And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” (Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22; Luke 22:19) ...which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” (Luke 22:19) Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. (Matthew 26:27-28; Mark 14:23-24; Luke 22:17, 20)
We studied previously when Jesus told the Jews, while He was teaching at the synagogue in Capernaum, "I am the bread of life. Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead. This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die. I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:48-51; see THE GOSPEL: Can We Handle The Truth) Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day." (John 6:53-54; see THE GOSPEL: Flesh & Blood, Really)
Therefore many of His disciples, when they heard this, said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” ... From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more. (John 6:60, 66) At that time, the twelve remained. Now one of them, Judas Iscariot has left also. (see THE GOSPEL: Plan Put in Motion; Choose the Better Plan) But the Jews were accurate when they said, “This is a hard saying; who can understand it?” They couldn't understand it, because they didn't have "ears to hear"! Jesus explained, "...The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life. But there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were who did not believe, and who would betray Him. And He said, “Therefore I have said to you that no one can come to Me unless it has been granted to him by My Father.” (John 6:63-65)
The disciples didn't fully understand what Jesus meant either, up until this moment, during their last supper with Christ. He was establishing the new covenant. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant... In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. (Hebrews 8:7-8, 13; see HEBREWS: The New Covenant)
But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption. ... how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:11-15; see HEBREWS: The Perfect Sacrifice)
This is why we continue this tradition today, For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. (I Corinthians 11:23-26) We are to continue this memorial for Christ's death for our sins; but Jesus went on to tell the disciples, "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.” (Matthew 26:29; Mark 14:25; Luke 22:18)
What a promise for Christ to make, and a promise He will keep! Yet again, He was reassuring the disciples that He was leaving, but He will be with them and all of us who believe again, in the ...new heaven and a new earth... (Revelations 21:1) Until that day comes, when we are united with Him in His Father’s kingdom, He has a few more promises for us to stand upon, which we will study in the next several lessons... (John 14-17)
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