What is the difference between baptism and the Lord's Supper?
Baptism and the Lord's Supper are the two ordinances Jesus gave His church, and each is rooted in His command. Baptism happens once, at the beginning, and pictures entering into union with Christ in His death and resurrection. The Lord's Supper is repeated, and keeps the church returning to remember the body and blood of Christ until He comes. One marks the start of the Christian walk; the other sustains it along the way.
This question arose from studying What is baptism? and What is the Lord's Supper?.
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What the Scripture says
Both are commandments of Jesus
Jesus commanded baptism as part of making disciples: 'Go, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.' He commanded the Supper in the same way: 'Do this in memory of me,' and 'as often as you drink, in memory of me.' Neither is an optional decoration of the church; both come from the Lord's own word and have been kept by the church from the beginning.
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.”
When he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for you. Do this in memory of me.” In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.”
teaching them to observe all things that I commanded you. Behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
Baptism happens once; the Supper is repeated
Baptism is a one-time act of initiation, showing our once-for-all union with Christ: 'all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.' The Supper, by contrast, is for a lifetime: Jesus says, 'as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.' Baptism points to the doorway into the Christian life; the Supper is the repeated meal that sustains us on the way.
Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
Each pictures something different
Baptism pictures death and resurrection with Christ: 'We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death... so we also might walk in newness of life,' and Paul says we were 'buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith.' The Supper pictures our sharing, or communion, in Christ: 'The cup of blessing which we bless, isn't it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn't it a sharing of the body of Christ?' Entry into the risen life, and ongoing fellowship with the crucified Lord.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?
Because there is one loaf of bread, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf of bread.
They have different moments and meanings
In Scripture the order is clear: those who received the word 'were baptized,' and then 'they continued steadfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.' Baptism is the public beginning of following Christ; the Supper is the regular remembrance of Christ by the gathered church. The one is administered to the new believer once, in the presence of the church; the other is shared repeatedly, as the church is built up and remembers together.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls.
They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
Then those who gladly received his word were baptized. There were added that day about three thousand souls. They continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and prayer.
As they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks for it, and broke it. He gave to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” He took the cup, gave thanks, and gave to them, saying, “All of you drink it, for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.
Neither saves; both point to the One who does
Both ordinances are visible words that point beyond themselves to Christ. Peter is careful about baptism, that it saves 'not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God' through the resurrection of Jesus. And Paul warns that the Supper must be taken with self-examination 'if he doesn't discern the Lord's body.' Whether we are baptized once or take the bread repeatedly, the power is never in the rite but in the Christ they proclaim, and in the faith that lays hold of Him.
This is a symbol of baptism, which now saves you—not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks the Lord’s cup in a way unworthy of the Lord will be guilty of the body and the blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy way eats and drinks judgment to himself, if he doesn’t discern the Lord’s body.
We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread, and drink of the cup.
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Go,and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in memory of me.” Likewise, he took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.
Or don’t you know that all we who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were buried therefore with him through baptism to death, that just like Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we also might walk in newness of life.
In the same way he also took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink, in memory of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
The cup of blessing which we bless, isn’t it a sharing of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, isn’t it a sharing of the body of Christ?
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