Don't be deluded at the Supper

Calvin argues that the alternatives to his doctrine of the Supper have God offering us delusions.

(1) You really get Jesus' body

God does not delude us by just offer us bread but speaking of the body of Christ. There is not a bare, empty representation in the Communion. As we receive the sign in faith, feeding on the bread, God also feeds us spiritually with the body of Christ, giving us what the sign represents.

(2) You really get bread

The Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation also has God offering us a delusion since the bread appears to be bread, but in substance is not what it seems to be and has turned into the body of Christ.

Calvin maintains both the reality of the sign and of the thing signified.

See Calvin’s commentary on 1 Cor 11:24.