Matthew 26:17-30 - Homilies By J.a. Macdonald

The Lord's Supper.

The institution of the Holy Supper was in connection with the eating of the Passover. The occasion was most appropriate and significant; for the Jewish feast had been instituted to foreshadow what the Christian festival was founded to commemorate (see 1 Corinthians 5:6-8 ). The two sacraments of Christianity express all that was expressed in the entire circle of the ceremonial law, and more. All the washings are embodied in the sacrament of baptism; all the sacrifices and feasts in the Eucharist. Consider—

I. THE JEWISH PASSOVER .

1 . The lamb typified Christ.

2 . Its sacrifice foreshadowed his Passion.

3 . The feast anticipated his communion.

II. THE CHRISTIAN INSTITUTE .

1 . The elements of the sacrament.

(a) It was not his very body. "This is" equivalent to a common Hebrew idiom (cf. Genesis 40:12 ; Genesis 41:26 ; Daniel 7:23 ; Daniel 8:21 ; 1 Corinthians 10:4 ; Galatians 4:24 ).

(b) Bread signifies all food which supports the life of the body. So is the body of Christ, discerned by faith, the sufficient and necessary food of the spirit.

(a) "This is" cannot be literally taken. For in Luke ( Luke 22:20 ) the words are, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood," which it will not be contended is to be literally taken. The drinking of literal sacrificial blood was a custom amongst idolaters. But this was never practised in the service of Jehovah (see Psalms 16:4 ).

(b) Blood, viz. of the vegetable kind is chosen to set forth the life of the resurrection of Christ, which is that in which the true Christian has communion with him.

2 . The treatment of the elements.

3 . The admonitory incident.