . . How many now say, `I wish I could see His shape, His appearance, His garments, His sandals.' Only look! You see Him! You touch Him! You eat Him!” (John Chrysostom, Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, 82, 4, 370 A.D.)

To deny EITHER the presence of real physical bread and wine at any stage during the eucharistic event (as does the Roman doctrine of "transubstantiation," contradictory to 1 Corinthians 11:28-29; notice that Paul says, “...so let him eat of the bread;” the element of bread remains bread, even after it is blessed and while being eaten), OR the real presence of the true body and blood of Christ (as the reformed teaching does, against Matthew 26:26-27; John 6:53; and 1 Corinthians 10:16), is to deny the clear teaching of Scripture. It is not our position to reason the how of it all, only our duty to believe that it is.

In offering the physical elements to His disciples the Lord employed "locitio exhibitiva" (a linguistic function which is common to every language of man), when He names that which is not seen, while giving that which is seen: Jesus said, "This is My body" when He offered His disciples the bread, and "This is My blood"when He offered the wine. To use a modern day illustration, your grocer might say, "Here are your spices," when he literally hands you the packages that contain them. It is in this sense, then, that when offering the bread of the Eucharist, the body of Christ is indeed presented, and when offering the wine, the blood of Christ is indeed presented.

The relationship, between the earthly and heavenly, is further expressed in 1 Corinthians 10:16-17 by the Greek word "koinōnia." Koinōnia is translated:communion, fellowship, concord, intercourse, agreement, and joint participation.Koinōnia declares that the bread has a communion, fellowship, concord, intercourse, agreement, and joint participation with the body of Christ; as does the wine with the blood of Christ. It is impossible to define the mode, or manner, of communion that the earthly has with the heavenly elements. We can, however, assert that in a manner incomprehensible to us, the body and blood of the Lord ARE in a sacramental union with the physical eucharistic elements—the bread and wine; much as heat is in iron, or the divine nature is in the human being. We may call this union consubstantiation.

Trial of Martin Luther at Worms.

Consubstantiation

The doctrine of Consubstantiation holds the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist without admitting Transubstantiation. According to Consubstantiation, the substance of Christ's Body exists together with the substance of bread, and in like manner the substance of His Blood together with the substance of wine. Hence the wordConsubstantiation. Just as God the Father took to Himself a human body without in any way destroying its substance, so does Christ, in the Sacrament, assume the nature of bread and wine. Christ is in the Eucharist through His human body substantially united with the substances of bread and wine, and thus is really present as God, made bread:Deus panis factus. As, in consequence of the Incarnation, the properties of the Divine Word can be ascribed to the man Christ, and the properties of the man Christ can be predicated of the Word (communicatio idiomatum), in the very same way, in consequence of the impanation — a word coined to correspond with incarnation — an interchange of predicates takes place between the Son of God and the substance of bread, though only through the mediation of the body of Christ. The doctrine of impanation agrees with the doctrine of consubstantiation, as it was taught by Luther, in these two essential points: it denies on the one hand the Transubstantiation of bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ, and on the other professes nevertheless the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist. We, therefore, assert that the Body of Christ penetrates the unchanged substance of the bread and wine. The Apostolic Orthodox position expresses this sacramental union between the Body of Christ and the substance of bread in the well-known formula: The Body of Christ is "in, with and under the bread" —in, cum et sub pane;really present, though only at the moment of its reception by the faithful — in usu, non extra usum.

Lastly, the concept of consubstantiation is appropriate for the Eucharist, which makes Jesus present to us in a physical way. I say this because the Eucharist becomes a powerful teacher of the incarnation. In the incarnation, the Heavenly person of the Father was manifested in His earthly Son, Jesus. In the eucharistic elements, the now heavenly person of Christ, is manifested in the earthly elements of bread and wine.

Apostolically Speaking

☩ David Ignatius

Own this book on the Lord's Supper by Bishop Hayes.

