Teolojia ya Kibaptisti na Mafundisho Yake Bainifu — Sehemu ya 4: Meza ya Bwana kama Amri ya KristoBaptist Theology and Distinctive Doctrines — Unit 4: The Lord's Supper as Ordinance

Mstari MkuuKey Verse

"Kwa maana kila mkulapo mkate huu na kunywa kikombe hiki, mwatangaza mauti ya Bwana, hata ajapo." (1 Wakorintho 11:26, SUV)"For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." (1 Corinthians 11:26, NKJV)

Malengo ya KujifunzaLearning Objectives

Utakapomaliza kipindi hiki, unapaswa kuweza:When you finish this unit, you should be able to:

1. Kueleza jinsi Meza ya Bwana ilivyoanzishwa kutoka Agano Jipya na kutaja maana zake kuu.1. Describe the institution of the Lord's Supper from the New Testament and name its main meanings.

2. Kueleza kwa nini Wabaptisti huita Meza hiyo amri ya Kristo (ordinance) na si sakramenti.2. Explain why Baptists call the Supper an ordinance and not a sacrament.

3. Kulinganisha uelewa wa Kikatoliki cha Roma, wa Kilutheri, wa Reformed na wa Kibaptisti kuhusu uwepo wa Kristo katika Meza.3. Compare the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Reformed and Baptist understandings of Christ's presence at the Supper.

4. Kueleza mitazamo miwili inayopatikana miongoni mwa Wabaptisti: mtazamo wa ukumbusho na mtazamo wa uwepo wa kiroho.4. Describe the two views found among Baptists: the memorial view and the spiritual-presence view.

5. Kujibu pingamizi kuu dhidi ya mtazamo wa Kibaptisti na kueleza jinsi mchungaji anavyopaswa kuongoza kusanyiko katika kujichunguza.5. Answer the main objections to the Baptist view and explain how a pastor should guide a congregation in self-examination.

Amri MbiliTwo Ordinances

Wabaptisti hushika amri mbili za Kristo: ubatizo na Meza ya Bwana. Zote mbili ziliamriwa na Kristo, zote mbili zinaonyesha injili kwa picha, na zote mbili zimepewa kanisa. Ubatizo, uliojifunzwa katika kipindi kilichopita, ni amri ya kuingia: mwamini hubatizwa mara moja, mwanzoni mwa maisha ya Kikristo. Meza ya Bwana ni amri ya ushirika unaoendelea: kanisa huishika tena na tena hadi Kristo atakaporudi. Pamoja zinasimama kando ya Maandiko kama njia ya kanisa ya kusikia na kuona injili. Katika Kozi ya 4 tutajifunza jinsi ya kuongoza Meza katika ibada. Katika kipindi hiki tunajifunza maana yake.Baptists keep two ordinances: baptism and the Lord's Supper. Both were commanded by Christ, both picture the gospel, and both are given to the church. Baptism, studied in the last unit, is the ordinance of entrance: a believer is baptized once, at the beginning of the Christian life. The Lord's Supper is the ordinance of continuing fellowship: the church keeps it again and again until Christ returns. Together they stand beside the Scripture as the church's way of hearing and seeing the gospel. In Course 4 we will study how to conduct the Supper in a service. In this unit we study what it means.

Kuanzishwa kwa MezaThe Institution of the Supper

Injili tatu na Paulo wanatoa maelezo hayo (Mathayo 26:26-29; Marko 14:22-25; Luka 22:14-20; 1 Wakorintho 11:23-26). Usiku ule aliosalitiwa, katika chumba cha juu, wakati wa chakula cha Pasaka, Yesu alitwaa mkate, akashukuru, akaumega na kuwapa wanafunzi wake. Luka anaandika: "Huu ndio mwili wangu, unaotolewa kwa ajili yenu; fanyeni hivi kwa ukumbusho wangu." Alitwaa kikombe na kusema juu ya damu yake, damu ya agano jipya, iliyomwagika kwa ajili ya wengi kwa ondoleo la dhambi. Aliwaambia wanafunzi kwamba hatakunywa tena uzao wa mzabibu hata atakapoinywa mpya pamoja nao katika ufalme wa Mungu (Mathayo 26:29).Three Gospels and Paul give the account (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26). On the night He was betrayed, in the upper room, during the Passover meal, Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it and gave it to His disciples. Luke records: "This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me." He took the cup and spoke of His blood, the blood of the new covenant, shed for many for the remission of sins. He told the disciples that He would not drink again of the fruit of the vine until He drank it new with them in the kingdom of God (Matthew 26:29).

