The Lord's Supper
Study Scripture: : Luke 22:7 - 23.
Background Scripture: Luke 22:7-30.

Lesson 2

 We pray that by studying this lesson you will be edified and immensely blessed.  Email your questions or comments concerning this study to questions@7thdaybaptistchurch.org  If you wish to use or reproduce content from this web site please see guides lines for use.

Key Verse

And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.
²⁰   Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Luke 22:19-20.

INTRODUCTION

The Lord Jesus left the church two ordinances to observe until He

comes again. First, He left the church-baptism in water, which emphasizes one's entrance into the church, the body of Christ

(1 Cor. 12:12-13). Second, He left the church the Lord's Supper, which emphasizes one's continuance in the body, or life in it.

An ordinance is a symbolic rite that sets forth primary facts of the Christian truth and is universally obligatory among believers.

The Lord’s Supper then, is a practice that practically every Christian Church follows. It is considered to be a rite established by Christ himself, with His specific instructions to continue it’s observance until he returns. There is however considerable disagreement about  the precise nature of this Supper, and it’s meaning.

In the New Testament and in common practice various terms are used for the Lord's Supper, such as the "communion" (1 Cor.10:16) , the "Lord's Table" (10:21) , the Eucharist (11:24); the term refers to the thanksgiving that accompanied and characterized it. Perhaps the most commonly used term is the "Lord's Supper," a term that stresses that He is the host, and we believers are His guests.

The Scripture passages which deal directly with the Lord's Supper are: Matthew 26: 26-29; Mark 14: 22-25; Luke 22: 19-20; 1 Corinthians 10: 15-17 and 11: 23-29.  A literal interpretation of these passages shows among other things:

-         Jesus himself instituted the Lord's Supper, and so it is of divine origin.

-         It’s practice was to be carried on perpetually as a result of Jesus’ direct command.

-         Bread and wine were the materials used by Jesus and by the early Church.

-         These materials were first specially consecrated.

-         The bread was broken and the wine was poured out.

-         The bread and the wine were distributed to those partaking in the Lord's Supper.

-         The Lord's Supper was held to commemorate the death of Christ, and to ensure that his death was always remembered.

-         The bread was representative of Christ’s body, and the wine representative of his blood, which were shed to fulfill the ancient promise of a ‘ new covenant’. 

-         Participation in the Lord's Supper involved only the redeemed, who were part of this New Covenant.

-         Participation in the Lord's Supper was a proclamation of Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross.

-         There is serious physical and spiritual danger in participating in the Lord's Supper if the participant is not in the right spiritual relationship with Jesus, and if the Supper was not conducted in the proper and appropriate manner. Due reverence to God for his gift of love should be shown, with a sensitive recognition of God's presence, the proper sense of our unworthiness and God's graciousness. 

-         The redeeming purpose, and Mercy of God is in full view.  The Supper is communion with Christ, recognizing and uniting the Church as one in Christ.  It stresses that those who partake into the full meaning of the Supper are heirs of eternal life, and are totally committed to Jesus Christ.

-         Preparation is an essential prelude to the observation of this rite.

The importance of the Lord's Supper then cannot be over emphasized.  Not partaking, without an exceptionally good and valid reason, is an act of direct refusal to obey Christ. Every opportunity should therefore be provided, so that the children of God may partake of the Lord's Supper.

Today we look primarily at Luke’s account of the events of that fateful day, with our focus on:

-         the relationship of the Lord's Supper to previous practices

-         the precise meanings of Jesus’ words.

-         the power if any in the practice.

-         the possible meaning of the presence of Christ during the Supper.

-         the benefits to the participants.

-         restrictions to participation.

-         who should administer the rite.

-         how often the Lord's Supper should be observed, and other related matters.

What is the relationship if any between the Lord's Supper and the Jewish Passover?  There are many views on this question, and it is an important matter, since it bears on the general theme of the Scriptures.

This last meal that Jesus shared with his disciples before he died, is traditionally regarded as a Passover feast.  The Gospels make this clear.  Even Paul in 1 Corinthians 11: 23-25 described Jesus new and distinctive actions which we now call the Lord's Supper, as taking place “after supper”, indicating that a full meal had already been had.

Some have challenged the traditional view on the grounds that this could not have been a regular Passover meal, for it appears to have been eaten on the evening before the correct Passover date.  They point to a supposed contradiction between John's account and Mark’s account.  Historical evidence indicates however that the Pharisees celebrated the Passover one day before the Sadducees and the other official hierarchy.  Jesus would probably not have followed the official interpretation of the timing, and both John and Mark would have had this in mind, when they referred to the timing of the Passover meal celebrated by Jesus.  Incidentally, information from the Dead Sea Scrolls seem to indicate there was this disagreement on the timing of the Passover.

