Markus Barth on the Lord's Supper

The Lord’s supper is a feast of thanksgiving and joy. In anticipation of the glorious return of Jesus Christ, those assembled celebrate above all the power of the Lord’s death which sustains the community and guarantees peace with God and men (1 Cor. 10:16-17; 11:23-26; Acts 2:42, 46-47; Rev. 30:20-21; cf. Eph 2:14-16). This does not make the eucharist a ceremonial commemoration of a deceased person, and certainly not a burial rite. It is not a past Lord, but the present and coming Lord who is celebrated. It is not the expiration of his rule but the present power of his Spirit that forms the context of the supper. Precisely where demonstrations of the presence of the Spirit are characteristic of a congregation, the celebration of the Lord’s supper stands under God’s Judgment; and the celebrants attest the validity of God’s Judgment; and their acceptance of it. How does this happen? The supper of the Lord tolerates no separation of rich from poor, of strong from weak, of persons who eat everything from ascetics. If a separation does take place, or if a part of the congregation tries to force its view on the others, then Christ’s body and blood are insulted, the community that Christ founded is belied, and the blasphemers come under condemnation. A man can “eat and drink judgment upon himself.” The congregation has the experience that unworthy participation in this feast of love has consequences for morals, for health, and even for life itself. Because the table fellowship belongs to the Judgment of God that is still going on, sickness, weakness, rebukes, humiliations, and even death occur in the congregation. They are God’s “chastisements.” They reveal what it means to dishonour the living, present Lord. (Markus Barth, Justification [Grand Rapids, Mich.: Eerdmans, 1971], 72)