The Lord's Supper: An Apostolic Bishop Cuts Through Reform Theology and Lays Bare Biblical Teaching Concerning the Lord's Supper (First Corinthians Eleven)

In "The Lord's Supper" Bishop Hayes presents a comprehensive study of the holy Sacrament. Both the Catholic and Reformed positions are examined and biblical solutions are given for the problems that exist in the mentioned theologies. The book answers important questions, like: "What is the Lord's supper?" Who may partake of the Lord's supper?" "Is the body and blood of Christ really present in the elements or do the elements actually change into the body and blood of Christ?" "How often should the Lord's Supper be observed?" These are but a few of the questions addressed in the book. Having shopped in several Bible bookstores and discovering how little is written on the subject it is safe to predict that this work will be in great demand and a standard volume in the libraries of those who love the Sacrament.

Amazon Price: $15.99

Read more from Bishop Jerry on the holy Communion.

• What Is the Lord's Supper, Episode II
  In this writing the author gives a brief description of the different terms used by Christians to describe and identify the sacramental meal Christ instituted the night before His death.
• Breaking Bread (The Lord's Supper, Episode III)
  This writing establishes the biblical phrase "Breaking Bread" as a discriptive name for the Lord's Supper.
• The Christian Altar (The Lord's Supper, Episode IV)
  As one searches the New Testament for a reference to the Christian altar, it comes as a shock to evangelicals that the Lord's Table is the only New Covenant altar mentioned. Here, we declare it so.
• Who May Partake of Holy Communion? (The Lord's Supper, Episode V)
  The question of "Who may Partake of holy Communion" is explained by this writing. Some churches practice "open communion", while others practice "closed Communion." Which is biblical?
• Is The Lord's Supper Salvific? (The Lord's Supper, Episode VI)
  This article reviews the question; Is partaking in holy Communion necessary for salvation?
• How Often Should the Lord’s Supper be Observed? (Episode VII)
  With the many different practices of Eucharistic observance in Christianity it may be a challenge to know what the biblical frequency is; this article seeks to present the biblical view.
• Who May Administer the Lord's Supper (Lord's Supper, Episode VIII)
  There is a message being sent from non-denominational type churches that just anyone may officiate at the Lord's table. Counter to this is the question of the imperfect minister. What says the Bible?
• The True Elements (Lord's Supper, Episode IX)
  This article covers the question as to the nature of the biblical elements of the Lord's Supper. Christians are divided over leavened or unleavened bread; fermented or unfermented fruit of the vine.
• Are Symbols Important to God (A Study in the Lord's Supper, Episode X)
  In this study we examine the importance of biblical symbols, especially in relation to the holy Communion.

Be sure to listen and subscribe to the Bishop's Podcast: Apostolic Bishop, at:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-apostolicbishops-podcast/id1472262392?fbclid=IwAR2FlRYnNsw5Vu_Bz4PjyEdiAxFMawhtD2BFr_S7WysrpFcYjuQYSHGAlZ

What Is the Lord's Supper, Episode II

What the Ordinance Means

The Lord of Heaven came down to us, because we could not go up to Him. By coming down He

Order the book today.

provided full salvation. Because all have sinned, all were legally bound by the sin debt. He paid our ransom; not in part, but in full. His blood settled the debt of sin. Water baptism in His name sanctifies the body and prepares it for the rapture and resurrection;¹ the baptism of His Spirit sanctifies the soul and empowers it to resurrect and/or rapture the body.² And in the interim between the new birth³ and the harpodzo (catching away⁴), between the departing Egypt and the crossing Jordan into the Promised Land, there is the journey: enter the Lord’s Supper, typed in the Old Testament by the Israelites’ manna from heaven and water from the Rock.⁵ Just as the manna and water (from the Rock) gave sustenance to the people of God, so too, does the body and blood of Christ, present in the Eucharist, give sustaining life to Christians in their journey to God’s abode.⁶

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.” (Matthew 26:26-28)

The “Lord’s Supper” as a Christian ordinance, then, is that holy act of worship where the Christian

 See ordering instructions below.

