More on the Lord’s Supper

Sunday, April 10, 2022

The Bread and the Cup

26-29 During the meal, Jesus took and blessed the bread, broke it, and gave it to his disciples:

Take, eat.

This is my body.

Taking the cup and thanking God, he gave it to them:

Drink this, all of you.

This is my blood,

God’s new covenant poured out for many people

    for the forgiveness of sins.

“I’ll not be drinking wine from this cup again until that new day when I’ll drink with you in the kingdom of my Father.”

30 They sang a hymn and went directly to Mount Olives.

-Matthew 26:26-30 The Message

Institution of the Lord’s Supper

Verse 26: Now, as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing, it, broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.”

Verse 27: And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you,

Verse 28: for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Verse 28 study: Jesus’ blood relates to the new covenant because people under the old covenant that lived before Jesus could approach God only through a priest and an animal sacrifice. Now everybody can come to God through faith because Jesus’ death has made us acceptable in God’s eyes.

The Righteousness of God Through Faith
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

-Romans 3:21-24 ESV

The old covenant was a shadow of the new pointing forward to the day Jesus himself would be the final and ultimate sacrifice for sin. Rather than an unblemished lamb at the altar, the perfect lamb of God was slain on the cross as a sinless sacrifice so that our sins could be forgiven. All those who believe in Christ receive that forgiveness.

The New Covenant
31 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah.

-Jeremiah 31:31 ESV

Jesus, High Priest of a Better Covenant
8 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven.

-Hebrews 8:1 ESV

Verse 29: I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”

Verse 29 study: Jesus assured his disciples’ victory over death of their future with him. The next few hours would bring apparent defeat, but learn that there will be an experience of the Power of the Holy Spirit and witness a great spread of the message. Then, they would be all together again in God’s new kingdom one day.

Jesus Foretells Peter’s Denial

Verse 30: And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Verse 30 study: Is it possible Psalm 115-118 is the hymn the disciple sang? The traditional psalm was sung during the Passover meal.