The Gospels clearly state that Jesus and his disciples sat down to have a Passover meal, (Mark 14: 12-16). Let us remember that the Passover was held to commemorate God delivering the Jews from bondage in Egypt.  This was a time that spoke of God’s saving grace in the Messiah. The Passover as with the Lord’s Supper was to be a time of reflection, a time to count on the promises and blessings of God along with the responsibilities that come to believers. Above all, as the Passover had pointed to the coming Messiah, so the Lord’s Supper would point men to Jesus as the Christ, as the long expected Saviour of the Old Testament Scripture.

One writer states:

“The Passover was a memorial of a physical deliverance through sacrifice, the deliverance being from Egypt's bondage by means of the slain Passover lambs, whose blood was put on the door posts and lintels of the houses of the children of Israel to escape the death of their firstborn sons by the destroying angel.  The Lord's Supper corresponds in a real way to the Passover, for it is the memorial of a spiritual deliverance from the bondage of sin through the slain Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus Christ, who suffered at the Cross of Calvary.  The Passover was an anticipation of the future fulfillment in the coming of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus.”

Clearly then, The Lord's Supper is intricately linked to the Passover Supper, which celebrated the great deliverance from Egyptian slavery and bondage. Deliverance from bondage in Egypt brought two things.  It came with the “good news” from God through the instrumentality of Moses, that God would deliver by means of blood. It was also stressed that the ‘good news’ had to be believed, and following belief it’s instructions had to be applied. The Jews had to believe Moses, that he had brought the word of God, and that they had to put the blood on the door posts of the house. They had to believe that it was the shed blood of the lamb sprinkled on the door- posts that would save and deliver them. Then the Israelites would do as commanded. So it is with us. The gospel of Jesus Christ is the news; that based on the shedding of his blood, redemption has come from God. An individual has to believe that Jesus Christ is the Lamb of God, and that his blood has been shed for their personal salvation.  It is not enough therefore just to have an intellectual knowledge that Jesus is a Saviour, or that his blood has been shed for salvation in general. 

For salvation there has to be personal knowledge, an application of that knowledge, and a resting in the merits of the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Note that this act of Jesus which we call the Lord's Supper was originally done with the inner circle of disciples, those intimately and fully committed to Christ.  From this Christians accept that the Lord's Supper should be restricted to believers, though Judas appeared to have been present (vs. 21). Even if only in appearance, he was a disciple and soon to be exposed as a traitor. This gives added weight to Paul’s later call for self-examination, thereby stressing that before a person can partake of the Supper in a worthy manner, one not only had to be a believer, but also had to be a practicing believer.  If this were not the case, that person would be committing a sin. 

(See 1 Corinthians 11: 27-34.)  The Lord's Supper is therefore for the Church, that is; it is not something for an individual or for separate individuals to practice by themselves in isolation, rather it is something for the ‘functioning’ body of Christ, and not for non-believers. 

It should be noted here, that there is no specific teaching on who should administer the Lord Supper in the Church.  Some groups do not limit or restrict who can administer the Lord's Supper, holding that any believer with the spiritual qualifications to partake of the Supper can administer it for the brethren.  Other groups establish a particular form for convenience.  Some groups base their practice on whether they believe that certain rites should be restricted to clergy or officers who hold a special position. Still others believe that the Supper is a Sacrament, which conveys grace and accomplishes the individual’s salvation, and therefore only certain qualified persons can administer the sacraments.

THE MEANING OF THE ELEMENTS

Jesus’ words have led to different interpretations of the meaning and significance of the elements.

There are a number of different views and here we list four positions.

1. The bread and the wine are the actual physical body and blood of Christ.
2. The bread and wine represent the body and blood of Christ.
3. The bread and wine contain the physical body and blood of Christ.
4. The bread and the wine contain spiritually the body and the blood of Christ.

 One of the major views is that of the official Roman Catholic Church, which was outlined in the Council of Trent, held in 1545-1563.

They believe in transubstantiation, the doctrine that when a properly ordained priest blessed the bread and wine, an actual change in the substance of the bread and wine takes place, changing it into the actual flesh and blood of Christ. The change is in the “substance”, not in the “accidents”(appearance, smell taste etc.). The bread and wine looks, smells, tastes, and has the same shape and the same chemical analysis as before but it's essence has been changed.

