Exhortation – The Memorial Service

Following is Matthew’s account of the first breaking of bread:

“And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and Oak  it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take. eat: this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; for this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins” (Matt. 26:26-28).

By looking carefully at key words in this passage, we can find exhortation and deeper insight into the memorial service.

Jesus took bread

It is most helpful to try to put ourselves into the Lord’s place at the moment of these events — to consider his thoughts, his emotions, his joys, his fears. As he “took” this bread, what was he thinking?

There are many words for “took” in the Greek; but this word simply means, “to get a hold of,” “to grasp.” It is not a violent action as to seize or a passive action, as to simply receive something which is given. It is, in fact, the same Greek word saying he “took the form of a servant” (Phil. 2:7). This speaks of a loving, humble act. Jesus fully submitted himself to the will of God and to the benefit of others.

Blessed it

When he had taken the bread, he blessed it. The Greek word used here combines two words, “good” from eu and “word” from logos. It could be translated “good plan” which expresses the reaction of Christ when he saw the plan of God and acquiesced to it. He felt this was a “good plan.”

Brake it

This next act of Christ is very expressive of the plan of God which Jesus thought was so good. The flesh should be broken; this is what it requires. It should be crucified with the affections and lusts therein. The struggle to rebel against God was there with Jesus, yet he submitted to God’s plan by saying, “not my will but thine be done.” The cup could not be passed; he had to destroy the devil.

There is an apparent contradiction in Christ saying that his body was broken with the fact that, literally, not a bone of him was broken (John 19:33­-36). We would suggest that the explanation is in the different significance of the flesh and of the bones. We suggest that the bones speak of that aspect of the person which remains, his character in the book of life, after the flesh has decayed away. It is the bones which will be used at the resurrection, as we see in Ezekiel 37 when the nation of Israel, or valley of bones, is resurrected.

The flesh is a different story. It withers and dies like the flower of the field. It is the “flesh” which Jesus overcame and therefore rent in two: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Heb. 10:19-20). The veil was rent from top to bottom. This may give us the connection between Jesus breaking the bread and the rending of the power of the flesh that resolves any apparent contradiction.

Gave it to his disciples

Jesus gives it to his own. When this bread comes around, let us not think of it as coming from the serving brother but as being handed to us by Jesus Christ. How important is it now? He has given it to you.

Take, eat; this is my body

When we take of this bread, we are saying we approve of God’s plan: the flesh deserves death. It is full of sin and it should be broken.

There seems to be something more here as well. As the shewbread in the tabernacle represented the nation of Israel, the one loaf represents the ecclesia: “The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread” (I Cor. 10:16-17).

The bread represents the multitudinous Christ, the many in one. As the wheat is harvested and the grains are sifted from the chaff, beaten together and baked, so, in a figurative manner, we are harvested, sifted, beaten and put through the fire to become one body in Christ.

Took the cup

Turning from the bread, Jesus now focuses his attention on the cup which follows a similar pattern to the bread with some differences.

While Jesus speaks of the “bread,” he does not speak of the “wine” but the “cup.” Is there a significance in this?

In the Hebrew language, the word “cup” simply meant “to hold together.” We can see the connection to the work of Jesus for his work holds the very essentials of salvation for us.

Also in scripture, the “cup” is used figuratively in reference to one’s fate or lot in life. That is why Jesus said to John and James, “Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of?” They said, “Yes,” and we say the same. In the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus cried, “0 my Father, if this cup may not pass from me, except I drink it, thy will be done.” The fate, or cup, was death to the flesh, but what was inside was life and salvation. Psalm 116 is Messianic and has a very beautiful expression about this cup of which Jesus partook and of which we must partake: “I will take the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD. I will pay my vows unto the LORD now in the presence of all his people. Precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints” (vs. 13-15).

This cup was salvation, yet it was death. The exhortation is for us be­cause, “precious in the sight of the LORD is the death of his saints.” We have not suffered like Christ, but we have! Through the waters of baptism we have associated ourselves with his death and now must take up our cross daily in service to him. Accordingly we declare: “I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD” (Psa. 116:17).

Gave thanks

The Greek word used here means “good grace” rather than “good plan” which was the idea associated with the bread. As Jesus had seen the good plan in the breaking of bread, he now sees the ‘good grace’ in his blood. he at once expresses

We may agree with the denial of the flesh, but we can never carry on without the grace of God, because we all fall short.

Drink ye all of it

If Jesus meant by this phrase, “Drink from it, all of you,” then the commandment is there for all of us. Each one must share the burden his Lord bears. If he meant, “I want you to drink everything in the cup,” then the commandment is equally as strenuous. Do not leave a drop of the salvation that has been offered to you. God does not want you to partially offer yourself but to give yourself with all your soul, strength, heart and mind.

My blood of the new testament

How abhorrent to the Jews was the idea of drinking blood. Under the law there was shedding of blood: you laid your hand on the animal, associating yourself with it and shed its blood, but you were never allowed to drink it. This drinking of blood came only by grace in Christ under a new covenant that offered forgiveness and life.

Shed for many…the remission of sins

Multitudes, thousands we have not known have entered into the bonds of Christ. They have taken hold of eternal life and it is as if we now come into fellowship with them.

The word for “remission” is used in a very significant way in another passage: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he bath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised” (Isa. 61:1).

Without Christ, we are prisoners to king sin, bound by the ruler of this evil world. But now, we have been made free through the new covenant in his blood. He has given us liberty to proclaim the name of Yahweh in Zion (Psa. 102:20-21). What a beautiful salvation we have.

Brought to the emblems

This subject can be approached in many different ways, yet no matter how we look at it, we see the richness of beauty that is here. Now let us focus our minds on the wonder of the grace that is ours — not just at this time, but everyday, hopefully for ever.