Paulo alipokea mafundisho hayo kutoka kwa Bwana na kuwapa Wakorintho (1 Wakorintho 11:23). Kwa hiyo Meza ilikuwa zoea la makanisa ya mitume. Matendo 2:42 na 20:7 yanazungumza juu ya waumini wanaokutana kwa "kumega mkate."Paul received the teaching from the Lord and passed it on to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11:23). The Supper was therefore the practice of the apostolic churches. Acts 2:42 and 20:7 speak of believers meeting for "the breaking of bread."

Meza Inamaanisha NiniWhat the Supper Means

Mapokeo ya Kibaptisti yanapata maana nne kuu katika Agano Jipya.The Baptist tradition finds four main meanings in the New Testament.

Ukumbusho wa msalaba. Yesu alisema mara mbili katika maelezo ya Paulo, "Fanyeni hivi kwa ukumbusho wangu" (1 Wakorintho 11:24-25). Mkate na kikombe vinatukumbusha mwili wake uliotolewa na damu yake iliyomwagika. Huu ndio kiini cha amri hii. Wakristo hawamkumbuki shujaa aliyekufa. Tunakumbuka kifo kilichokuwa kwa ajili yetu.A remembrance of the cross. Jesus said twice in Paul's account, "Do this in remembrance of Me" (1 Corinthians 11:24-25). The bread and cup remind us of His body given and His blood shed. This is the center of the ordinance. Christians do not remember a dead hero. We remember a death that was for us.

Tangazo. Mstari wetu mkuu unasema kwamba tunapokula na kunywa, "mwatangaza mauti ya Bwana, hata ajapo." Meza inahubiri injili kwa kanisa na kwa yeyote anayetazama. Inatangaza kwamba wenye dhambi wamesamehewa kwa sababu Kristo alikufa.A proclamation. Our key verse says that when we eat and drink, "you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes." The Supper preaches the gospel to the church and to any who watch. It declares that sinners are forgiven because Christ died.

Ushirika. Paulo anauliza, "Kikombe cha baraka tukibarikicho, je! Si ushirika wa damu ya Kristo? Mkate tuumegao, je! Si ushirika wa mwili wa Kristo?" (1 Wakorintho 10:16). Neno "ushirika" linamaanisha kushiriki. Mwamini anashiriki katika faida za kifo cha Kristo. Na kwa sababu mkate ni mmoja, Paulo anasema, "sisi, tulio wengi, tu mwili mmoja" (1 Wakorintho 10:17). Meza inawaunganisha waumini kila mmoja na mwenzake.A communion. Paul asks, "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?" (1 Corinthians 10:16). The word "communion" means a sharing or a participation. The believer shares in the benefits of Christ's death. And because there is one loaf, Paul says, "we, though many, are one bread and one body" (1 Corinthians 10:17). The Supper unites believers with each other.

