| Christian Life and Doctrine | March 1961 |
In the “Upper Room”
JESUS, and his apostles spent the evening before his crucifixion in an “upper room” which had been provided as a place where they could eat the passover lamb in accordance with the requirements of the Jewish Law. This was on the fourteenth day of the first month of the lunar year, known as Nisan. It was apparently after they had finished eating the regular passover supper that Jesus took some of the unleavened bread, and some of “the fruit of the vine,” saying to his disciples concerning the bread, “Take, eat; this is my body”; and of the “cup,” “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
Paul quotes Jesus as saying, “This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come.” (I Cor. 11:25,26) Obviously Jesus expected his disciples to continue this memorial of his death from year to year, on the anniversary of his crucifixion. This year that date will be Thursday evening, March 30. On that evening, the brethren and followers of the Master in many parts of the world will gather for this Memorial Supper.
Jesus was the antitype of the passover lamb. He was “the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” (John 1:29) The Memorial Supper is not a continuance of the passover supper. To believers, the need for continuing the passover supper ceased when the antitypical passover Lamb was slain. The Memorial Supper is in remembrance of the sacrifice of Jesus, a commemoration of his death.
It is a simple ceremony in which the unleavened bread symbolizes the broken body of the Master, and the “cup” represents his shed blood. The wine, or “fruit of the vine,” as a symbol of Jesus’ shed blood, depicts his death, while the broken unleavened bread reminds us that it was a human life that was sacrificed. Jesus had said that he would give his flesh for the life of the world. (John 6:51) When we partake of these emblems at the Memorial Supper we indicate that we gratefully accept the provision of life which our Heavenly Father has made for us through Jesus, our Redeemer.
Participation
PAUL gives us a further thought. He wrote, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? 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 Greek word translated “communion” in this passage signifies participation, or partnership. Paul is saying, therefore, that we have the privilege of suffering and dying with Jesus, sharing with him in the “better sacrifices” of this Gospel Age.—Heb. 9:23
Thus, when we partake of the “cup” and the “bread” at the Memorial Supper, we are in effect saying that we desire to continue in the way of sacrifice; that having taken up our cross to follow the Master into death, we are determined to continue sacrificing the flesh and its interests. It is a time for every follower of Christ to renew his consecration to be dead with him, and to be re-inspired with the hope of living and reigning with him.
But Jesus did not die merely for his church. His blood was shed and his body broken for the sins of the whole world. This means that when we partake of the Memorial emblems we rejoice in God’s love for the entire human race, and for the wonderful provision he has made through Christ for its restoration to life during the “times of restitution of all things.” It is a reminder that our faith and hope are not narrow and selfish, but broad and loving, in that we envision the ultimate blessing of “all the families of the earth.”
Points to Ponder
BEING a disciple of Christ is a serious matter, and it is well that throughout the season of the Memorial Supper we especially contemplate its various implications. Many of the important facets of discipleship were brought to the attention of the disciples in the “upper room” that memorable night before the crucifixion. A record of this is found in chapters 13 through 17 of the Gospel of John. Let us note some of the things which Jesus said and did that night.
After the supper he washed his disciples’ feet. (ch. 13:1-17) This was designed to be a lesson in humility, and how important it is for every follower of the Master to be humble before the Lord and before one another! This is a severe test upon many of the Lord’s people. There often seems to be a great urge to be or to do something important in the Lord’s service.
Jesus illustrated the spirit of humility by performing a menial service for his disciples. May we be watchful for opportunities to do little things for the brethren, even if we are unnoticed and unknown. In due time the Lord will indicate the greater things to be done, if not this side the veil, then in the kingdom, when, if faithful, we will be living and reigning with him.
True humility is displayed in action, not by words. The brother or sister who is truly humble will not need to tell others about it. A brother who is asked to give a discourse could say that he would rather someone else be on the platform, but it might well be that if a change were made in the schedule the brother would feel that he was being sadly neglected. True humility consists of doing with our might what our hands find to do, whether along the lines of menial service, or otherwise, without ostentation, without show, and without in any way inviting the brethren to observe our humility.
There is no better way of obtaining a true perspective of genuine humility than through meditation on the greatness of our God, and of our Lord Jesus Christ, especially at the Memorial season. If we are being humiliated by the position in which we find ourselves, either in connection with our daily work, or in the congregation of the Lord’s people, let us remember Jesus, who was led as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he opened not his mouth. We profess that we want to be like Jesus. Let us rejoice when the Lord gives us an opportunity to try.—Isa. 53:7
Love One Another
IT WAS in the upper room that Jesus said to his disciples, “A new commandment I give unto you. That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.” (ch. 13:34) This is a heart-searching commandment! The words are, of course, well known by every professed follower of Jesus, but how deeply do they enter into our consciousness, and control our thoughts, words, and deeds?