Catholics therefore believe that the whole of Christ is fully present in each of the particles of the bread and the wine, and everyone who participates, literally ingest the physical body and blood of Christ. Catholics also regard the Lord's Supper as actually involving a sacrifice, for in the Mass, they believe that Christ again offers a real sacrifice for the benefit of the worshippers.  This sacrifice, repeated over and over again, satisfies the demand of God, as atonement for venial sins. The Scriptures provide no basis for these beliefs.

Lutherans modify this position. They reject the idea that the bread and wine are changed into the flesh and blood of Christ.  They however believe that the body and blood of Christ is present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine, so that we have the body and blood of Christ in addition to the bread and wine. Luther did not accept the Catholic view of the Mass that it was a sacrifice, or that the priest had any power to transform the elements by saying certain words.

He believed however that at the Lord’s Supper, there was a real taking in of the body and blood of Christ into the participants. The benefit was however due to the reception of the Word by faith. The Supper was a sacrament and gave real spiritual benefit to the participant’s body.

The Calvinist position is that Christ is present spiritually, not physically or bodily.  The elements signify the death of Christ, the value of his death, the believers’ participation in the crucified Christ, and the union of the believers with each other.  They also believe it seals.

The Lord’s Supper thus brings real, genuine benefits because of what Christ does at the Supper. Participating brings renewal and vitality, and an experience found nowhere else. The faith and reception of the believer affects the value of the sacrament to that person.

Other's hold that the Supper commemorates Christ’s death and his powerful and indispensable work on behalf of believers. Christ is spiritually present everywhere, not at any particular time and place. The Lord’s Supper brings benefit when we receive it by faith. Christ can never be with the unbeliever, no matter where he is and what he does. But he always is with the believer.

THE REAL ISSUE

Jesus, when he called for the practice of the Lord's Supper, was clearly dealing with the relationship between himself and those close to him, that is, his own, the members of his Body. He had previously taught them that he was the Bread of life, the Living Water, that he was the Vine and they were the Branches. This was clearly figurative language.

Jesus had also taught his disciples that he would be with them everywhere they went, and also especially when believers gathered together in his name. With this in mind, we note that Paul emphasized the commemorative nature of the Lord’s Supper, for in this the believers would be remembering the Lord’s death until he returned.

The Lord’s Supper is obviously a time when believers meet to have communion with Christ, confident that there will be a day when they will meet him and feast with him. Christ is always present with us in a real and powerful way, but this is a time when we, together, draw closer to Christ. Those who share the Bread and the Wine are thus bound together with each other, and are found in the One Christ. There should therefore be no class-consciousness and insensitivity at this gathering but a spirit on commonality and ‘oneness’.

God expressed his love in sending Jesus Christ, and believers should share in that love, fully cognizant of what had happened.

Jesus had come to fulfill the role symbolized by the Passover rite. He was the Paschal Lamb. The Supper is then first and foremost a remembrance of Christ’s death as that climatic event, which brought about the promise of forgiveness of sins and reconciliation to God. It deals with the past and with the fact of the removal of the penalty of sin. This is why Paul said “for as often as you eat the bread and drink the cup, you proclaim His death until He comes” (1 Cor. 11:26).

The separate bread and wine signify his body and blood, and together speak of His sacrificial death as the Lamb of God. It took a perfect and sinless person, the Lord Jesus, dying for us to pay for our sins.

The Supper is also a reminder of our present fellowship with Christ and of His presence with us. It is not the recalling of a figure of history who has long passed away, but the proclamation of the death of the risen Lord who is present in the church. He who invited the disciples to share the last Supper continues to be the real Host at each communion service.

His blood was now to be poured out to death voluntarily, but violently, as predicted in the Isaiah passages about the Suffering Servant of Jehovah. The penal sacrifice of Jesus was for the remission of our sins, and that act established the New Covenant in his blood and procured pardon for man. All the symbols in the Lord’s Supper teach us about the voluntary, penal, substitutionary death of the Lamb of God, who alone could atone for our sins.

The Lord’s Supper then is a time for focus on the work of Christ in dying for us and establishing that great, promised New Covenant, Israel and the prophets so longed for. It promised the exaltation of Christ, and the coming fulfillment of the Kingdom promises, when we would again feast with Christ. The Lord’s Supper then is a time for us to thankfully remember his death, and to hold up his death high to the world. We know that the Cross of Christ is an offence to the world, but it must be held up and proclaimed.

We must focus our celebration of the Lord’s Supper therefore not on his life, miracles, or other teachings, but on his death and what it means for our redemption and salvation. One writer comments:

“the true Passover Lamb, whose blood sacrifice under punishment established a new Covenant with the forgiveness of sins for his people.”

