The Supper: New Creation, Hospitality, and Hope in Christ - Hardcover

by Ronald P. Hesselgrave (Author)

The Lord's Supper (or Eucharist) has often been a subject of intense debate in the church. What is often lost in this debate is the significance of the relationship of the Eucharist to Jesus' Last Supper with his disciples, which was a Passover--or Passover-like--meal. Moreover, the Last Supper connects back to various meals in Jesus' earthly ministry. And it looks forward to the great messianic banquet as fulfillment of Jewish expectations. In exploring these connections, this book focuses on the three motifs of "new creation," "hospitality," and "hope" in Christ. Most significantly, when we break the bread and drink the wine (or juice) together we are asserting the reality of the new creation in Christ, affirming God's grace, forgiveness, and cruciform love which is to be embodied in the Christian community, and anticipating the day when God's present and ongoing work of restoration, justice, and reconciliation will ultimately prevail. The Supper, then, is basically a condensed summary of the story of God's plan of redemption. Hesselgrave brings together biblical, theological, ethical, and social insights in a way that deepens our understanding of the meaning and practical significance of biblical texts related to this central ordinance of the church.

Author Biography

Ronald P. Hesselgrave (MDiv, PhD) is a retired missionary and educator. He has taught at Trinity International University (Deerfield, Illinois), Alliance Theological Seminary and Nyack College (Nyack, New York), and Rutgers University. Prior to retirement, he served for seventeen years as a home-based missionary, most recently as an education/resources coordinator and member of the Marginal Mission Network of EFCA ReachGlobal/Europe. He has authored four other books in the areas of Christian theology, ethics, and mission.