Tumaini. Maneno "hata ajapo" yanaelekeza mbele. Meza inatazama siku ambayo Kristo atarudi, na meza ya Bwana inaelekeza mbele kwenye karamu ya arusi ya Mwana-Kondoo (Ufunuo 19:9).A hope. The words "till He comes" point forward. The Supper looks to the day when Christ returns, and the table of the Lord points ahead to the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

Amri ya Kristo, Si SakramentiOrdinance, Not Sacrament

Wabaptisti hutumia neno "amri ya Kristo" (ordinance) kwa sababu ileile kama katika kipindi kilichopita. Amri hii ni tendo lililoamriwa na Kristo, linaloonyesha injili kwa picha, na ambalo kanisa linalitii. Baptist Faith and Message (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti) 2000 linaita Meza ya Bwana tendo la utii la ishara ambalo washiriki wa kanisa wanakumbuka kifo cha Mkombozi na kutazamia kuja kwake mara ya pili. Neno "sakramenti," kama linavyotumiwa na makanisa mengine mengi, linamaanisha kwamba tendo lenyewe hutoa neema kwa mtu anayelipokea, kama mfereji. Wabaptisti hawafundishi hivyo. Neema humfikia mwamini kwa imani, si kwa kula na kunywa tu. Vitu vya Meza si uchawi, na hakuna kuhani wala mchungaji mwenye uwezo maalum wa kuvifanya hivyo.Baptists use the word "ordinance" for the same reason as in the last unit. An ordinance is an act commanded by Christ, which pictures the gospel, and which the church obeys. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 calls the Lord's Supper a symbolic act of obedience in which members of the church remember the death of the Redeemer and anticipate His second coming. The word "sacrament," as used by many other churches, means that the act itself conveys grace to the person who receives it, as a channel. Baptists do not teach this. Grace comes to a believer by faith, and not by the mere eating and drinking. The elements are not magic, and no priest or pastor has any special power to make them so.

Wakristo Wanaamini Nini kuhusu Uwepo wa Kristo?What Do Christians Believe About Christ's Presence?

Tofauti kali zaidi zinahusu maneno "Huu ndio mwili wangu." Hii ni muhtasari wa haki wa mitazamo mikuu.The sharpest differences concern the words "This is My body." Here is a fair summary of the main views.

Kikatoliki cha Roma. Kanisa linafundisha mabadiliko ya kiini (transubstantiation). Kuhani anaposema maneno ya kuweka wakfu, mkate na divai huwa mwili na damu ya Kristo kwa kiini, huku sura ikibaki. Kanisa lilishikilia fundisho hili katika Baraza la Nne la Lateran mwaka 1215 na kulitetea katika Baraza la Trento. Misa pia inaeleweka kama dhabihu inayofanya upya dhabihu ya Kalvari kwa njia isiyo na damu. Waothodoksi nao wanafundisha mabadiliko halisi, ingawa wanayazungumzia kama siri na hawatumii lugha ileile ya kifalsafa.Roman Catholic. The church teaches transubstantiation. When the priest speaks the words of consecration, the bread and wine become the body and blood of Christ in substance, while the appearance remains. The church held this teaching at the Fourth Lateran Council in 1215 and defended it at the Council of Trent. The Mass is also understood as a sacrifice that renews the sacrifice of Calvary in an unbloody way. The Orthodox also teach a real change, though they speak of it as a mystery and do not use the same philosophical language.

Kilutheri. Martin Luther alikataa mabadiliko ya kiini lakini alisisitiza kwamba mwili na damu ya Kristo ziko kweli "ndani, pamoja na chini ya" mkate na divai. Walutheri hawakubali jina "consubstantiation" ambalo wengine walipa mtazamo wao. Luther alishikilia maana halisi ya "Huu ndio mwili wangu" na alikataa kuibadilisha.Lutheran. Martin Luther rejected transubstantiation but insisted that Christ's body and blood are truly present "in, with and under" the bread and wine. Lutherans do not accept the label "consubstantiation," which others gave to their view. Luther held to the literal sense of "This is My body" and refused to change it.

Reformed. Yohana Calvin na makanisa ya Reformed walifundisha kwamba Kristo yupo kweli, lakini kiroho, kwa Roho Mtakatifu, na kwamba waumini wanapokea mwili na damu ya Kristo kwa imani, kwa kuwa mwili wa Kristo uko mbinguni. Wanakataa mtazamo wa Kikatoliki cha Roma na wa Kilutheri wa uwepo wa kimwili katika vitu vya Meza.Reformed. John Calvin and the Reformed churches taught that Christ is truly present, but spiritually, by the Holy Spirit, and that believers receive Christ's body and blood by faith, since Christ's body is in heaven. They reject both the Roman Catholic and the Lutheran view of a physical presence in the elements.

