In the previous chapters a link was established between the sacrifices commanded under the Law and the sacrifice of Christ. The sacrifices embodied a prophetic element by pointing to the better offering by Jesus in accordance with the will of the Father. The animals offered served to validate the faithfulness of the people through keeping God’s commands and laid the foundation for Christ who would be revealed in the fullness of time (Galatians 4.4). The Law was a specific means of preparing the world for the Messiah (Galatians 3.24, Romans 10.4) who would indeed be the more excellent sacrifice to take away the sins of the world (Hebrews 10.1-4, Hebrews 9.15-16).
A contrast can be made between the animal sacrifices offered under the Law of Moses and that of Christ. The animal sacrifices represented a continual remembering of transgression (Hebrews 10.1) and the Law itself was incapable, by it’s design, of completely justifying man with God (Hebrews 7.19, Romans 3.20). The animal sacrifices were also intended to help the Hebrews remember the blessings they received from God. The contrast emerges as we note that the sacrifices, which were to be made continually, served a prophetic function by looking forward to the time of Christ.
Once Christ had been offered as the final sacrifice, ending the need for animal offerings (Hebrews 10.10,12), this particular aspect of worship and remembrance would not be necessary. Since Christ had been offered once, God’s people would no longer have to offer animals as a form of worship and remembrance. God’s people however were not left without an instrument of remembrance of the blessings provided through the death of Christ. God always commanded and provided a way for those who love Him to remain mindful of His goodness.
The means by which Christ is to be remembered is through the memorial referred to as the Communion or Lord’s Supper. Instituted prior to His death, the significance and practice of the memorial are greatly misunderstood by some and ignored by others. The institution of this memorial, however, represents the passing of the Law of Moses for a more durable covenant.
Paul states that the purpose of the Communion is to “proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes” (1 Corinthians 11.26 NKJV). While simple on the surface, the act of keeping this memorial contains a number of representative elements that link the scriptures together focusing our attention on Christ as the summation of God’s eternal plan. These representations have to do with God’s blessings through the remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ, the sanctification of Jesus as the lamb offered by God for the sins of the world, Christ’s consecration as a high priest of the new covenant and the implications of Christ’s sacrifice as a spiritual Passover.
The timing of the institution of the memorial ties together many elements found in the scriptures that point to Christ. Jesus met with His disciples to keep the Passover on the eve of His betrayal by Judas (Matthew 26.2,17-19, Mark 14.1,12-16, Luke 22.1,7-15). Christ kept this feast as commanded by God at a critical point in the spiritual history of the world.
The Passover, instituted during the Hebrews’ bondage in Egypt, represented life to the people of God and death to those outside of His favor. The Passover put an end to a way of life for the Hebrews ushering in a new era. In a similar fashion, Christ’s death signaled the end of a way of life, not only for the Jews under the Law, but for the entire world through the establishment of a new covenant or Testament. The price for the Hebrews freedom was the death of the firstborn of Egypt. The price for the freedom of the world from sin was the death of Christ, God’s firstborn. The Passover utilized physical elements representing God’s power over life, death, captivity and freedom. Christ embodied and represents spiritual freedom from sin and ties these elements together in one solemn memorial.
John refers to Christ as the “word” (John 1.1-4), a great light sent from God to a world that was cut off from the Lord spiritually. While on earth, Christ, as the word of God, had come to finish the work of the Father (John 4.34). He was given the power and authority to finalize the changes that God had predetermined (Matthew 28.18) and by means of death, and His subsequent resurrection, became the doorway to God (John 14.6). The events that transpired before Christ’s death, leave us with a sense of finality, transition and instruction for faithful service through remembrance.
God has chosen the “foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty; and the base things of the world and the things which are despised God has chosen ....” (1 Corinthians 1.27-28). God displayed His wisdom, as demonstrated by Christ, in using simple items to call to mind what the Lord has accomplished. As noted above, the purpose for the memorial commanded by Christ, was to “proclaim the Lord’s death till he comes.” (1 Corinthians 11.26). This statement along with the instructions given to the disciples with Him at the time of it’s institution, provides some insight into the process of observing the Communion, and implications for those keeping the memorial.
