| Christian Life and Doctrine | April 1985 |
The Bread and the Cup
“Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake 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.” —Matthew 26:26-28
WHEN Jesus met with his disciples in the upper room to partake of the Passover supper, he realized the solemnity of the occasion, knowing that he was about to be put to death as the antitypical Passover Lamb. Within a few hours he would be lifted up on the cross to die for the sins of the whole world; this was the only way he could draw all men unto himself as the Redeemer and life-giver of the people.
Jesus knew that as the antitype of the Passover Iamb he was soon to he led to the slaughter, and that in the Father’s due time the merit of his sacrifice would provide for release from condemnation, first of his footstep followers of the Gospel Age, and later the release of all mankind from sin and death. In view of this he deemed it important, and in harmony with his Father’s will, that he instituted a memorial of his own death, a simple ceremony which would help to keep his followers reminded, not only of what he had done for them and for the world, but also of what they would have the privilege of doing together with him, as his partners in the divine plan of salvation.
So, as they were eating the Passover Supper, Jesus took some of the unleavened bread, and some of the wine, or “fruit of the vine,” and used them to institute the Memorial Supper. We read that he “took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to his 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 Covenant [Diaglott], which is shed for many for the remission of sins.”—Matt. 26:26-28
This was not intended to be a new form of the Passover Supper. It was designed to be a memorial of the death of the antitypical Passover Lamb. The broken bread and the crushed grape denoted suffering and death. The wine symbolized Jesus’ poured out life. In John 6:48-51 Jesus used bread to symbolize his flesh, his humanity. Thus in the twofold symbolism employed in the Memorial Supper we are reminded not only that a life has been poured out for us and for the world, but that it was a perfect life.
How appropriate it is that once each year we should be so forcefully reminded of the basis of our reconciliation with God, and of our eternal salvation from death! As we progress in the narrow way which leads to glory, honor, and immortality, we should become more and more aware of our own unworthiness of the grace which is daily bestowed upon us. Every failure in thought, word, and deed should keep us reminded of this. And if we take these experiences properly to heart we might well become discouraged except as we remember God’s provision through Christ which makes acceptable our imperfect works. One of the reminders of this is the Memorial Supper. Surely, then, this simple service should be a great source of strength to every faithful follower of the Master.
The Memorial season is a good time to renew our love for the brethren, and to resolve that we will appreciate them more than ever. They are our people because they are God’s people. And this does not mean just a few of them, or certain ones whose dispositions are compatible with ours according to the flesh—it means all the brethren. The Lord has called them all out of the world, and to himself. Are we honoring his choice by extending our understanding and love to all whom he has chosen? This is an important question to ponder in our hearts at Memorial time.
It was the joy set before Jesus that enabled him to endure the cross and despise the shame. (Heb. 12:2) And in the upper room that night Jesus set a glorious joy before his followers. He explained that his going away was to prepare a place for his disciples, and that he would come again to receive them unto himself, that where he was, there they might be also. What a glorious prospect!—John 14:3,3