Wa Zwingli au wa ukumbusho. Ulrich Zwingli alifundisha kwamba mkate na kikombe ni ishara zinazokumbuka kifo cha Kristo na kwamba maneno "Huu ndio mwili wangu" yanamaanisha "Huu unawakilisha mwili wangu." Luther na Zwingli walikutana Marburg mwaka 1529 na hawakuweza kukubaliana juu ya hoja hii.Zwinglian or memorial. Ulrich Zwingli taught that the bread and cup are signs that remember Christ's death and that the words "This is My body" mean "This represents My body." Luther and Zwingli met at Marburg in 1529 and could not agree on this point.

Misimamo ya KibaptistiThe Baptist Positions

Wabaptisti wanakubaliana kwamba mkate na kikombe ni alama na kwamba mwili wa Kristo haumo ndani yake kimwili. Wabaptisti wamegawanyika kuhusu ni nini kingine kinaweza kusemwa. Mitazamo miwili inapatikana.Baptists agree that the bread and cup are symbols and that Christ's body is not physically in them. Baptists are divided on what more may be said. Two views are found.

Mtazamo wa ukumbusho. Huu umekuwa mtazamo wa walio wengi miongoni mwa Wabaptisti, hasa Marekani. Mkate na kikombe ni ishara zinazotusaidia kukumbuka na kutangaza. Kristo yu pamoja na watu wake kwa Roho wake siku zote, katika kuhubiri, kuomba na ushirika, lakini amri hiyo haiongezi uwepo wowote maalum. Baptist Faith and Message 2000 linaeleza mtazamo huu.The memorial view. This has been the majority view among Baptists, especially in the United States. The bread and cup are signs that help us to remember and to proclaim. Christ is present with His people by His Spirit always, in preaching, prayer and fellowship, but the ordinance does not add any special presence. The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 expresses this view.

Mtazamo wa uwepo wa kiroho. Wabaptisti fulani, hasa wale wanaofuata Ungamo la Pili la London la mwaka 1689, wanafundisha kwamba Meza pia ni njia ambayo kwayo waumini, kwa imani, hula kweli Kristo aliyesulubiwa na kupokea lishe ya kiroho. Ungamo la 1689 linakataa mabadiliko ya kiini na linakana uwepo wowote wa kimwili, lakini linasema kwamba wapokeaji wanaostahili hushiriki kweli na kiroho katika Kristo na faida zake. Hii iko karibu na mtazamo wa Calvin. Wanateolojia wengine wa Kibaptisti leo wamebishana kwamba mtazamo huu unalingana vizuri zaidi na 1 Wakorintho 10:16.The spiritual-presence view. Some Baptists, particularly those who follow the Second London Confession of 1689, teach that the Supper is also a means by which believers, by faith, truly feed on Christ crucified and receive spiritual nourishment. The 1689 Confession rejects transubstantiation and denies any physical presence, but says that worthy receivers truly and spiritually partake of Christ and His benefits. This is close to Calvin's view. Some Baptist theologians today have argued that this view better fits 1 Corinthians 10:16.

Mitazamo yote miwili iko ndani ya familia ya Kibaptisti. Inakubaliana juu ya yaliyo muhimu: hakuna mkate unaogeuka kuwa mwili, dhabihu ya Kristo imekamilika, na mwamini anakutana na Bwana kwa imani. Tofauti iko katika kama Meza ina faida ya kiroho ya pekee zaidi ya ukumbusho. Katika kozi hii tunaelekea mtazamo wa ukumbusho kama msimamo wa kawaida wa Kibaptisti, huku tukikubali kwamba mtazamo mwingine una uungwaji mkono wa heshima miongoni mwa Wabaptisti na kwamba kanisa linaweza kushikilia mojawapo bila mgawanyiko.Both views are within the Baptist family. They agree on what is essential: no bread becomes flesh, the sacrifice of Christ is finished, and the believer meets the Lord by faith. The difference lies in whether the Supper has a distinct spiritual benefit beyond remembrance. In this course we lean toward the memorial view as the common Baptist position, while recognizing that the other view has honorable support among Baptists and that a church may hold either without division.