Some, possibly misunderstanding the meaning of the Lord’s Supper, have given it undue mystical qualities. Paul’s rebuke of the Corinthians shows us that this is not the case. In his writing Paul points to the attitude on the part of the individual Christians while observing the Lord’s Supper as being crucial. He states, “But let a man examine himself and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup ....” (1 Corinthians 11.28). The focus here is not on any spiritual power or renewal to be gained from the mere eating and drinking of the bread and fruit of the vine. There are no implied mystical powers ascribed to these elements. The emphasis is on the heart of those partaking.
The same can be said about the uses of these elements under the Law, which we will discuss shortly. The items and their properties used in the various acts of worship in the Tabernacle possessed no power in themselves. The emphasis was on the manner in which they were offered by those directed to do so. If there had been any power in the things themselves then the nation would not have fallen away from God but would have been continually renewed. The writings of the prophets however speak of an attitude of negligence on the part of the people who no longer respected God and thus offered unacceptable sacrifices (Malachi 1.7-8, Zephaniah 3.1-2). The defiling of the sacrifices, or the failure to offer them at all, represented the state of spirituality on the part of God’s people.
The withholding of the type of sacrifices required by God and the eventual rejection of the Hebrews, with the exception of the remnant who remained faithful, was brought about by the hardness of the heart of the people. Joel told the nation of Judah to “rend your heart, and not your garments ...” (Joel 2.13). The Psalmist wrote, “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart, these O God you will not despise.” (Psalm 51.17 NKJV). Hosea also states, “For I desire mercy and not sacrifice, and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.” (Hosea 6.6).
The sacrifices were to call to mind the goodness of God toward a people who were established as a nation literally by God’s own intervention. God was interested in being remembered and treasured by His people as He had treasured them (Exodus 19.5). The forgetfulness of the Hebrews, similar to all of mankind in general, resulted when the Hebrews no longer called these blessings to mind.
The same situation had occurred in Corinth. “Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord’s Supper. For in eating, each one takes his own supper ahead of others; and one is hungry and another is drunk.” (1 Corinthians 11.20-21). The spiritual purpose of the Communion had been forgotten. The manner in which this was being done, and the attitudes on the part of the Corinthians, were unacceptable to God. Paul continues, “Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 11.27 NKJV). The attitude that was unacceptable is further clarified as Paul states, “For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep.” (1 Corinthians 11.29-30 NKJV).
The idea of discerning the Lord’s body implies the self examination that Paul speaks of (1 Cor. 11.28) and understanding the reasons for observing the Communion. Paul emphasizes the realization of one’s spiritual condition and the blessing of forgiveness found in Christ. Keeping these things in mind causes one to approach the Lord’s Supper with an attitude of reverence and respect coupled with humility and the desire to be in God’s favor by faithful obedience. Christ’s instructions to His disciples at the time of the institution of the memorial bears this out as well.
Christ took the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine and gave specific directions and meaning for their usage. “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.” (Luke 22.19-20). Matthew and Mark also record these instructions (Matthew 26.26-28, Mark 14.22-24). Christ’s emphasis was on remembrance. His body had not been taken and crucified yet, nor his blood shed. In this instance Christ acted prophetically hours before these events occurred. Like the Father, Christ often spoke and acted toward things in the future as though they had already occurred. Christ spoke of something which was to be done shortly and so the memorial took on the importance with which it was instituted and intended.
The unleavened bread, since that was all that was allowed by God’s command for the Passover, and the fruit of the vine, had figurative significance in this episode. The disciples were to revere the death of the Lord and commemorate His sacrifice through these simple items. Paired with the statements of Paul, the spiritual significance of the Communion lies within the heart of the Christian observing the Lord’s Supper and not specifically within the elements themselves.
The utilization of the unleavened bread and fruit of the vine imply limitations or boundaries, as previously noted. Leavened bread was not to be used since this would have violated God’s commands concerning the Passover. To substitute other elements in this memorial, as the Corinthians had done, reducing the memorial to a common meal, would constitute an unauthorized change in God’s instructions. To alter the observance in any way, including lack of reverence for the body and blood of Christ, renders such action unacceptable to God.
The act of remembrance, as noted above, represents the mental and spiritual state of those observing the memorial. Nothing in the scriptures implies any spiritual cleansing or power to the elements themselves except that they are reserved for a specific usage, are to be of a specific type, and taken with the proper attitude. They are to be used when the saints gather themselves together, which can be concluded in Paul’s remarks above, which occurred specifically on the first day of the week (Acts 20.7). Outside of this, no spiritual properties are inherent in the bread and fruit of the vine beyond the context of reverent worship to God through Christ and faithful observance of His command.
