Question 1

What does "Communion" mean in the King James Bible?

Accepted Answer

In the KJV, "Communion" means "church sacrament." The real participation. 'Communion of the blood of Christ' was not 'ceremony involving grape juice' but 'actual participation in Christ's sacrifice.' Koinonia meant you were a participant, not a spectator. The bread and cup were not symbols observed from a distance but a shared meal creating real union between Christ and His people.

Question 2

Why did the word "Communion" disappear from modern English?

Accepted Answer

Greek koinonia ('intimate mutual participation/deep shared life/union that binds participants together') ritual-ized into a specific church ceremony. The living, relational union became a scheduled sacrament. The word was at peak usage around 1611 and declined by still used but ritual-ized (~1800).

Question 3

What modern word replaced "Communion"?

Accepted Answer

"Communion" was replaced by: "Lord's Supper" (though this event name; communion was the actual experience of union with christ and his body); "Eucharist" (though this liturgical term; communion was the lived reality of sharing in christ's life and death); "sacrament" (though this ritual category; communion was real participation in christ's body and blood -- union, not ceremony).

What Does “Communion” Mean in the Bible?

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