Pingamizi na Majibu ya KibaptistiObjections and Baptist Answers

Pingamizi la 1: Yesu alisema, "Huu ndio mwili wangu." Tunapaswa kumchukua kwa neno lake.Objection 1: Jesus said, "This is My body." We should take Him at His word.

Wakatoliki wa Roma na Walutheri wanauliza kwa nini Wabaptisti hawakubali maana ya wazi ya maneno hayo. Jibu letu. Tunayachukua kwa maana aliyokusudia Yesu. Yesu alikuwa ameketi mezani katika mwili wake hai alipoyasema. Mwili ulio mkononi mwake na mkate ulio mkononi mwake haukuwa kitu kimoja. Mara nyingi alitumia lugha ya picha: "Mimi ni mlango" (Yohana 10:9), "Mimi ni mzabibu wa kweli" (Yohana 15:1). Katika chakula cha Pasaka mkuu wa familia alisema juu ya mkate kama ukumbusho wa kutoka Misri. Wanafunzi hawakufikiri walikuwa wakila mwili wake. Na Yesu mwenyewe alisema, "Fanyeni hivi kwa ukumbusho wangu."Roman Catholics and Lutherans ask why Baptists will not accept the plain sense of the words. Our answer. We take them in the sense Jesus intended. Jesus was sitting at the table in His living body when He spoke. The body in His hand and the bread in His hand were not the same. He often used figures: "I am the door" (John 10:9), "I am the true vine" (John 15:1). In the Passover meal the head of the family spoke over the bread as a memorial of the exodus. The disciples did not think they were eating His flesh. And Jesus Himself said, "Do this in remembrance of Me."

Pingamizi la 2: Yohana 6 inafundisha kwamba lazima tule mwili wake na kunywa damu yake.Objection 2: John 6 teaches that we must eat His flesh and drink His blood.

Katika Yohana 6:53-58 Yesu anasema kwamba mtu asipokula mwili wake na kunywa damu yake, hana uzima. Jibu letu. Wabaptisti wengi hawachukulii Yohana 6 kuwa inazungumza juu ya Meza, ambayo ilikuwa bado haijaanzishwa. Yesu anaeleza kwamba anamaanisha kumjia na kumwamini (Yohana 6:35). Na anasema, "Roho ndiye atiaye uzima, mwili haufai kitu" (Yohana 6:63). Kula ni imani.In John 6:53-58 Jesus says that unless a person eats His flesh and drinks His blood, he has no life. Our answer. Most Baptists do not take John 6 as speaking of the Supper, which had not been instituted yet. Jesus explains that He means coming to Him and believing in Him (John 6:35). And He says, "It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing" (John 6:63). The eating is faith.

Pingamizi la 3: Misa ni dhabihu ya kweli inayotolewa kwa walio hai na waliokufa.Objection 3: The Mass is a true sacrifice offered for the living and the dead.

Hili ni fundisho la Kikatoliki cha Roma. Jibu letu. Kitabu cha Waebrania kinasema kwamba Kristo alitoa dhabihu moja kwa ajili ya dhambi milele, na kwamba kwa sadaka moja amewakamilisha milele wale wanaotakaswa (Waebrania 10:10-14). Dhabihu inayorudiwa kila juma inasema, kwa kweli, kwamba ya kwanza haikutosha. Katika Meza hatumtoi Kristo tena. Tunakumbuka alichokamilisha msalabani, na katika Agano Jipya hakuna kuhani aliyetajwa kwa mkutano wa kanisa (tazama Kipindi cha 5).This is the Roman Catholic teaching. Our answer. The book of Hebrews says that Christ offered one sacrifice for sins forever, and that by one offering He has perfected forever those who are sanctified (Hebrews 10:10-14). A sacrifice that is repeated each week says, in effect, that the first was not enough. In the Supper we do not offer Christ again. We remember what He finished at the cross, and in the New Testament no priest is named for the church's assembly (see Unit 5).

