Christ Our Passover Lamb

“as they were eating” [Matt 26:26; Mark 14:22] - Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper while he was eating with his disciples. But it was not just any ordinary meal. They were were eating the Passover meal, that had been prepared by the disciples and planned by their Lord. As they were eating Jesus took bread. In Luke’s gospel Jesus said to his disciples “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat is until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God” [Luke 22:15-16]. After he blessed the bread, he broke it and gave it to the disciples and said to them “Take, eat; this is my body” [Matt 26:26]. He then took a cup and when he had given thanks he gave it to the disciples, saying “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom” [Matt 26:27-29].

This all took place near the end of Jesus’ earthly life. He had been with these disciples for three years. Think of the amazing things he had said to them up to this point. Think of the amazing things he shown them up to this point. Think of the amazing things he had done for them up to this point. Now in the context of something that was familiar to them - the Passover meal - he was taking them into new territory. He was taking them into a new understanding and who he was, why he came and why he had called them into a covenant relationship with himself. he was taking the familiar and the foundational and taking them into a new reality and a new fulfillment. He offers them a piece of break and says, “Take, eat; this is my body” [Matt 26:26]. He offers them a cup of wine and says “Drink of is, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” [Matt 26:27-28].

Paul wrote these words concerning the Lord’s Supper: 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 (ESV)

23 For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.