Making a Meal of It: Rethinking the Theology of the Lord's Supper

by Ben Witherington III

Overview

Making a Meal of It explores the background and implication of the Lord's Supper. Delving into its historical and Scriptural origins, Witherington argues that the Lord's Supper is a sacramental celebration of the community of God, designed to incorporate people of varying backgrounds. Excavating the diverse ways in which Scripture and early Christian tradition speak about the Lord's Supper, Witherington advocates that the meal is primarily about who the people of God are and how they should thus live together.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781602581906
Publisher:	Baylor University Press
Publication date:	11/01/2007
Pages:	172
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.60(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

Ben Witherington III is Professor of New Testament for Doctoral Studies, Asbury Theological Seminary. His publications include Troubled Waters: Rethinking the Theology of Baptism (2007), The Living Word of God: Rethinking the Theology of the Bible (2007), What's in the Word: Rethinking the Socio-Rhetorical Character of the New Testament (2009), and The Problem with Evangelical Theology: Testing the Exegetical Foundations of Calvinism, Dispensationalism, Wesleyanism, and Pentecostalism, Revised and Expanded Edition (2015).

Table of Contents

Preface

1. Passed Over, Past Due

2. From the Essenes to Jesus

3. The Table of the Entitled and the Table of the Lord: Eating and Drinking in Corinth

4. The Long Farewell: The Feast in John 13—17

5. Missing Supper: The Eucharist in Early Christianity

6. Second Century Sacraments

7. When the Meal became the Mass

8. Mystery of the Meal

Notes

What People are Saying About This

In Making a Meal of It, Ben Witherington provides a competent guide to the numerous complexities surrounding the Lord's Supper, one that, in the end, helps the reader to understand this central Christian ceremony as something much more than either magic or mere symbolism. From socio-cultural background information to incisive exegetical observations, from careful historical survey to very practical application; this book will benefit anyone who desires to better understand—and more fully experience—the true kingdom mystery of the Lord's Supper.

Paul Rhodes Eddy

In Making a Meal of It, Ben Witherington provides a competent guide to the numerous complexities surrounding the Lord's Supper, one that, in the end, helps the reader to understand this central Christian ceremony as something much more than either magic or mere symbolism. From socio-cultural background information to incisive exegetical observations, from careful historical survey to very practical application; this book will benefit anyone who desires to better understand—and more fully experience—the true kingdom mystery of the Lord's Supper.

E. Arnold

Witherington provides compelling answers to many of the crucial issues.

Editorial Reviews

In sum, this volume is an excellent model of how scholars can serve the church by applying multiple disciplines to important issues in the church and making the results available in an accessible manner

Bulletin for Biblical Research - Matthew S. Harmon

Witherington provides compelling answers to many of the crucial issues.

- E. Arnold, Professor and Chairman, Department of New Testament, Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

From the Publisher