Paul stressed the redeeming purpose of what Christ did, and it’s significance at the time of the Lord’s Supper. This is a time for the remembrance of mercy.

It is to force self-examination on believers, so that the vital relationship with Christ will continue without interruption. It is to be a constant proclamation that the crucified Christ has been resurrected and would one day return. These matters must not be allowed to slip from our conscious mind. We must frequently reflect on their truths, so that believers will live in a constant state of preparedness, and partake with the brethren, in total and continuing unity.

Paul highlighted the importance of the occasion in a separate ceremony, so that believers would participate because they were ready and wanted to. They would not be there simply because it was part of another service, a fellowship dinner, or of some other matter.

It is most important for believers to recognize the importance of pondering on the Lord’s death, to realize the immense seriousness of it, the wonder of it, and the need to approach our considerations of it with utter reverence.  

This is a most serious occasion and the implications for us are staggering, for those who are unworthy will suffer the consequences.

THE TEXT

Verses 1-6.   These verses that precede our text, inform us that it was the eve of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which would be commenced by the observance of Passover. 

Note that at Passover Jerusalem and its environs would be crowded with many visitors, who during this very important and significant Feast, would be filled with tremendous expectations of the Messiah, given the nature of the Feast and the attendance of the very religious and fervent sons of Israel. 

Many people had heard about Jesus and his great teachings and great miracle working power, and undoubtedly they would have expected to see him there.  The Chief priests and Scribes wanted to seize and kill Jesus but they were very afraid that the people would riot, and in the revolt kill them.  They therefore had to seek to kill Jesus with subtlety. 

Incongruous as it may seem, in this atmosphere of anticipation, preparation and solemn worship and remembrance, Satan’s relentless activity to thwart the mission of Christ is revealed; as we learn of the insidious plot of the religious authorities to murder Jesus. Judas ‘one of the twelve’ infiltrated by Satan and now totally under his control, will be the agent of this evil treachery, as he consented, threw in his lot with the conspirators and actively sought opportunity to betray Jesus. 

Clearly, this defection to Satan was not a sudden or spontaneous act on the part of Judas, for the Devil had long ago established a  ‘beachhead’ in his life. Despite his continuance in the company and fellowship of Jesus and the disciples, the sin he nurtured in his heart had inevitably come to fruition in the betrayal of the Master. 

The question of what exactly was Judas' motive is of course an important one.  But whatever the speculation the Bible does not give any support to the idea that there was anything praiseworthy in Judas' behaviour. 

Let us never forget that Jesus’ real enemy was Satan.  Judas was simply Satan’s tool. Similarly, we should remember that our real enemy is Satan, and that we are not simply fighting against flesh and blood.  

It is noteworthy that both Luke and Paul included Jesus’ betrayal as a backdrop to their recording of and teaching on the institution of the Lord’s Supper.  This should be a warning to all believers of the unrelenting attempts of Satan to infiltrate their lives, even in the most solemn assembles of worship and communion with God. 

We must also wonder about Satan's motive, for he knows the Bible and the prophecies, and yet he manipulates things to ensure the death of Jesus on the Cross.  This death of Jesus of course is a great defeat for Satan, and we wonder why he did not know this. 

We do however know that Satan is not all knowing or all wise.  We also know that he is filled with hatred for God, and it is possible that he was so hate filled, that his hatred got the better of him.  Because he is so wicked, He could not help himself to strike a blow at God, even if he had heard that the death of Jesus would crush his head. 

Satan has deceived so many people, and is so full of deception, that he undoubtedly deceived himself, believing that he would actually gain the victory over Jesus. 

This same attitude is seen in the tools of Satan, for they think that by trickery, covert activity, and deception about their real motives, they can actually succeed in destroying the people of God. 

We read in the book of Esther that Haman the Amalekite had this false idea. He failed and his activities fitted perfectly into God's plan, and brought honour and glory to God and to his people. 

The current activities by enemies of God will meet the same fate.  We do not to have to unduly worry about them.  God knows exactly what they are doing and he will thwart their plans.  The gates of Hell will never prevail against the true Church. 

Verse 7.   This would be the start of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and all necessary preparations would have been completed on this day. The Supper would be observed after sunset, technically on Nissan14 according to Jewish reckoning.

The sacrificial (paschal) lamb, was on occasion called the ‘passover’ and must be killed on this day, (Exodus 12).  

