26 While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
Nothing in the history of Christianity is so well attested as the Last Supper of our Lord. Probably the earliest record of it comes from A.D. 55 when Paul wrote his first letter to the Corinthians (11:18-34), about 20 years after the actual incident. Luke, the historian, besides recording it in his gospel account, also noted in the history of the Acts of the Apostles, that the early church, after Pentecost was highly committed to enacting the Lord’s Supper, also called “breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42). Later in the first century we find reference to it as a regular event in Acts 20:7 on Sundays. If there is one thing central to obedience to Christ it is to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.
First Jesus gave a “blessing” which at that time, as at present, was a reference to giving thanks for their meal. Then taking the simple staples of life, Jesus gave to His disciples His own designated memorial tokens. He took the bread and broke it, the symbolism of which He explained was His body. Breaking it had the obvious force of reminding them that His body was “broken” for them. Much debate had taken place over the years about what goes on at the Lord’s Supper. Some think Jesus empowered the disciples (and ultimately the clergy) to transform the bread into the “very body of Christ.” This is called “transubstantiation,” held by Roman Catholics and some others, relying on other passages such as John 6:41-65. Another view, called “consubstantiation,” is held by Lutherans and some others, that Jesus meant the symbols would carry His spiritual, not physical presence.
However, Jesus used common, figurative language that we are quite familiar with even today. If I take out my wallet and show you a picture of my wife, and say, “This is my wife,” you understand clearly that what I am showing you symbolizes her. In actuality, I am showing you chemicals on a piece of photographic paper. But the image represents my wife. So, when Christ said, “This is my body,” He was using bread to symbolize His body, as John records Jesus saying, “It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life” (John 6:63).
Lord, as a genuine follower of Jesus Christ, I commit to celebrating the Lord’s Supper just as You commended — as often as my church holds it.
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