B. The Doctrine (vv. 26c, 28)
1. Of the bread
“This is my body. ”
a) The old symbol
That was a new concept. The unleavened bread had always been a symbol of leaving Egypt and the past life behind. Leaven symbolized influence, and the unleavened bread was a way of saying, “We’re starting anew. Our old life will not influence us. ”
b) The new symbol
But now the unleavened bread symbolizes Christ’s body. Luke 22:19 tells us Christ’s complete sentence: “This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me” (cf. , 1 Cor. 11:24). Jesus transformed the Passover, and that required a great deal of authority. Some people think Christ was referring to His literal body. That is what the Roman Catholic Church teaches in its doctrine of Transubstantiation. But that is not what Jesus meant. When Jesus said, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1), He didn’t mean He was growing in a field with branches! It is merely symbolic of Christ’s body–the reality of His life given in sacrifice for the forgiveness of sin.
2. Of the blood (v. 28)
“This is my blood of the new testament [covenant] which is shed for many for the remission of sins. ”
a) The old requirement
That is a quote from Exodus 24:8. Jesus is saying that when God made a covenant with man, He required blood. When God made covenants with Noah (Gen. 8:20), Abraham (Gen. 15:10), and Moses (Ex. 24:5-8) blood was shed. God required the shedding of blood in making covenants with men. When God brought about reconciliation with Himself, the price was blood. That let man know that a relationship to God would cost the blood of a sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 says, “Without shedding of blood is no remission. ” A covenant with God always demanded more than simple death; the death had to be accompanied by the shedding of blood because the life of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11). The pouring out of blood by animal sacrifice–a graphic and painful demonstration of the loss of life–pointed to Christ, who would be the final sacrifice for reconciliation with God.
b) The new redemption
Jesus died to save us from our sin. But it wasn’t enough for Him to die; His blood had to pour out through the wounds in His hands, feet, side, and the thorn marks in His head. The blood running out of Christ graphically demonstrated that life was flowing out of Him as He offered Himself as the final sacrifice for sin. So Jesus tells us that the importance of the cup is to remind believers of His blood, which shed on our behalf. The Greek word translated “shed” (ekchel[ma]o) is the key to understanding Matthew 26:28. It means “gush,” “pour out,” or “spill. ” Obviously we were saved through Christ’s death–there was nothing in the chemistry of His blood to save us–but His blood needed to be shed because the only kind of sacrifices God accepted were those whose blood had been shed.
Notice that Matthew 26:28 says Christ’s blood was shed for many. It literally means “for the benefit of many. ” Who are the many? All who believe, both Jew and Gentile. It was shed not just for the nation of Israel. Then Jesus said it was shed “for the forgiveness of sins. ” His substitutionary death brought about forgiveness. That’s why Jesus came.
Our Lord instituted a memorial to His death the night before it occurred. He headed to the cross to pour out His blood as a sacrifice for sin. He instituted the bread and the cup as a memorial that we might remember His sacrificial death on our behalf. None of the sacrificial animals of the Old Covenant could take away sin. Only the blood of Christ could do that.
C. The Duration (vv. 29-30)
How long are we to celebrate the Lord’s Supper?
1. The future celebration (v. 29)
“I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom. ”
Jesus is saying to keep celebrating it until He shares it with us in the Kingdom. Since He was giving the disciples tragic news about the pouring out of His blood, He injected the promise that He would come back one day and drink the cup with them in His kingdom. Thus verse 29 is a reaffirmation of His coming Kingdom.
2. The final hymn (v. 30)
“When they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. ”
They had already sung Psalms 113-114. They probably had sung Psalms 115-116. After the fourth cup they might have sung Psalms 117-118. Praising God was the last thing they did before going to the Mount of Olives.
“This article originally appeared here at Bible Bulletin Board.”
