Introduction
Do vegetarians refuse to take the elements of bread and wine in the New Testament-infused Seder? This would be only logical if they refused to eat meat. A well balanced diet usually includes meat. But a “veg·e·tar·i·an” is a person who does not eat meat, and sometimes other animal products,
The OT Seder Dinner
There are many elements in a Passover dinner. In the Seder plate, each food is symbolic of an aspect of Passover: A roasted lamb shank bone represents the Passover sacrifice, an egg represents Spring and life, bitter herbs represent the bitterness of slavery, haroset – a mixture with wine, nuts, apples, etc.
But in the NT infusion by Christ, the unleavned matzo bread symbolizes the body of Christ and a glass of wine symbolizes his blood. Both symbolize meat!
”For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same way He took the cup also after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood; do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”“ 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NASB1995
The animal sacrifice of the Old Testament has been replaced with the superior human sacrifice. The second Adam was perfectly obedient whereas the first was not. The lamb of God is Christ.
A vegetarian offering has always been good, but not as good as the Lord desires. Cain was not able to master his desires regarding this issue and so committed the first murder of his brother.
”Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had no regard. So Cain became very angry and his countenance fell.“ Genesis 4:4-5 NASB1995
The NT Headship Tradition
The tradition of the Lord’s Supper is from the Bible. It does not save. Only the merciful gift of a living faith does that. A worship ordinance cannot.
Paul delivered the Jewish believer ordinances of the water baptism custom they practiced after Pentecost, the headship tradition, and the New Testament-infused Seder. These were delivered to all the churches on Paul’s second missionary journey. On that trip starting in 50 AD, he not only made it into Asia, but he made it as far as Europe. He stopped in several cities in Greece and stayed in Corinth for 18 months.
In the first part of 1 Corinthians 11, Paul regulates the headship tradition from Ephesus six years after his visit.
”Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you. But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ. Every man who has something on his head while praying or prophesying disgraces his head. But every woman who has her head uncovered while praying or prophesying disgraces her head.“ 1 Corinthians 11:2-5 NASB1995
And both traditions in chapter 11 are primarily about God, not mankind. The new concatenation shows that the Father has inserted his incarnate Son as our mediator and king. Christ is ontologically equal to the Father. He is omnipotent, omnipresent and possesses God’s aseity. Nevertheless, he voluntarily submits his human wil perfectly to the Father, and this is our salvation.
It is the same with mankind. The woman is of the same earthy essence as a man. She was fashioned second and from his rib. Therefore, she is ontologically equal to him, and she submits to him.
The church practiced his divine headship ordinance for 2,000 years and some continue to keep his tradition. It is a transcultural worship ordinance like the New Testament-infused Seder and the water baptism the Jewish believers practiced after Pentecost.
So the insertion of Christ in the headship concatenation is central. It symbolizes the way we are saved.
”But I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.“
1 Corinthians 11:3 NASB1995
Warning Against Annuling Worship Traditions
However, we have recently refused that tradition regulated in scripture and kept by the church for 2,000 years. Our culture follows the 1969 Easter Bonnet Rebellion. Christians possessing living faith may get into heaven, but they will rue their decision to follow mankind’s androgynous practices of the day.
”Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.“ Matthew 5:19 NASB1995
Forever is a long time. Taking off or putting on a hat for the 100 years of our lifetime in worship is a relatively short, painless way to avoid this perpetual regret.
Conclusion
it may be that someday vegetarians will also refuse elements of the Lord’s supper. It has happened in principle before.
”So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this said, “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?”“ John 6:53-54, 60 NASB1995
And most have foresaken his tradition of removing your hat if you are a man and putting something on your head if you are a woman in worship. NT believers may make it into heaven anyway, but they will not be called Great. God has inserted his Son Jesus Christ as our savior and king. He will reign forever and ever.
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The Ninevite 