Outline of John Calvin's Short Treatise on the Lord's Supper

Short Treatise on the Supper of Our Lord, in which is Shown Its True Institution, Benefit, and Utility

Outline:

• Introduction (1-2)
• Why our Lord instituted this holy sacrament (3-6)
• Since in baptism we have entered God’s spiritual family, it makes sense for God to now nourish us with spiritual food (3-4)
• Christ is our only spiritual food (4-5)
• Christ is distributed to us by the word, but sometimes we are too weak to receive him when he is presented to us by simple doctrine and preaching (4-5)
• Three reasons (6)
• To sign and seal in our consciences the promises contained in his gospel concerning our being made partakers of his body and blood
• To exercise us in recognising his great goodness toward us, and thus lead us to laud and magnify him more fully
• To exhort us to all holiness and innocence, inasmuch as we are members of Jesus Christ; and specially to exhort us to union and brotherly charity
• What fruit and utility we receive from it (7-11; 17-19)
• Directs and leads us to the cross of Jesus Christ and to his resurrection (7-11; 17; cf. 12-16)
• We are presented Jesus Christ as the source and substance of all good (11)
• We are presented the fruit and efficacy of his death and passion (11)
• Helps us recognise our daily blessings, in order that we may ascribe to Jesus the praise which is due (18)
• Powerfully incites us to live holily, and especially observe charity and brotherly love toward all (19)
• How the visible elements are joined to the substance (12-16)
• Jesus is the substance and foundation of the sacraments (11-12)
• Our souls must feed on his body and blood as their proper food (13)
• The bread and wine represent his body and blood much as a dove represented the Spirit at his baptism (14)
• The sacraments should be distinguished from their substance, but one cannot exist without the other (15)
• The sacrament accomplishes what it signifies (16)
• The legitimate use of it (20-32)
• Examine yourselves before partaking (20-25)
• Perceive weakness in ourselves, and strength in Christ
• Dissatisfaction with our whole life
• Anxiety and fear
• Desire and love of righteousness, especially charity
• All are imperfect, but this should drive us to the sacrament (26-28; 30)
• Communion should be observed frequently (29; 32)
• Examine yourself, not your neighbors. It’s the church’s job, not the individual’s, to administer discipline. (31)
• The errors and superstitions with which it has been contaminated (33-52)
• Mass is a sacrifice (34-38)
• Transubstantiation (39-42)
• Carnal adoration (43)
• Infrequent (once per year) communion (44)
• Withholding the cup from the laity (45-46)
• The Word not accompanying the sacrament (48)
• Vain imitation of Old Testament rituals in the Roman sacraments (49-50)
• Recap of Roman errors (47; 51-52)
• Why so much discussion has arisen, even among the Reformers (53-60)
• I take no pleasure in these disputes, but I think it necessary to take part and describe them (53)
• God sometimes allows his people to err (54)
• Luther didn’t much alter the Roman doctrine of the corporal presence (55)
• Zwingli and Oecolampadius refuted the corporal presence but weren’t clear about believing in any kind of presence (56)
• Both parties failed in not having the patience to listen to each other (57-59)
• All agree that we truly partake the proper substance of the body and blood of Jesus Christ (60)