Verse 8-9.    There were particular instructions regarding the preparation of the lamb, the main course of the Passover Supper and here Jesus referred to the lamb as the ‘passover’, as opposed to the feast itself. There can be no doubt that Jesus fully intended to observe the Passover in it’s entirety….that we may eat. 

Note the concept of preparation is prominent in the lead up to the supper as we see in this verse and others. It is at Jesus’ direct command and preparation will subsequently become an important aspect of the Lord’s Supper as we observe it today. 

The disciples question showed that they did not know where the Passover was to be held or what preparations had been made. It is Peter and John, two of the most intimate of the disciples who were sent to handle the preparations. They were not told the location of the house where they were to gather, but were to discern that by a set of circumstances, all of which were out of the ordinary.

Verse 10-12.   Some have speculated that Jesus had made some prior arrangement but there is nothing in the text to support this view and the circumstances of the time, at a particular place and the unusual sight of a man carrying water all seems peculiar for something prearranged.  

Contrary to the above, we have here an instance of the supernatural foresight of the Lord. It was the providence of God that the man, left home with the pitcher at exactly that moment, returned at a similarly appointed hour and stopped for a few seconds at the specific corner where he was met and engaged by Peter and John. (See John 11:2-3). 

Notice the detailed instructions given to the disciples, including exactly what they should say to the homeowner. This will be a test of their faith and an indication that acceptable faith will produce ‘to the letter obedience’. One writer comments:

Christ could have described the house to them; probably it was a house they knew, and he might have said no more than, Go to such a one's house, or to a house in such a street, with such a sign, But he directed them thus, to teach them to depend upon the conduct of Providence, and to follow that, step by step. They went, not knowing whither they went, nor whom they followed. Being come to the house, they must desire the master of the house to show them a room and he will readily do it….

Verse 13.   The disciples found their guide, and the house, and the room, just as Jesus had said to them.

Note, those who go upon Jesus’ words, according to the orders given them, need not fear disappointment.

At a minimum, necessary Passover preparations would have involved the following:

-         A site had to be selected. This was no small thing for thousands of pilgrims were in Jerusalem looking for a suitable place to celebrate the Passover. Point: the Lord will provide a place and a means to get to know Him and what His person, death, and life mean to us if we are available.

-         The site had to be made ready. It had to be cleansed or purified.

-         A lamb had to be selected, taken to the temple, examined, sacrificed, and roasted.

-         The other food items had to be provided, the bitter herbs, the bread, the sauce, and the wine.

Lesson here is that for effective and meaningful worship to occur, worship that is not merely lip service, there must be, by the very nature of worship, the proper preparation both physically and spiritually. As the Lord told the woman at the well, “God is spirit, and those that worship Him, must worship in spirit and in truth”

(John 4:24). 

Note, The Lord provided the necessities for this time of fellowship and worship.

Verse 14.   Jesus attention to the details of the Law was precise, they assembled and sat down at the prescribed hour. No angel or fastidious Jew could rightly accuse him of any omission regarding his observance of its edicts. 

The custom was to recline around a low table and eat from

that position. The table was rectangular and the guests would recline on their left sides around it.  

Judas was in the party; for it appears after he had made his bargain with the chief priests, scribes, and elders, he returned and took his place with the rest of the disciples, both to cover his sin, and to wait for the best opportunity to betray the Master.  

Note, it is possible that those whose hearts are filled with Satan, can and do continue a plausible profession of religion, active in the performance of its external services; while sin lurks in the heart. Though Judas has already been guilty of an overt act of treason, it was not yet known to the other disciples and so Jesus admitted him to sit down with the rest at the Passover.

Verse 15.   The disciples might have been in a festive mood given the significance of the occasion to every Jew but Jesus’ mood was probably sombre. His stated desire to eat this Passover with them flowed from several sources. There is an emphasis on ‘with you’, and this speaks to his humanity; his love for them, the companionship and fellowship they shared, how appropriate that this, his last Passover should be with those whom he loved and those that loved him. This occasion with his friends should have provided some comfort, some solace, it should have been a cushion for him before his sufferings.  

On another plane his strong desire laid in the fact that this was the last Passover, a prelude to; the inception of the New Covenant; his sufferings and death on the cross, whereby justice would be satisfied, the law would be fulfilled, sin atoned for, and the salvation of his elect secured. The end of his earthly mission was in sight, this meal would precipitate the final phase and thus his strong desire. 

The eager anticipation of our Lord related largely to the achievement of God’s purposes, and also to the association He has with God’s people at this meal. This then was an important event for Jesus, for as one writer puts it:

“ This was not the beginning of the end, it is the beginning of the beginning.”

