New Meaning for an Old Symbol
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink if it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Matt. 26:26-29, RSV.
Here we find Jesus supplying a new meaning for an old symbol. The old significance of the Passover meal centered on God's deliverance of His people from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12:1-30). The new one has to do with their deliverance from sin through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Thus the new meal symbolizes an even greater rescue than the old.
As Jesus breaks the bread and passes it to His disciples, He says, "Take, eat; this is my body." He could have added "Which will be broken for you" without doing violence to His intent. He next picks up the cup, indicating that it is His "blood of the covenant" that will be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. Just as blood ratified the Old Testament covenant between God and His people, so will it now the new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Jesus tells His disciples in words that they could hardly fail to understand that He would die in our place, as our substitute. Here is the foundation of the gospel. He bore the condemnation that was ours so that those who accept Him can participate in the life eternal that is His. He will die in our place. His blood will be poured out for the "forgiveness of [our] sins." For that we can praise God. From that substitutionary sacrifice all other blessings flow.
But there is something else of importance about Jesus' words on the Lord's Supper. Once again He demonstrates, even though He is facing death, that He is in control of events. He knows that He will rise to victory and that in the future He will celebrate with His followers when they drink of the fruit of the vine together in His eternal kingdom.
Christians of all persuasions, although differing in the exact symbolic meaning of the elements of the Last Supper, have made it a major event in their worship experience. Paul best captured the meaning of the service when he penned, "Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26, NIV).
The new symbolism points in two directions. Backward to Christ's saving death and forward to His coming again to establish the fullness of His kingdom.
As we celebrate that Supper let us meditate on both the frightful reality that it symbolizes and the great promise it holds out to us.
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is my body." And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, "Drink if it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." Matt. 26:26-29, RSV.
Here we find Jesus supplying a new meaning for an old symbol. The old significance of the Passover meal centered on God's deliverance of His people from Egyptian bondage (Ex. 12:1-30). The new one has to do with their deliverance from sin through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross. Thus the new meal symbolizes an even greater rescue than the old.
As Jesus breaks the bread and passes it to His disciples, He says, "Take, eat; this is my body." He could have added "Which will be broken for you" without doing violence to His intent. He next picks up the cup, indicating that it is His "blood of the covenant" that will be poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. Just as blood ratified the Old Testament covenant between God and His people, so will it now the new covenant prophesied in Jeremiah 31:31-34.
Jesus tells His disciples in words that they could hardly fail to understand that He would die in our place, as our substitute. Here is the foundation of the gospel. He bore the condemnation that was ours so that those who accept Him can participate in the life eternal that is His. He will die in our place. His blood will be poured out for the "forgiveness of [our] sins." For that we can praise God. From that substitutionary sacrifice all other blessings flow.
But there is something else of importance about Jesus' words on the Lord's Supper. Once again He demonstrates, even though He is facing death, that He is in control of events. He knows that He will rise to victory and that in the future He will celebrate with His followers when they drink of the fruit of the vine together in His eternal kingdom.
Christians of all persuasions, although differing in the exact symbolic meaning of the elements of the Last Supper, have made it a major event in their worship experience. Paul best captured the meaning of the service when he penned, "Whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes" (1 Cor. 11:26, NIV).
The new symbolism points in two directions. Backward to Christ's saving death and forward to His coming again to establish the fullness of His kingdom.
As we celebrate that Supper let us meditate on both the frightful reality that it symbolizes and the great promise it holds out to us.
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