Questions concerning the Last Supper
A short answer to questions asked concerning the view of Elim Ministries on the Last Supper
l. Who is allowed to conduct the service and why?
In the evening prior to the death of the Messiah the service was conducted by Yahshua Messiah Himself. One needs to understand that the primary nature of the service and reason for the disciples coming together on that particular night was that it was the annual feast of Passover (Pesach). Yahshua “conducted” the service because He was recognized as the Master and Leader of the group of disciples. The normal procedure on the night of Pesach, which would normally coincide with the beginning of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, was that the leader (father) of each household would take the lead in the proceedings. This is how it should be up to this day. When believers get together during this evening (i.e. more than one family meeting together in one place), the person considered to be the leader or the elder should take the lead (irrespective of title or status). If the gathering of people includes men, Scriptures do not allow for a woman to take the lead. When a family gathers on its own for Pesach (because, for some reason or other, they may not be able to attend the gathering of the believers), the leader of the family (usually the father / husband) should conduct the service.
2. Order of the service
We do not cling to a specific order for this service simply because Scriptures do not prescribe such an order. Our main concern is to incorporate all the elements included in both the Old Testament and New Testament accounts of the Pesach meal (like unleavened bread, bitter herbs, wine or grape juice, a reference to the new covenant, highlighting the fact that the wine and the unleavened bread are symbols of the blood and the body of Yahshua the Messiah, and a foot washing ceremony).
3. What emphasis does your group place on the meal?
Our emphasis is both on the significance of Pesach as a feast of deliverance from the bondage of spiritual Egypt, as well as a feast of the firstborn. Not only were the firstborn of Israel saved on this day (as a shadow of us being saved through the death of Yahweh’s firstborn Son, Yahshua) but a few days after Pesach (Lev 23:10,11) the first fruits of the harvest were “waved” as a shadow of the Messiah being the first fruit of those who would arise from the dead (1 Cor 15:20). The elements of this meal, especially the wine and unleavened bread, reminds us of the fact that it is only through Yahshua that we, as “outsiders” (“aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise” - Eph 2:12) may be included in the “new covenant”. The fact that this covenant is “new” does not mean that Yahweh has lowered his standards or changed his requirements - it only means that the Messiah has opened the door for us to enter (because He died for our sins, which means our transgression of the law, and through our faith in Him, comes to live in us in order to enable us to become obedient to the words of Yahweh).
4. When (what day of the week) and how often is the Lord's supper held? (weekly, monthly, never) and why?
Once a year, on the appropriate day (not a certain day of the week, but in the evening of the 14 th day of the Biblical month of Abib), as commanded in Scriptures (Exod 12; Exod 23; Exod 34; Lev 23; Num 28; Deut 16; Josh 5; 2 Chron 8; 2 Chron 35; Ezr 6; Ezek 45; Matt 26; Mark 14; Luk 22; etc). When Yahshua said “... as often as you drink this cup ...” (1 Cor 11), He did not say it should be taken more often than was already established in the Word of Yahweh.
5. Who may partake? Is anyone excluded and why?
All the true believers in Yahshua, together with their children.
6. Name of your church and Affiliation (if any)?
Elim Ministries, Fish Hoek. We are not a “church” - only an “ecclesia” (that is: a fellowship of people “called out” of the world to be followers of the Messiah). We are not