Verse 16-18.    Many regard the ‘eat thereof’ as a reference to the ‘passover’ (roasted lamb) of which they were about to partake and Jesus in essence abrogating the particular observance. For what would be achieved by his imminent sacrifice would clearly confirm Him as the ‘Antitype’, the ultimate fulfillment of all the ‘types’ and shadows that the Passover represented and thus render that rite redundant. Further, his suffering, death and resurrection would be a giant step in  establishing the Kingdom of God, which will be fully consummated at his Second Coming. 

Similarly, the manner of the wine, an essential part of the Passover Feast would be viewed in the same light as the ‘passover’.

Typical of this view, one commentator writes:

How Christ in it takes his leave of all passovers, thereby signifying his abrogating all the ordinances of the ceremonial law, of which that of the passover was one of the earliest and one of the most eminent (Luke 22:16 "I will not any more eat thereof, nor shall it by any more celebrated by my disciples, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God." (1.) It was fulfilled when Christ our Passover was sacrificed for us, and therefore that type and shadow was laid aside, because now in the kingdom of God the substance was come, which superseded it. (2.) It was fulfilled in the Lord's supper, an ordinance of the gospel kingdom, in which the passover had its accomplishment, and which the disciples, after the pouring out of the Spirit, did frequently celebrate, as we find Acts 2:42,46. They ate of it, and Christ might be said to eat with them, because of the spiritual communion they had with him in that ordinance. He is said to sup with them and they with him, Revelation 3:20. But, (3.) The complete accomplishment of that commemoration of liberty will be in the kingdom of glory, when all God's spiritual Israel shall be released from the bondage of death and sin, and be put in possession of the land of promise. What he had said of his eating of the paschal lamb, he repeats concerning his drinking of the passover wine, the cup of blessing, or of thanksgiving, in which all the company pledged the Master of the feast, at the close of the passover supper. This cup he took, according to the custom, and gave thanks for the deliverance of Israel out of Egypt, and the preservation of their first-born, and then said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves, Luke 22:17. This is not said afterwards of the sacramental cup, which being probably of much more weight and value, being the New Testament in his blood, he might give into every one's hand, to teach them to make a particular application of it to their own souls; but, as for the paschal cup which is to be abolished, it is enough to say, "Take it, and divide it among yourselves, do what you will with it, for we shall have no more occasion for it, Luke 22:18. I will not drink of the fruit of the vine any more, I will not have it any more drank of, till the kingdom of God shall come….”

Verse 19-20.   In these verses we have the inauguration of the Lord’s Supper as we have come to know it and discussed at some length in the preceding section of our study.  Note the events of these verses occurred ‘after supper.  

At this point the symbols and elements (bread and wine) of the Passover were reinvested with new meaning, in the light of what Jesus was about to accomplish by his death on Calvary. Further these symbolic acts established the New Covenant between God and men. This is the new covenant which was prophesied by the prophet Jeremiah, (Jeremiah 31:31-34), and which Paul insisted in the book of Romans was a promise and a covenant made to Israel.  God could never forget the people of Israel. 

While the blood of the Passover lamb sufficed to withhold the judgment of God for a time, the blood of the Lamb of God, the Lord Jesus, actually took away the sins of the world (John 1:29). This is crucial for Hebrews 9:22 tells us: And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. 

The unleavened bread pertains to the earthly body and sinless life of the Lord Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:21) and the wine is a visual symbol of His shed blood and violent death, as the divine provision for men’s forgiveness of sin.

The ordinance was then formalized by His, “Do this in remembrance of me” command.  This act of worship is to be done in remembrance of Christ. In His absence, the Lord desires all believers to continually remember Him in the fullness of the benefits of His death and life. So what should be the frequency of the observance? This passage along with 1 Corinthians 11:26 and the practice of the early Christians, all point to the necessity of repetition. Clearly there is to be more than a once yearly observance. There is to be a constant and dramatic display of Christ’s death and its accomplishments.  

The command of Jesus to “Do this in remembrance of me” clearly  stands out. 

It is therefore important to know why this commandment was given as the basic reason for the celebration of this unique event, which by its very nature and the purpose it was to serve, was to be observed frequently. 

It seems Christians may forget Christ, even though we would like to think that this would be impossible, given the tremendous gratitude and affection that his sacrifice should stir up in us. 

Logically speaking there should be no need for Jesus to institute this Supper and exhort us to “ Do this in remembrance of me”. 

