The Lord's Supper in the Theology of Martin Chemnitz Bjarne - Logia

0 | The Lord’s Supper
and the cup in the Supper, then at the same time faith, on the basis of the
Word, recognizes that we also truly receive the body and blood of Christ
which are present on the table.” (LS 155 f; emphasis added).
251 There can be no doubt that Chemnitz is certain that he can repeat
as Biblical truth what the Early Fathers had here said because he believes,
teaches, and confesses that after the consecration the body and
blood of Christ are present in sacramental union with the bread and
the wine. Since there unfortunately were those going under the name
of Lutherans at Chemnitz’s time who did not accept the doctrine of
consecration, Chemnitz wants to make the matter very clear that on
the basis of Christ’s own words one can and must fix the point within
the sacramental usus when the presence of Christ’s body and blood
begins. Therefore Chemnitz writes:
Thus the other Fathers hold that before the consecration there is
only one substance there, namely, the bread and the wine. But when
the Word and institution of Christ comes to these elements then not only
one substance is present as before, but at the same time also the very
body and blood of Christ, as Ambrose says, De Sacramentiis, Bk. 4, chs.
4 and 5: “This bread is bread before the words of the Sacrament. But
when the words of Christ come to it, it is the body of Christ.” Again:
“Before the words of Christ it is a cup full of wine and water. When the
words of Christ become operative, the blood which has redeemed the
people is caused to be there” (LS 156; emphasis added).
252 In his final chapter of The Lord’s Supper (“Concerning the Arguments
of the Adversaries”), Chemnitz gives several quotations from
the ancients to confess with them the doctrine that the consecration
achieves the presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ and that
we know this from Scripture and should not confess any doubt as
to what effects the Real Presence in the Supper and when it begins.
Here is some of his evidence, the cumulative effect of which is quite
overwhelming:
Likewise the ancients assert that not only the bread and the wine but
also the very body and blood of Christ are present on that sacred table
and are received orally by those who partake . . . . The Nicene Canon says
that on the altar the Lamb of God is present . . . . Augustine,“From the
table is taken the body of the Lord.” . . . Chrysostom,“On the altar that
body is present which the wisemen worshiped in the manger.” . . . Cyril,
“We should not tremble at the flesh and blood which have been placed
on the holy altar, when God condescends to our weaknesses and fills us
with power which is given unto life.” (LS 250 f.).