Pingamizi la 4: Mtazamo wa ukumbusho wa Kibaptisti ni mwembamba mno, na Meza ni chakula cha msiba tu.Objection 4: The Baptist memorial view is too thin, and the Supper is only a funeral meal.

Wakristo wa Reformed na Wabaptisti fulani wanaleta hoja hii. Jibu letu. Ukumbusho mtupu si kile Wabaptisti wanachofundisha. Meza ni wakati wa furaha pamoja na ukumbusho. Ni tendo la kutangaza, la ushirika, la tumaini, na la kuuhuisha tena uaminifu. Hata wale wanaoshikilia mtazamo wa ukumbusho wanasema kwamba Kristo yu pamoja na watu wake kwa Roho wake na kwamba imani inaimarishwa. Pale Wabaptisti wanaposhikilia mtazamo wa uwepo wa kiroho, wanakubaliana kikamilifu na Reformed juu ya hoja hiyo. Katika hali zote mbili tunakataa wazo lolote kwamba meza ni sherehe tu.Reformed Christians and some Baptists raise this point. Our answer. A bare memorial is not what the Baptists teach. The Supper is a time of joy as well as remembrance. It is the act of proclaiming, of fellowship, of hope, and of renewed trust. Even those who hold the memorial view say that Christ is present with His people by His Spirit and that faith is strengthened. Where Baptists hold the spiritual-presence view, they agree fully with the Reformed on the point. In either case we reject any idea that the table is merely a ceremony.

Kujichunguza na Kushiriki IsivyostahiliSelf-Examination and Unworthy Participation

Paulo alitoa onyo kali: "Basi mtu awaye yote atakayekula mkate huu au kunywa kikombe cha Bwana isivyostahili, atakuwa na hatia juu ya mwili na damu ya Bwana" (1 Wakorintho 11:27). Wengine wameogopeshwa sana na mstari huu hata wanakaa mbali. Tunapaswa kusoma muktadha. Wakorintho walikuwa wamegawanyika; matajiri walikula na kunywa kabla maskini hawajafika, na wengine walikuwa na njaa huku wengine wamelewa (1 Wakorintho 11:17-22). Dhambi yao ilikuwa kushindwa kwa upendo na mtazamo wa kutojali juu ya mwili wa Kristo. Dawa ya Paulo haikuwa kukomesha chakula bali kujichunguza: "Lakini mtu ajichunguze mwenyewe, na ndivyo ale katika mkate huo, anywe katika kikombe hicho" (1 Wakorintho 11:28).Paul gave a strong warning: "Whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord" (1 Corinthians 11:27). Some have been so frightened by this verse that they stay away. We should read the context. The Corinthians were divided; the rich ate and drank before the poor arrived, and some were hungry while others were drunk (1 Corinthians 11:17-22). Their sin was a failure of love and a careless attitude toward the body of Christ. Paul's remedy was not to abolish the meal but to examine themselves: "But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup" (1 Corinthians 11:28).

Kujichunguza kunamaanisha kuuliza kama ninamtumaini Kristo, kama nina amani na ndugu zangu na dada zangu, na kama ninaungama dhambi ninazozijua. Yesu alisema kwamba mtu anayekumbuka kwamba ndugu yake ana neno juu yake aache sadaka yake madhabahuni na kwanza apatanishwe (Mathayo 5:23-24). Hakuna anayestahili kwa nafsi yake. Tunakuja kama wenye dhambi tuliookolewa kwa neema, na tunakuja kwa sababu tunamhitaji Kristo.Self-examination means asking if I am trusting Christ, if I am at peace with my brothers and sisters, and if I am confessing known sin. Jesus said that a person who remembers that a brother has something against him should leave his gift at the altar and first be reconciled (Matthew 5:23-24). No one is worthy by himself. We come as sinners saved by grace, and we come because we need Christ.