Jesus must have known that our memories would generally prove treacherous, our testimonies of affection for him superficial, and our nature so changeable that the truth of our words would be contradicted by our behaviour. One writer laments:

 “It seems at first sight too gross a crime to lay at the door of converted  men.  It appears almost impossible that those who have been redeemed by the blood of the dying Lamb should ever forget their Ransomer; that those who have been loved with an everlasting love by the eternal Son of God, should ever forget that Son; but if startling to the ear, it is alas, too apparent to the eye to allow us to deny the fact.  Forget him who ne’er forgot us!  Forget him who poured his blood forth for our sins!  Forget him who loved us even to the death!  Can it be possible?  Yes it is not only possible, but conscience confesses that it is too sadly a fault of all of us, that we can remember anything except Christ.

The object which we should make the monarch of our hearts, is the very thing we are most inclined to forget.  Where one would think that memory would linger, and unmindfulness would be an unknown  intruder, that is the spot which is desecrated by the feet of forgetfullness, and that the place where memory to seldom looks.” 

When we misrepresent Jesus it means that we have forgot him.  When we rebel against our Master who bought us, we have forgotten him.  When we allow our earthly business to take our eyes away from Him, when the affairs and pressures of the world take our attention from Christ, or when we look to ourselves instead of to Christ, it means we have forgotten him.   

Very often we allow several things to take our heart away from Christ when in fact we should be fixing our affections on him. 

Jesus knew that the old nature, the unregenerate nature, the corruption of the flesh still remains in believers. Though born again, we still have in us the lusts, strong evil passions, vile imaginations and the poison of impurity. Our heart often remains desperately wicked and deceitful above all things. 

There are too many things around us taking our attention from Christ, and it seems that heaven is too far away.  We forget to contemplate often and frequently on the excellencies of Jesus Chris, so that the things around us seem pale in comparison. We therefore need something to remember Jesus often until he comes, for it is only this that will remove our forgetfulness and neglect and drive away what one writer calls “ the demon of base ingratitude”. 

Let us be reminded that there are several good reasons to remember Jesus. 

First, there is the matter of our election, his taking us out of the deep pit.  He was slain for us before the foundations of the earth.  Though we have not seen him, through the power of God we love him, and we know him after the Spirit.  If we do not “ know him” we do not belong to him. 

We remember his daily struggles, work among the unthankful, his trials and temptations, and then we remember his agony and his sweat in the Garden, the drops of blood, the markings following his arrest, the blows, the spitting, the pulling of the hair, the cruel beatings and smitings, the piercing thorns in the crown firmly fixed on his head, the scourgings and the bleeding flesh.   

Then we remember the pierced hands and bleeding side, the scorching sun and the dreaded thirst, as Jesus hung in agony on the Cross. 

Can we remember this and forget all his benefits? 

When we remember Christ, we come to know completely that there is hope for us.  Jesus has blotted out our sins.  The burden of sin and guilt is lifted from us, and we are never allowed to forget this despite the persecutions, slander, and ill-treatments we might undergo. 

We remember that since he suffered we too will suffer. We grow more and more patient when we take up our cross, fixed our eyes on Jesus and follow after him.  We have patience under persecution and remembering him, braces up our loins, so that we endure to the end. 

When we remember Jesus we remember the temptation he suffered on the way to the cross.  We remember that despite the temptations we have victory, for the very angels that strengthened Jesus are here to strengthen us.   

And then when we remember Jesus and his death, we know that when we die, he, who has gone before us will be there waiting for us, smiling and signalling victory.   

Above all when we remember him, it teaches us that He is the one in whom we put our trust. 

In addition, on these verses one commentator writes in part:

Here begins the account of the Lord's supper after the passover was eaten; and brake it, and gave unto them; the disciples, as is expressed inMatthew 26:26 saying, this is my body; which is given for you; or will be given for you, as an offering for sin in your room and stead; and accordingly it was given into the hands of men, and of justice, and unto death. The phrase denotes the substitution and sacrifice of Christ in the room of his people, and the voluntariness of it; and is only mentioned by Luke in this account: the Apostle Paul writes, which is broken for you, 1 Corinthians 11:24,  alluding to the breaking of the bread in the ordinance, and as expressing the bruises, wounds, sufferings, and death of Christ: the Ethiopic version here adds, "for the redemption of many". This do in remembrance of me;
that is, eat this bread in remembrance of my love to you, and in commemoration of my body being offered up for you. Observe this ordinance in the manner I now institute it, in time to come, in memory of what I am about to do for you; for this direction does not only regard the present time and action, but is intended as a rule to be observed by the churches of Christ in all ages, to his second coming: and it is to be observed, that the Lord's supper is not a reiteration, but a commemoration of the sacrifice of Christ.