Jesus loved us to the point that he laid down his life for us, dying the cruel death of the cross. Do we love one another to this extent? Doubtless we all want to, and hope that we do, but are we really, day by day, giving up time, strength, and substance in the service of the brethren that could otherwise be used to advance our own interests in life along the lines of comfort and in other ways? Each follower of the Master must answer these questions for himself, and before the Lord, and the Memorial season is an excellent time for such self-examination.
Of Jesus it is written that “having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end.” (John 13:1) Do we love one another like this? Here is described a constant, abiding love; a love which surmounts difficulties of every kind, and patiently continues to sacrifice, that others, particularly our brethren, might be blessed. It is not a love that is warm today, and indifferent, or even cold, tomorrow, It is not a love that glows with enthusiasm when our efforts are appreciated, and becomes a mere dying ember when our service is unnoticed and unpraised.
When we think of the glorious perfection of Jesus, and the gross, vulgar imperfections of his disciples, we can realize that it was not a natural thing to love them. But he loved them despite all the things which might well have repelled him and discouraged love. Is this the way we love the brethren—all the brethren?
It is not difficult to love those who love us, and there are kinships of interests and personalities among the brethren that draw certain ones together. It is good that all such love one another, but this alone is not the full measure of obedience to the “new commandment” which will merit an abundant entrance into the kingdom.
There are those others who are so different, and because of this seem so remote from us. Ofttimes they may, yea do, irritate us by their words and ways. We may pride ourselves in our growth in grace, and feel superior to those who have not advanced so fully. We may suppose that those new in the way should be as “good” as we are. If we find that we are thinking along this line, it would seem to indicate that we are not loving all the brethren as Jesus loved his disciples, and loves us. The Memorial season is an appropriate time to check our viewpoints of the brethren, and how well we are covering their imperfections with the mantle of self-sacrificing love.
The Father’s Love
JESUS also said in the upper room, “He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and manifest myself to him.” Hearing this, one of the disciples asked, “Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world?” To this Jesus replied, “If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.”—ch. 14:21-23
From this we learn that the secret of abiding in the Heavenly Father’s love, and of having him and our Lord Jesus make their abode with us is to “keep” his commandments. This should be a sobering fact to every consecrated child of God. There is a danger that the “commandments” and other aspects of the truth may become just so many words which we learn glibly to express, and use as a basis upon which to philosophize. It is, of course, important that every phase of the truth, especially these vitally important commandments of Jesus, become well fixed in our minds. But this alone is not enough.
If we are to realize a sense of the Father’s presence with us, and of his love being shed abroad in our hearts, it is essential that we “keep” his Word, and this no matter what the cost might be. And it will be costly! It will cost us all that we have and are, eventually even our life, to “keep” the commandments of Jesus. It will cost us our feelings to love those who may not be congenial to us, and those who may dislike and injure us. This, however, is part of what is involved in being disciples of Christ, and there is no better time to gain a fresh realization of this than at the Memorial season.
Peace
IN THE upper room Jesus also said to his disciples, “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.” (John 14:27) The world attempts to give peace to its citizens through financial security and amicable social arrangements, but how shallow and short-lived such peace often turns out to be. By contrast, how deep, and sweet, and constant is the peace that is born of faith and trust in our Heavenly Father and our Lord Jesus Christ!
“My peace I give unto you,” Jesus said. His peace resulted from knowing his Heavenly Father and from the perfect trust he placed in him. “I knew that thou hearest me always,” Jesus said in prayer. (John 11:42) As Jesus was about to be arrested, he said to those who showed willingness to help him, “Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?” (Matt. 26:53) Later he said to Pilate, “Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above.”—John 19:11
Jesus was assured of his Father’s love, and of his ability to care for him. He knew that the mighty power which stilled the storm on Galilee, that healed the sick and raised the dead, could protect, strengthen, and comfort him in any and every situation that might arise; so he had peace. It was not a peace that was based on outward tranquility, because Jesus’ life was often far from tranquil. His enemies were almost continuously sniping at him. Finally they arrested and crucified him. But through it all Jesus enjoyed that peace of mind and heart which the world can neither give nor take away.
And Jesus bequeathed this peace to us. Have we received this bequest, or have we failed to meet the conditions upon which it may become ours? The conditions for possessing and enjoying this peace are the same for us as they were for Jesus, which were confidence in his Father’s love and care, and then a complete resignation to his Father’s will. Without these Jesus could not have enjoyed peace.
It is the same with us. Are we assured of the Father’s love, and of his ability to supply all our needs? Have we so fully accepted his will that we are not disturbed by the trials which he permits to come upon us? This is one of the very important secrets of enjoying that perfect peace which may be ours as disciples of Christ. And, after all, partaking of the Memorial emblems denotes that we have surrendered our wills, our all, to our Heavenly Father, even as Jesus did.
