One pillar of Lutheran hermeneutics, having to do with the Real Presence in the Lord's Supper, is "is means is". When Jesus said, "This is my body... this is my blood..." we take him at his word. The bread is literally the body of Christ. The wine is literally the blood of Christ.
But a question I've had about this has to do with how far we go with this. I'm thinking specifically of 1 John 4:8-- Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.
There it is-- God is love.
Does the hermeneutic "is means is" apply here? If not, why not, and what is John talking about here? But if so, can we say "love is God"?
Also, look at verse 16b-- God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
Whoever abides in love abides in God.
Hmmm...
Douglas Hoag
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Pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church, New Lenox, Illinois.
I'm married with two children.
My MBTI type is E/INFP, in case that means anything to you.
My prayer: Lord, help me finish everything I sta
Most importantly, I believe that the reality and personage of God was uniquely and fully realized in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. No one else comes close.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for the seizures and/or convulsions you may experience while reading this blog.
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I'm married with two children.
My MBTI type is E/INFP, in case that means anything to you.
My prayer: Lord, help me finish everything I sta
Most importantly, I believe that the reality and personage of God was uniquely and fully realized in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. No one else comes close.
Disclaimer: I am in no way responsible for the seizures and/or convulsions you may experience while reading this blog.
Doug Hoag's Profile
Create Your Badge
2 comments:
I guess we could say that God is in, with and under love just as Jesus is in, with and under the bread and the wine. The one problem that comes to mind is that love is not always as obvious as bread and wine. God and love are definitely connected though, because you don't have love without God.
If we use a little algebra we might even be able to say that in the Lord's Supper we receive Love.
Ross
A great way of looking at this!! But I think love can become obvious by doing unto the least of Christ's brothers, thereby doing unto him. Or at least it becomes visual.
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