observes a ritual meal that gives sustenance to the soul, and maintains fellowship with the death of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 11:26⁷). In addition to the two functions just mentioned, there is one other very import purpose to the Supper: It is the cohesiveness of the Christian community. Paul wrote, “For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.” Further, although this sacrament is usually referred to as the “Lord’s Supper,” in the beginning the disciples simply called it “Breaking Bread.” (An entire chapter will be devoted to this title of the Sacrament; so, we will not comment on it here any further.) This meal, also, carries other tiles, some of which are: the Eucharist, the Communion (to which one often hears the word “Holy” attached, such as: “Holy Communion”), the Sacrament, and even the Covenant Meal.

To help us understand many of the unique characteristics of the Lord’s Supper, it would be good to examine each biblical title of the ordinance. Each title encodes a particular attribute or attributes of the sacrament. A proper place to begin would be the phrase Eucharist. (Since Lord’s Supper is the most common title among us, we will examine it last.)

Eucharist: We sometimes call it the Eucharist because the word itself means “to give thanks.” This word is found in the Greek New Testament at Luke 22:17-19 (euchariste: “having given thanks”). Although the term “eucharist’ is used more in the Roman Catholic community than among other Christian groups, it is a very biblical term. One may not think so, because the word is not found in English Bibles. But, “eucharist,” which means to give thanks, is taken from Luke 22:17-19;⁸ where that Gospel records Jesus’ act of giving thanks each time He offered the elements—both the bread and the wine. Concerning the cup, only after He eucharistesas (had given thanks) did He say: “Take this, and share it among yourselves...This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.” (NASB). Concerning the bread, likewise, it was only after He eucharistesas (had given thanks) did He say: “This is my body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of me” (NASB). The point is taken: Up to the eucharistic blessing, the bread and wine were ordinary, but after the blessing they were ordinary no longer.

Communion: More frequently, however, the Supper is referred to as the Communion because the word appears in 1 Corinthians 10:16, which states: “the cup which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ. The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?” The New Testament Greek word for communion in 1 Corinthians 10:16 is koinōnia.⁹Koinōnia has a rich meaning of: fellowship, intercourse, concord, unity, agreement, communication, and joint participation. The term is appropriate for the Lord’s Supper in that the Supper’s main function is to enable believers to have fellowship, intercourse, concord, unity, agreement, communication, and joint participation with the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Koinōnia with the body and blood of Jesus. Give it some thought.

• Fellowship: companionship, to be in the company of; community of interest, and experience; the state of being a fellow, or associate in His broken flesh and shed blood.

• Intercourse: from the French intercurrere: to run between; a connection, or dealings in the sense of exchange with the broken flesh and shed blood of Jesus.
• Concord: a state of harmonious agreement between one’s self and the broken body and shed blood of Jesus
• Unity: not divided from, but one with the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus.
• Agreement: having a harmony of opinion, action and character with the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.
• Communication: the act or instance of transmitting (information, identity) with the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.

• Joint Participation: to have identity with the elements, sharing or acting in common with the broken body and shed blood of Jesus.

The Sacrament: Different communities of Christians recognize a various number of sacraments. Most Protestant groups hold to only two: Water Baptism and the Lord’s Supper. The Catholic and Orthodox communities observe seven: baptism (Christening), Confirmation (Chrismation), Holy Eucharist, Penance (Confession), anointing the Sick  (known prior to the Second Vatican Council as Extreme Unction [or more literally from Latin: Last Anointing], then seen as part of the "Last Rites"), Holy Orders. and  Matrimony (Marriage). Our comments here will be confined to the Lord’s Supper as that mystery is referenced as the Sacrament.

