Recently, I started a trail of thought on Calvin and Paedocommunion, here:
“Finally Discussion Paedocommunion for Real”
And followed it up with a long quotation from Calvin directly upon giving communion to children, here:
“One of the Most Un-Well Reasoned Things Calvin Ever Said”
In that clipping from Calvin’s Institutes, a section that I posted in full in the last post against Paedocommunion, Calvin himself summarizes his reasons for rejecting paedocommunion, and then he elaborates. Surrounding this main list of reasons he also includes an extra reason beforehand and afterward. The reasons in the middle group all make reference to the Lord’s Supper section of 1 Corinthians 11.
Here I want to show the summary Calvin gives, and then I want to break it into sections and unite each reason with the elaboration from his next paragraph; in other words, where Calvin writes:
- Reasons A, B, C, D, E, F
- Then: Explanation A… Explanation B… Explanation C… and so on
For the sake of grouping information, I want to use this post to rearrange it as:
- Reason A, Explanation A…
- Reason B, Explanation B…
- et cetera.
CALVIN’S SUMMARY: First, here I will repeat the summary section from Calvin’s text for reference. Right after I will split up that summary and regroup each part with the later explanatory words.”
“This distinction is very clearly shown in scripture. For with respect to baptism, the Lord there sets no definite age. But he does not similarly hold forth the Supper for all to partake of, but only for those who are capable of discerning the body and blood of the Lord, of examining their own conscience, of proclaiming the Lord’s death, and of considering its power.”
His points shape up this way:
A – ABILITY TO EAT
“On the other hand, the Supper is given to older persons who, having passed tender infancy, can now take solid food.” [This is preface to the summary and has not further explanation].
B – ABILITY TO DISCERN THE BODY
…those who are capable of discerning the body and blood of the Lord… Again: “He who eats unworthily eats and drinks condemnation for himself, not discerning the body of the Lord” [I Cor 11.29]. If only those who know how to distinguish rightly the holiness of Christ’s body are able to participate worthily, why should we offer poison instead of life-giving food to our tender children?
C – ABILITY TO SELF-EXAMINE
…those who are capable of…examining their own conscience… Do we wish anything plainer than the apostle’s teaching when he exhorts each man to prove and search himself, then to eat of this bread and drink of this cup [1 Cor 11:28]? A self-examination ought, therefore, to come first, and it is vain to expect this of infants.
D – ABILITY TO PROCLAIM THE LORD’S DEATH
…those who are capable…of proclaiming the Lord’s death… What is that other command which the apostle derives from it? “As often as you eat this bread, you will proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes” [I Cor 11:26]?
E – ABILITY TO “REMEMBER” or CONSIDER
those who are capable of…considering its power. …What is the command of the Lord: “Do this in remembrance of me” [Luke 22:19; 1 Cor. 11:25]? What remembrance of this thing, I ask, shall we require of infants when they have never grasped it? What preaching of the cross of Christ, the force and benefit of which their minds have not yet comprehended?
F – ABILITY TO INQUIRE INTO THE MEANING
None of these things is prescribed in Baptism. Accordingly there is a very great difference between these two signs, as we have noted in like signs also under the Old Testament. Circumcision, which is known to correspond to our baptism, had been appointed for infants [Gen 17.12]. But Passover, the place of which has been taken by the Supper, did not admit all guests indiscriminately, but was duly eaten only by those who were old enough to be able to inquire into its meaning [Ex 12:26]. If these men had a particle of sound brain left, would they be blind to a thing so clear and obvious?
—-
So, according to Calvin, we the baptized may not commune until we are old enough to be able to:
EAT, DISCERN, SELF-EXAMINE, PROCLAIM, REMEMBER, INQUIRE
Please note. I am not arguing anything in this post. I believe I have just broken the text into sections agreeable to all for reference. More is to follow very soon.
Thanks!<>