Are we fretful and anxious over those things of life which we do not like, and cannot change? Do we worry about the outcome of various situations which may confront us? Do we feel rebellious over the lot in life in which we find ourselves? Are we envious of those who seemingly enjoy so many more blessings at the hand of the Lord than we do? The difficulty in any or all of these attitudes might well be a lack of complete resignation to the Lord’s will.
The peace of God and of Christ is ours to enjoy if we but meet the conditions. No “Gethsemane” can rob us of that peace if we but keep in mind that our Heavenly Father knows our needs, and that he gives his very best to those who leave the choice with him. Let us remember the admonition, “Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.”
Jesus’ Prayer
BEFORE they left the upper room that night Jesus approached his Heavenly Father in prayer. To a large extent this prayer was on behalf of his apostles and on behalf of those who would believe on him through their word, This includes us. “Sanctify them through thy truth,” Jesus said, “thy Word is truth.” (John 17:17) We can participate in the answer to this prayer only if we apply ourselves to the study of the Word, and yield our lives to its hallowed influence.
“As thou has sent me into the world,” Jesus continued, “even so have I also sent them into the world.” (vs. 18) This is a reminder of the divine commission we have received to be ambassadors for Christ. And how closely this is associated with the significance of the Memorial emblems, those emblems which symbolize the suffering and death of our Redeemer. Jesus was crucified because of his faithfulness in the ministry of the truth.
We rejoice in the fact that Jesus was “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” (Heb. 7:26) But it was not for his patience and mercy and love that he was hated and put to death. It was because he exposed popular error, and proclaimed unpopular truth. The darkness of his day hated the light, so the servants of darkness put the Light-bearer to death. Do we want to suffer and die with him? We can do so only through faithfulness as his ambassadors in proclaiming the Gospel of the kingdom.
Jesus also prayed that his disciples might be one, even as he and his Father were one. The answer to this prayer in our own experience will be in proportion to our acceptance of the Heavenly Father’s will and way in our lives. This unity of the Spirit among the Lord’s disciples does not come from agreements they may make with one another, but from the wholehearted agreement of each to do the Father’s will, and by faithfulness in living up to the terms of that covenant. This was the basis of Jesus’ oneness with the Father.
How sweet is the Master’s request, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am, that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovest me before the foundation of the world.” (vs. 24) And then verse 26: “I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.” How true it was that Jesus loved his own unto the end, and wanted for them the most valued treasure in the universe—the intimate love of his Heavenly Father.
And Jesus knew that this request for his disciples to be with him was in keeping with his Father’s will, for in the upper room that night he had said to his disciples, “In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” (ch. 14:2,3) What a blessed prospect! The contemplation of this great future joy will do much to help us, as it did Jesus, to endure the cross and despise the shame, as we continue to suffer and die with him—Ps. 16:11; Heb. 12:2,3
To Gethsemane and Calvary
FROM the upper room that night Jesus and his disciples went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he offered that memorable prayer of resignation to his Father, “Not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matt. 26:39) Judas left the upper room before the others. Later he went to Gethsemane also, not to watch with the Master, but to betray him with a kiss. From the garden Jesus was taken before the high priest, and later tried before Pilate.
The result of these “hearings” was inevitable, but the “Lamb of God” opened not his mouth in self-defense. A crown of thorns was placed upon his head. He was beaten and spit upon. He was hung on a cross, held there by nails which cruelly pierced his hands and his feet. As night approached, his side was pierced to make certain of his death.
Although, in fulfillment of prophecy, Jesus sensed momentarily the loss of his Father’s smile, and cried out, “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Then, in confidence, and in complete resignation even unto death, he said to his Father, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit,” my life. In these few words is summed up the vital meaning of the Memorial Supper for us.—Matt. 27:46; Luke 23:46
When we made our consecration to do the Father’s will it meant that we were committing our lives to him, to do with them as he wished. Is that committal still valid? Are we day by day, and in every experience of life, fully committing ourselves to the Father’s will? This is one of the important practical lessons in partaking of the “bread” and the “cup.” It is only as day by day we commit our lives unreservedly to the Lord that we will be ready at the end of the way to say to him from the heart, as Jesus did, “Into thy hands I commend my spirit.”
The month of Nisan in which the Jewish passover was kept, was referred to by the Lord as the “beginning of months” for the Israelites. May the Memorial Supper this year be the beginning of a blessed new year in the Lord for all his truly consecrated and truth-enlightened people. May it be a year of renewed energy in the service of the Lord, the truth, and the brethren! Through all the days to come, being emptied of self, may the love of God in ever richer measure continue to be shed abroad in our hearts!