The Life Of Jesus Christ In Its Historical Connexion

The description of the institution of the Eucharist given by Luke, harmonizing with that of Paul (1 Cor., xi., 23, seq.), seems to afford us the most clear and natural view of the transaction. It is distinguished from those of Matthew and Mark in stating definitely that the giving of the bread was separated by a certain interval from that of the wine; the former occurring during the supper, the latter after it. It is introduced by the following words of Christ: "I have heartily desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fufilled in the kingdom of God" (i. e., until, in the consummation of the kingdom, he should celebrate with them the higher and true Passover Supper). After these words of farewell, he takes the cup of red wine, blesses it, sends it round, and reminds them that he should no more drink of the fruit of the vine until he should partake with them of a higher wine in the kingdom of God. After thus vividly impressing them with his departure, and preparing them for the institution of a rite in its commemoration, he breaks one of the loaves, and divides it among them, showing them that the broken bread was to represent his body, given up for them; and this they were to repeat in remembrance of him. Then, after the conclusion of the meal, he sends round the cup again, and tells them that the wine is to represent his blood, about to be shed for them. Each of these acts, therefore -- the giving of the bread and the giving of the wine -- denotes the same thing, viz., the remembrance of the Last Supper. Each had its signification separately; but the repetition, during the meal and after it, served to impress the symbolical meaning of the act still more deeply upon the minds of the disciples.

The giving of thanks before the distribution of the bread and wine corresponds to a similar act on the part of the head of the family in the Jewish Passover feast, in which thanksgiving was offered for the gifts of nature, and also for the deliverance of the fathers out of Egypt and the founding of the old covenant; we may infer, therefore, that Christ's thanksgiving had reference partly to the creation of all material things for man (bread and wine symbolizing all God'S gifts in nature); partly, and indeed chiefly, to his own death, in order to deliver men from the bondage of sin, and, by his redemptive act, to establish the new covenant between God and man. [722]

As to the words used in the distribution, "This is my body;" and, "This is my blood," it is impossible that any of the recipients at that time could have supposed them to be literally meant; as he was then before them in his corporeal presence. Had he intended to present so new and extraordinary a sense to their minds, he could not but have stated it more definitely; and had they so understood him, the difficulty would assuredly have led them to question him further. But as the whole transaction -- the institution, at the close of a farewell supper, of a visible sign of communion to endure after his departure -- had a symbolical character, they would have interpreted these words also unnaturally, if they had understood them literally, and not symbolically. "This is, for you, my body and blood; i. e., represents to you my body and blood." The breaking of the bread was a natural symbol of the breaking of his body; the pouring out of the red wine (the ordinary wine of Palestine) was a natural symbol of the pouring out of his blood. "I offer up my life for your redemption; and when, in remembrance thereof, you meet again to partake of this supper, be assured that I shall then be with you as truly as now I am with you, visibly and corporeally, in body and blood. The bread and wine, which I now divide among you as symbols of my body and blood, will then stand in stead of my corporeal presence."

It may be added, that this symbol was not an entirely new one to the disciples: it had been used substantially, in the conversation before referred to (p.267, seq.) between Christ and the Jews, in the synagogue at Capernaum. To "eat his flesh and drink his blood" was an understood sign of the closest spiritual communion with his Divine-human nature. And therefore he said, in giving the wine, "This is my blood, the seal of the new covenant, which is given for many for the remission of sins." [723]