Rebecca’s Well: Jesus Institutes The Lord’s Supper

The Lord’s Supper is recorded in The Three Synoptic Gospels and The First Epistle of Paul The Apostle To The Corinthians. The Fourth Gospel According to St. John does not recount The Lord’s Supper,but there is the discussion of Jesus at that same supper washing the disciples’ feet and giving The New Mandatum or New Commandment. (Chapter 13). St. Matthew 26:26-30 And as they were eating, 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. But 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.” And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the mount of Olives.

St. Mark 14:22-26 And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, “Take, eat: this is my body.” And He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said unto them, “This is My Blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the Kingdom of God.” And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Luke 22:19-20 And He took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, “This is My body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.” Likewise also the cup after supper, saying “This cup is the New Testament in My Blood, which is shed for you.” Remember from last week’s article we recorded The Lord’s words spoken at The Last Supper: .”.. this is My body … this cup is the New Testament in My Blood … in remembrance of Me.” (1 Cor 11:24-25).

Observe the similarity of all these scriptural accounts. Now when you commune at home you may take in more of the words of The Supper. For I always repeat Jesus’ words “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.”.. And when they had sung an hymn they went out into the Mount of Olives,where was a garden in which HE PRAYED.

There are two Sacraments (Christian rites instituted by Jesus Himself: The Lord’s Supper or Holy Communion and Baptism. Jesus said “except a man (woman) be born of water (The Word) and Spirit, he or she cannot enter the Kingdom of God” (John 3:5). On a deeper level, I believe Jesus isn’t talking about water at all, but He is referring to our spirit. Observe Ephesians 5:26 .”.. washing of water (our spirit) by the Word.” Water is a type of both the Spirit and the Word. That is The Holy Spirit uses the Word to convict and to cleanse us of defilement and sin in our lives. Jesus makes this concept crystal clear in St. John 7:37-39 where .”.. out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water in verse 38 is interpreted by our Lord in verse 39 as “ … The Spirit…”

Finally, I want to say Communion is the Believer crucified at the cross with Jesus. Like Paul, we confess “I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20) Jesus’ body and blood become our body and blood. This is spiritual intimacy and Christian mysticism, the ultimate reality of communion with the Triune God. This is Oneness.
Amen. (Oh Yes!)