The Catholic Church defines the sacraments as "efficacious signs of grace, instituted by Christ and entrusted to the Church, by which divine life is dispensed to us. The visible rites by which the sacraments are celebrated signify and make present the graces proper to each sacrament. They bear fruit in those who receive them with the required dispositions." (catechism of the catholic Church, 1131)

 The Eastern Orthodox tradition does not limit the number of sacraments to seven, holding that anything the Church does as Church is in some sense sacramental. Despite this broad view, Orthodox divines do write about there being seven "principal" mysteries. On a specific level, while not systematically limiting the mysteries to seven, the most profound Mystery is the Eucharist or Synaxis, in which the partakers, by participation in the liturgy and receiving the consecrated bread and wine (understood to have become the body and blood of Christ) directly communicate with God. This differs from the Catholic view of transubstantiation in that the Orthodox don't claim to understand how exactly this happens, but merely state "This appears in the form of bread and wine, but God has told me it is His Body and Blood. I will take what He says as a 'mystery' and not attempt to rationalize it to my limited mind." 

Anglican: Article of Religion, XXV, "Sacraments ordained of Christ be not only badges or tokens of Christian men's profession, but rather they be certain sure witnesses, and effectual signs of grace, and God's good will towards us, by the which he doth work invisibly in us, and doth not only quicken, but also strengthen and confirm our Faith in him. There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord. Those five commonly called Sacraments, that is to say, Confirmation, Penance, Orders, Matrimony, and Extreme Unction, are not to be counted for Sacraments of the Gospel, being such as have grown partly of the corrupt following of the Apostles, partly are states of life allowed in the Scriptures, but yet have not like nature of Sacraments with Baptism, and the Lord's Supper, for that they have not any visible sign or ceremony ordained of God. The Sacraments were not ordained of Christ to be gazed upon, or to be carried about, but that we should duly use them. And in such only as worthily receive the same, they have a wholesome effect or operation: but they that receive them unworthily, purchase to themselves damnation, as Saint Paul saith."

 Lutherans hold that sacraments are sacred acts of divine institution. Whenever they are properly administered by the use of the physical component commanded by God along with the divine words of institution, God is, in a way specific to each sacrament, present with the Word and physical component. He earnestly offers to all who receive the sacrament forgiveness of sins and eternal salvation. He also works in the recipients to get them to accept these blessings and to increase the assurance of their possession. Lutherans do not dogmatically define the exact number of sacraments. In line with Luther's initial statement in his Large Catechism some Lutherans speak of only two sacraments, Baptism and the Eucharist. Luther himself defined a sacrament as thus: "si sacramenta vocamus ceremonias, quas Christus obseruari præcepit, et quibus addidit promissionem gratiæ." Rites which: have the command of God, and to which the Gospel promise (that is, promise of grace) has been added. (Melanchthon, Philipp. Apologia Confessionis Augustanae, Article XIII. Wittenberg, 1531. Line 3.)

It would be proper to introduce the word sacrament and what it entails. First, it should be pointed out that the word is not a biblical one, and for that reason is not used by some Christian communities which want to Call Bible things by Bible Names. Instead of sacrament the Eastern Orthodox use the word mystery, since that word is biblical. The eastern churches like the term “mystery” while the western churches favor “sacrament.” So, here we come to the source of the term “sacrament.”

The term coming into English from 1150–1200; is the Latin sacrāmentum which means obligation, oath. Equivalent to Latin sacrā ( re ) to devote + -mentum -ment- The sacramentum militare (also as militum or militiae) was the oath taken by soldiers in pledging their loyalty to the consul in the Republican era   or later to the emperor. The sacramentum as pertaining to both the law and the military indicates the religious basis for these institutions. (The western Church borrowed sacramentum from the Latins.)