Nani Anaweza Kuja, na Maswali Mengine ya VitendoWho May Come, and Other Practical Questions

Wabaptisti wanakubaliana kwamba Meza ya Bwana ni kwa waumini, na kwamba kanisa ndilo linaloitoa. Kuhani hahitajiki; mchungaji au shemasi anaweza kuongoza, lakini Meza ni ya kusanyiko. Agano Jipya halisemi mara ngapi kuishika. Makanisa mengine ya Kibaptisti huishika kila juma, mengine kila mwezi, mengine kila robo mwaka. Wabaptisti pia hutofautiana kuhusu kilicho ndani ya kikombe. Wengine hutumia divai na wengine hutumia maji ya zabibu yasiyochachushwa, na Biblia, ikizungumza juu ya "kikombe" na "uzao wa mzabibu," haisuluhishi jambo hilo kwa kila mazingira. Makanisa katika maeneo ambako pombe huharibu familia mara nyingi huchagua maji ya zabibu.Baptists agree that the Lord's Supper is for believers, and that it is administered by the church. A priest is not needed; the pastor or a deacon may lead, but the Supper belongs to the congregation. The New Testament does not say how often to observe it. Some Baptist churches keep it weekly, some monthly, some quarterly. Baptists also differ about the contents of the cup. Some use wine and others use unfermented grape juice, and the Bible, speaking of "the cup" and "the fruit of the vine," does not settle the matter for every setting. Churches in places where alcohol destroys families often choose grape juice.

Swali linalojadiliwa zaidi ni nani anaweza kushiriki Meza. Meza "iliyo wazi" (open communion) inawaalika waumini wote waliopo. Meza "yenye mipaka" (close communion) inawaalika washiriki waliobatizwa tu wa makanisa yenye imani sawa. Meza "iliyofungwa" (closed communion) inawaalika washiriki wa kanisa la mahali pamoja tu. Wabaptisti wameshikilia zote tatu, na sababu zimetolewa katika Kozi ya 4. Tunabainisha tu kwamba wote wanakubaliana kwamba Meza ni kwa waliookoka, na kwamba meza haipaswi kugeuzwa kuwa mahali pa mabishano.The most debated question is who may take the Supper. "Open" communion invites all believers present. "Close" communion invites only baptized members of churches of like faith. "Closed" communion invites only members of the local church. Baptists have held all three, and the reasons are given in Course 4. We note only that all agree the Supper is for the saved, and that the table should not be turned into a place for debate.

Matumizi ya KichungajiPastoral Application

Katika kanisa la Kibaptisti katika mji wa Meksiko, mshiriki mwaminifu hajashiriki Meza ya Bwana kwa miaka miwili. Baada ya ugomvi na ndugu yake kuhusu ardhi ya familia, anamwambia mchungaji: "Sistahili. Nimesoma kwamba ukila isivyostahili unaleta hukumu."In a Baptist church in a Mexican town, a faithful member has not taken the Lord's Supper for two years. After a quarrel with his brother over family land, he says to the pastor: "I am not worthy. I read that if you eat in an unworthy manner you bring judgment."