These actions of breaking and pouring represent the offering of Himself to us as the Victorious Savior and are an expression of His desire for fellowship with us through that which He accomplished and is to us. The breaking and pouring stand for the offer and provision of salvation, the assurance of forgiveness, the assurance of His divine presence to be our life, and of His desire for us to live by His life (cf. Luke 22:15). It portrays offering, sharing, and partaking in the fruits of Christ’s death.

As with eating the bread, drinking of the cup portrays our faith in the Lord and our desire to continue to live by virtue of the finished work of Christ as the means of our deliverance from sin’s penalty and power.

Verse 21.   In the same sentence Jesus dropped a bombshell as he revealed that His betrayer was among them at the ‘table’. Matthew and Mark place this before the institution of the Lord’s Supper but from this account it appears Judas did receive the Lord’s Supper. 

Jesus words were literal, the betrayer had dipped in the same dish and eaten with them, it was one of them for whom he had just now said, his body is given, and his blood is shed; Judas had committed an egregious sin. 

This treachery is reminiscent of the psalmist lament in Psalm 41:9, Yea, mine own familiar friend, in whom I trusted, which did eat of my bread, hath lifted up his heel against me.

Judas has gone down in infamy for his betrayal, his name being linked to that of every traitor down through the centuries. This is also an illustration of how close a man may be to Jesus Christ, and yet be lost.

Note that Judas had done his job as traitor extremely well, and even at the Supper remained above suspicion.  No wonder the Apostle Paul warned the Ephesians elders about this never present danger in the Church of God.

Verse 22.  Jesus will go through his ordeal, will follow the predetermined course as set in the counsels and purposes of God, He being a full party to such decisions, Acts 2:23, 4:28.

Though the death of Christ, the manner of it, and the means by which it was brought about, were all predetermined by God; yet this did not, in the least, excuse the sin of those complicit in it, nor exempt them from punishment. As we know, Judas came to an untimely end, and died an infamous death by his own hands, and went to his own place, the place of everlasting torments allotted him.  

Jesus statement here affirmed the sovereignty of God, the responsibility of man and the everlasting punishment of the finally impenitent.  

Note also, the words but woe unto that man… illustrate most aptly the fact that God's sovereign work does not overrule and cancel out man's responsibility for his sin. Judas is responsible for his role in the sovereign activity and purpose of God. He wilfully betrayed the Master for the sake of filthy lucre. Matthew 26:24 adds "It had been good for that man if he had not been born," and this makes it plain Jesus did not believe in universalism, that is, that everyone is ultimately going to be saved. He rather believed that the unbelieving, if finally, impenitent, spend eternity in conscious, everlasting punishment. If men ultimately find their way into the presence of God, the statement could never be made that it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Verse 23.   The natural and inevitable commiserating followed after Jesus’ shocking revelation about his betrayal. Their inquiry showed that to their credit and their belief in Jesus, they did not trust themselves but accepted that one of them could be guilty of such a despicable act of treason.

CONCLUSION

Suffice to say, this event of the Last Supper is significant for every Christian to rightly understand and apply. So whenever we partake of the Lord’s Supper, let us partake together in a very reflective way that we may truly recall who Jesus Christ is, what He has done, will do, and how essential it is that we live in dependence on Him. 

Our time around the Lord’s table should never be just a religious experience, or a ritual, or a ho-hum habit, but a very significant time where believers together earnestly reflect on His person, work, and life.  

The Lord’s Supper is not just a religious exercise, and certainly not a religious work by which we keep ourselves in God’s grace, a totally contradictory idea. Nor is it to be a religious experience through which we obtain a rosy glow and have a religious encounter with ourselves. 

Rather it is to be a time in which we remember Him so that we personally relate to the Saviour with the goal of living in greater dependence on Him for every aspect of life.  

It is a time to remember all aspects of his death, to remember Him alone.  This is not a time for joking and laughing, but it is an extremely serious activity. 

It is not time to remember ourselves and our troubles, and the things  which have happened to us.  Let us read the Scriptures for ourselves.  His command is to remember his death.  His death is to be remembered until He comes.   

It is only when we do this, obeying his command, that we will reap the massive benefits in our spiritual life. 

We are warned that if we celebrate this Supper unworthy there will be bitter consequences. 

Christ alone is to be the source of our spiritual lives. It is His desire that we regularly partake of these elements, as they speak of His offer of His life, of sharing in the fruits of His sacrifice for us, and in the reality of His spiritual presence and life in our midst, as the driving force and enablement of the Christian life.