The sacramentum that rendered the Roman soldier sacer (sacred) helps explain why he was subjected to harsher penalties, such as execution and corporal punishment, that were considered inappropriate for civilian citizens, at least under the Republic. In effect, he had put his life on deposit, a condition also of the fearsome sacramentum sworn by gladiators . In the rare case of punishment by decimation¹⁰ the surviving legionaries   were often required to renew their oath, affirming the role of state religio¹¹ as the foundation of Roman military discipline . By the 3rd century the sacramentum was administered annually, on 3 January, as attested by the calendar of state ritual discovered at Dura-Europos  , the so-called Feriale Duranum ¹² which dates to the reign of Severus Alexander   (222-235 CE). In the later empire, the oath of loyalty created conflict for Christians serving in the military, and produced a number of soldier-martyrs. Tertullian condemned any Christian soldier's willingness to swear the sacramentum, "since baptism was the only sacrament a Christian should observe."¹³

By the end of third century, Latin had overtaken Greek as the language of common people in the western half of the Roman Empire. Western clergy preached in Latin, western theologians wrote in Latin, and western scholars translated the Bible into Latin. Western Christians heard the sermons, read the writings, and studied the Bible in Latin. The word μυστηριον (mystērion - mystery) was a problem. There was no Latin word that corresponded to it. They could have transliterated the Greek word into Latin as mysterium, and they often did that, but that did not solve the problem so much as avoid it, because most Latin-speaking people still had no idea what it meant. So western Christian scholars used the word sacramentum to translate μυστηριον. These scholars included Tertullian, who was one of the earliest Latin theologians, and Jerome, who translated the Bible into Latin about a hundred years later.

Just as the Roman soldier’s life was put on deposit in the sacramentum, so, too, is the life of the Christian placed on deposit with Christ—the Captain of the Host of Heaven. The Christian’s sacra is made at baptism and is renewed at the Lord’s Table each time one observes the Sacrament.

Covenant Meal: In addition, this meal is called the Covenant Meal since it memorializes the New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-29), just as the Passover memorialized the Old (Exodus 12). Biblically, the word covenant always implied a blood contract. The Old Testament word berth¹⁴ is translated “will,” “covenant,” and “testament;” it comes from the word translated “to cut.” Berith’s corresponding word from the New Testament Greek is diatheekee,¹⁵ which means to fetter (bind) by cutting. It is mentioned 300 times in Scripture. Upon the cutting of a blood covenant, it was customary for the contracting parties to set up a memorial and share a meal together to memorialize the agreement. There is an example of this found in Genesis 31:44-48.¹⁶ Here, in the cutting of the covenant between Jacob and Laban, the piling of stones to make a heap, and the eating together on that heap all speak to the covenant made by Christ on the summit of Mount Calvary.

An even clearer picture of the New Covenant, established by Christ, is given in Abraham’s meeting with Melchizedek in the Valley of Sheveh (Genesis 14:17-20). Here Melchizedek presents Abraham with a meal of bread and wine. Melchizedek was a facsimile of Christ (Hebrews 7:3¹⁷) who also served the same covenant meal of bread and wine (Matthew 26:26-28). Both Melchizedek and Christ served a memorial meal to a covenant BEFORE the covenant was actually made. Melchizedek’s bread and wine was to commemorate the cutting of the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 15:1-17:10); the bread and wine served by Jesus commemorated the Redemption Covenant made at the Cross. A beautiful truth is seen here: Men establish memorials to events only after the events take place—only God (Who knows the end from the beginning and calls those things that be not as though they were) can establish a memorial before the memorialized event. The “Covenant Meal” is a proper name for the ordinance, because Jesus instructs His disciples to repetitiously perform the meal in remembrance of Him; then Paul instructs the Church to continue the observance until Christ returns to the earth (1 Corinthians 11:26¹⁸).

                                         

The LORD's Supper

Lord’s Supper: Finally, this ordinance is identified as the Lord’s Supper since the Lord Jesus is the provider of the provisions: “this is my body… This is my blood.” We are to be humble guest at His table (1 Corinthians 10:21¹⁹). It is none of our preparation, for He alone is the Author and Finisher of the Faith (Hebrews 12:2²⁰).

