On the front of the Communion Table are eight medallions which speak of Christ himself.
 The upper row of four begins with the burning bush from Moses' experience with the Christ of the Old Testament. |
|||
 Then comes the wheat, and to our minds the words of Jesus, "I am the Bread of life." |
|||
 Then the vine with its grapes for the wine of His blood. |
|||
 The lantern to remind us that He is the Light of the world. (The burning bush is used by the Church of Scotland and the lamp by the Waldensian Church. Both of these symbols, along with the Morning Star, the Dove of the Spirit, the Olive Branch of Peace, and the Latin words for "Light Shineth in Darkness," appear on the seal of the Presbyterian Church in the United States..) |
|||
 In the lower row is first the fish which in the days of persecution was used in the catacombs as a cryptic symbol to mark the place of Christian worship, or on the houses to mark where Christians lived, or where the Lord's Supper was to be observed. It would have significance for the initiate but would be meaningless to the Roman authorities, yet how full of meaning to the followers of the Carpenter who had called the fishermen from their lesser tasks and sent them out to be fishers of men. The five letters of the Greek word for "fish," iota - chi - theta - upsilon - sigma, are the initial letters of the Greek phrase for "Jesus Christ. God's son, Savior." |
|||
 Then follows the Tau cross bearing a serpent in reminder of Christ's words, "As Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up . . . And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me." (John 3:14; 12:32) |
|||
|
|||
 The anchor is for Christ our hope, holding fast in the midst of the storm. |
Back to: Chancel Symbols · Appendix