Mchungaji hamkemei mtu huyo wala hamwambii aupuuze mstari huo. Anafungua 1 Wakorintho 11 pamoja naye na kueleza kwamba Paulo alikuwa akilisahihisha kanisa lililowaaibisha maskini mezani. Anamwonyesha mstari wa 28, na anamwuliza Yesu anasema nini katika Mathayo 5:23-24. Mchungaji anaona kwamba tatizo halisi ni uhusiano wa familia uliovunjika. Anajitolea kuomba pamoja na mtu huyo na, akipenda, kwenda naye kuzungumza na ndugu yake. Anasema: "Hutakiwi kuwa mkamilifu. Unatakiwa kuja kwa unyofu, kama mwenye dhambi anayemtumaini Kristo na aliye tayari kufanya amani." Pia anapanga kufundisha juu ya Meza kabla ya kila mara inapoadhimishwa, ili kila mtu ajue meza inamaanisha nini na asikae mbali kwa hofu.The pastor does not scold the man or tell him to ignore the verse. He opens 1 Corinthians 11 with him and explains that Paul was correcting a church that shamed the poor at the table. He shows him verse 28, and he asks what Jesus says in Matthew 5:23-24. The pastor sees that the real problem is the broken family relationship. He offers to pray with the man and, if he wishes, to go with him to speak with his brother. He says: "You are not asked to be perfect. You are asked to come honestly, as a sinner who trusts Christ and who is willing to make peace." He also plans to teach on the Supper before each observance, so that everyone knows what the table means and no one stays away from fear.

MuhtasariSummary

Meza ya Bwana ni amri iliyoamriwa na Kristo usiku ule aliosalitiwa. Ni ukumbusho wa kifo chake, tangazo la injili, ushirika na Kristo na kila mmoja na mwenzake, na tumaini linalotazama kurudi kwake. Wabaptisti wanakataa mabadiliko ya kiini na Misa kama dhabihu inayorudiwa, kwa kuwa sadaka ya Kristo ilikuwa mara moja tu kwa wote, na wanatofautiana na mtazamo wa Kilutheri wa uwepo wa kimwili. Walio wengi wanashikilia mtazamo wa ukumbusho; wengine wanashikilia mtazamo wa uwepo wa kiroho wa Ungamo la 1689. Wote wanakubaliana kwamba Kristo hukutwa kwa imani, si kwa vitu vya Meza vyenyewe. Onyo la Paulo katika 1 Wakorintho 11 linaita kujichunguza na upatanisho, si kukaa mbali. Wabaptisti hutofautiana juu ya mara ngapi, juu ya kilicho ndani ya kikombe na juu ya nani anaweza kuja mezani.The Lord's Supper is an ordinance commanded by Christ on the night He was betrayed. It is a remembrance of His death, a proclamation of the gospel, a communion with Christ and with one another, and a hope that looks to His return. Baptists reject transubstantiation and the Mass as a repeated sacrifice, since Christ's offering was once for all, and they differ from the Lutheran view of a bodily presence. The majority hold the memorial view; others hold the spiritual-presence view of the 1689 Confession. All agree that Christ is met by faith, not by the elements themselves. Paul's warning in 1 Corinthians 11 calls for self-examination and reconciliation, not for staying away. Baptists differ on frequency, on the content of the cup and on who may come to the table.

Usomaji ZaidiFurther Reading

• James Leo Garrett Jr., Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study (2009) (Teolojia ya Kibaptisti: Uchunguzi wa Karne Nne).• James Leo Garrett Jr., Baptist Theology: A Four-Century Study (2009).

• John L. Dagg, Manual of Theology (1857) (Mwongozo wa Teolojia), kitabu cha asili kilicho katika umma.• John L. Dagg, Manual of Theology (1857), a public-domain classic.

• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867) (Mwongozo wa Kanisa), kitabu cha asili kilicho katika umma.• J. M. Pendleton, Church Manual (1867), a public-domain classic.

• E. Y. Mullins, The Axioms of Religion (1908) (Kanuni za Dini), kitabu cha asili kilicho katika umma.• E. Y. Mullins, The Axioms of Religion (1908), a public-domain classic.

• The Second London Confession (1689) (Ungamo la Pili la London) na the New Hampshire Confession (1833) (Ungamo la New Hampshire), yote mawili yako katika umma.• The Second London Confession (1689) and the New Hampshire Confession (1833), both public domain.

• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000) (Imani na Ujumbe wa Kibaptisti), Mkutano wa Wabaptisti wa Kusini.• The Baptist Faith and Message (2000), Southern Baptist Convention.

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