It is Jesus, Himself, Who made the comparison between His body and the manna of the Old Testament. From John 6:48-51 we read:

“I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

Wonder of wonders, that the One who created all things, visible and invisible, stepped into our world through a woman’s womb. “He who is Almighty became a suckling baby. He who is all wise took on the dumbness of a newborn. He whom the heavens cannot contain was enclosed in a woman’s womb. He who is infinite became a microscopic cell. He who is the Creator became a creature. He who is light was entombed for nine months in warm darkness. Can there be a greater mystery? Praise be to God for the gift of His Son!”²¹ “Angels watched as Mary changed God’s diaper. The universe watched with wonder as the Almighty learned to walk”²²

From Glory to gory He came. From the regal throne to bloody straw; from the rich garments of the King of kings to a peasant's gown. He left the royal scepter in heaven and grasped the murderous nails of mankind. When He stepped into our world it was in a place called Bethlehem, which name means House of Bread. O beloved, see the wonder; The Bread from Heaven (John 6:48-51²⁴) came to the House of Bread. But, wait, the wonder does not end there—He was laid in a manger, a feed trough, to show that He was to be food for the world. How fitting, then, for Him to offer His disciples His flesh to eat and His blood to drink. How desirable, then, is His food and drink to our souls. We can all concur with Ignatius of old when he wrote, “I desire the bread of God, the heavenly bread, the bread of life- which is the flesh of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. ... And I desire the drink of God, namely His blood, which is incorruptible love and eternal life.”

Jesus is our Pelican of the Wilderness,²⁵ that in the time of drought would pull flesh from its own breast to feed its young and would open a blood vessel under its wing from which its young drank.²⁶ What Christian can not say, “He found me in a waste howling wilderness and He kept me as the apple of His eye.”²⁷

Jesus said, “...My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.”²⁸

Apostolically Speaking

☩ Jerry L Hayes

Be sure to listen and subscribe to the Bishop's Podcast: Apostolic Bishop, at:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-apostolicbishops-podcast/id1472262392?fbclid=IwAR2FlRYnNsw5Vu_Bz4PjyEdiAxFMawhtD2BFr_S7WysrpFcYjuQYSHGAlZ

To support this ministry with a donation of any amount, click here:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4EXSWA2A47ARC

Footnotes

¹Vine’s Dictionary of the Bible states: “The phrase - baptizing them ‘into’ the name (Acts 8:16; Matthew 29:19) would indicate that the baptized person was closely bound to, or became the property of the one into whose name he was baptized.” See Acts 22:16 where the INVOKED name of Jesus is required for the removal of one’s sins.

² Ro 8:11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

³ Jn 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

⁴ 1 Th 4:17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.

⁵ 1 Cor 10:1-4 Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.

⁶ Jn 6:53 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. ..” The “life” Jesus speaks of here is Zoe (St’s #G2222), sustaining life; as opposed to pneuma (St’s #G4151) or psychee (St’s #G5590) which is life acquired at birth.

⁷ 1 Cor 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

⁸ Luke 22:17-19 kai dezdamenos poteepiov eucharisteesas eipen, dabete touto kai diamerisate eis eautous 18 leyo gap humin [hoti] ou mee piw apo tou nun apo tou geneematos tees ampelou hews hou hee basileia tou Theou elthee. 19 kai labwn apton eucharisteesas eklasen kai edwken autois legwn, Touto estin to swma mou to huter humwn did omenon: touto poieite eis teen emeen anamneesin.

⁹ 1 Cor 10:16 to pothrion tees eulogia ho eulogoumen ouci koinōnia tou aimatos tou Cristou estin ton arton on klwmen ouci koinōnia tou swmatos tou Cristou estin;
See Strong’s #NT2842, and Joseph Henry Thayer’s Greek-english Lexicon of the New Testament.

¹⁰ Means, tenth; when one tenth of a company of soldiers were killed as punishment for the whole.

¹¹ religion.

¹² The Feriale Duranum is a calendar of religious observances  for a Roman military garrison at  Dura-Europos  on the Euphrates.  Roman Syria, under the reign of Severus Alexander  (224–235 AD). The small papyrus  roll was discovered among the documents of an auxiliary cohort   the Cohors XX Palmyrenorum (Twentieth Cohort of Palmyrenes ), in the Temple of Azzanathkona.  The calendar, written in Latin  , is arranged in four columns, with some gaps. It offers important evidence for the religious life of the Roman military and the role of  Imperial cult  in promoting loyalty to the Roman emperor,  and for the coexistence of Roman state religion and local religious traditions.

¹³ Tertullian (155-220), from North Africa, first used the Latin word sacramentum ("a sacred oath" – the oath of allegiance required of Roman soldiers) to translate mysterion. For Tertullian, sacramentum referred to: the mystery of God's salvation, the church rites associated with salvation, important as signs of Christian commitment & loyalty.

¹⁴ Strong’s #H1285

¹⁵ Strong’s #G1242

¹⁶ Ge 31:44-48 And Laban answered and said to Jacob, “These daughters are my daughters, and these children are my children, and this flock is my flock; all that you see is mine. But what can I do this day to these my daughters or to their children whom they have borne? 44 Now therefore, come, let us make a covenant, you and I, and let it be a witness between you and me.”45 So Jacob took a stone and set it up as a pillar. 46 Then Jacob said to his brethren, “Gather stones.” And they took stones and made a heap, and they ate there on the heap. 47 Laban called it Jegar Sahadutha, but Jacob called it Galeed. 48 And Laban said, “This heap is a witness between you and me this day.” Therefore its name was called Galeed,

¹⁷ He 7:1-3 For this Melchizedek, king of Salem, priest of the Most High God, who met Abraham returning from the slaughter of the kings and blessed him, 2 to whom also Abraham gave a tenth part of all, first being translated “king of righteousness,” and then also king of Salem, meaning “king of peace,” 3 without father, without mother, without genealogy, having neither beginning of days nor end of life, but made like the Son of God, remains a priest continually.

¹⁸ 1 Cor 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

¹⁹ 1 Cor 10:21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons.

²⁰ He 12:2 ... looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

²¹ Dr. David Reagan, Lamb and Lion Ministries, Lamplighter magazine, Nov/Dec 2010, “The Mystery of the Incarnation.”

²² Max Lucado, “God Came Near”.

²³ Strong’s #H1035

²⁴ Jn 6:48-51 I am the bread of life. 49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. 50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. 51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”

²⁵ Ps 102:6 “I am like a pelican of the wilderness;”

²⁶ The symbolism of the mother pelican feeding her little baby pelicans is rooted in ancient Christianity. The legend was that in time of famine, the mother pelican wounded herself, striking her breast with the beak to feed her young with her blood to prevent starvation. The pelican symbolizes Jesus our Redeemer who gave His life for our redemption and the atonement He made through His passion and death. We were dead to sin and have found new life through the Blood of Christ. Moreover, Jesus continues to feed us with His body and blood in the holy Eucharist.

²⁷ De 32:10 “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.”

²⁸ Jn 6:55 For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed.

Own the book: "The Lord's Supper" by Bishop Hayes

Copy and paste the URL below, to order from Amazon

http://www.amazon.com/Lords-Supper-Apostolic-Concerning-Corinthians/dp/148254380X/ref=sr_sp-atf_image_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1395300314&sr=1-1&keywords=the+lord%27s+supper%2C+hayes

Read More From the Bishop On the Lord's Supper

• Breaking Bread (The Lord's Supper, Episode III)
  This writing establishes the biblical phrase "Breaking Bread" as a descriptive name for the Lord's Supper.
• The Christian Altar (Lord's Supper, Episode IV)
  As one searches the New Testament for a reference to the Christian altar, it comes as a shock to evangelicals that the Lord's Table is the only New Covenant altar mentioned. Here, we declare it so.
• The Lord's Supper (From the Beginning)
  This article is the introduction to a series on the Lord's Supper. Jesus instituted this covenant meal and commanded its observance. Here we review the teachings of those whom the apostles taught.

Donate If the written word of Bishop Jerry has blessed you send him encouragement by investing in this great work today.

Click on this link to donate any amount. Even one dollar helps: 
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=4EXSWA2A47ARC