The unleavened bread provides a further figurative link between Christ and His consecration as God’s sacrifice. Under the Law, specific instructions were given by God for the offering of unleavened bread with the sacrifices. God stated to Moses, “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread; neither shall the fat of my sacrifice remain until the morning.” (Exodus 23.18). Speaking of the Passover in particular God directed that, “Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leaven; neither shall the sacrifice of the Passover be left until morning.” (Exodus 34.25).
Christ instituted the Lord’s Supper during a period that was one of national purification in preparation for the Passover. During this time the Hebrews, and later the Jews, as they became known after the Babylonian exile, were to observe this. God told Moses that the Passover was to be eaten with unleavened bread, “And they shall eat the flesh in that night, roast with fire, and unleavened bread; and with bitter herbs they shall eat it.” (Exodus 12.8). Later, Moses repeats these instructions stating, “Thou shalt therefore sacrifice the passover unto the Lord thy God, of the flock and the herd, in the place which the Lord shall choose to place His name there. Thou shalt eat no leavened bread with it; seven days shalt thou eat unleavened bread therewith, even the bread of affliction; for thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt in haste: that thou mayest remember the day when thou camest forth out of the land of Egypt all the days of thy life.” (Deuteronomy 16.2-3).
Within the sacrifices commanded under the Law, and specifically the Passover, is the element of remembrance. God instructed that this feast and the feast of unleavened bread were to be a remembrance of His deliverance of the Hebrews from bondage (Exodus 13.8-9). This memorial was put in place to remind the people of the power of God and His love for them. In the same manner the Communion, or Lord’s Supper, reminds Christians of the deliverance from sin through God’s power.
The second element of the Lord’s Supper, the fruit of the vine, may also be considered to have a figurative representation as well. The shedding of blood is synonymous with the idea of being poured out. Paul brings this out in his final letter to Timothy. “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure is come.” (2 Timothy 4.6 NASB). To the Philippians Paul wrote, “But even if I am being poured out as a drink offering upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and share my joy with you all.” (Philippians 2.17 NASB). Paul also stated that Christ, “... emptied himself, taking the form of a bond servant, and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” (Philippians 2.7). This statement contains the image of Christ setting aside His place in heaven with the Father and pouring himself out as a sacrifice for the sins of mankind.
The aspect of being poured out contains a link both figuratively and prophetically with the sacrifices offered under the Law. Drink offerings were included in the offering of sacrifices to God. In the instructions for the daily or continual burnt offerings God directed, “And the drink offering thereof shall be the fourth part of an hin for the one lamb: in the holy place shalt thou cause the strong wine to be poured unto the Lord for a drink offering. And the other lamb shalt thou offer at even: as the meat offering of the morning, and as the drink offering thereof, thou shalt offer it, a sacrifice made by fire, of a sweet savour unto the Lord.” (Numbers 28.7-8).
Likewise, specific instructions were given for a sacrifice to be made on the Sabbath. “And on the sabbath day two lambs of the first year without spot, and two tenth deals of fine flour for a meat offering, mingled with oil, and the drink offering thereof: this is the burnt offering of every sabbath, beside the continual burnt offering, and his drink offering.” (Numbers 28.9-10). Notice the connection with the lambs and their condition. They were to be offered without spot, representative of Christ, and are accompanied by a drink offering which was poured out at the time of the sacrifice.
Similar instructions were given for other sacrifices as well. Drink offerings were to be made with the offering of the firstfruits of the harvest (Leviticus 23.13), accompanied the offering of seven lambs on the day of Pentecost (Leviticus 23.18), accompanied the feasts of the Lord, including the feast of tabernacles (Leviticus 23.37) and offered with unleavened bread as part of the law of the Nazarite (Numbers 6.15-17). The drink offerings were to be made with the burnt offerings, freewill offerings, solemn feasts and the performance of vows to God (Numbers 15.5-10). The entire congregation was to offer a drink offering with other sacrifices as ordered for the sin of ignorance (Numbers 15.24).
The detail involved in the above references seems to indicate that along with the various sacrifices there was also a drink offering made as well. Since the sacrifices in a figurative sense contained a prophetic symbol of Christ, it is logical to conclude that the drink offering was a figure of the shedding of Christ’s blood, or more specifically, His act of surrendering His life. The idea of something being poured out in the sacrifice of Christ can be found in the writing of the prophets.
Joel states, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh...” (Joel 2.28). Peter states that this was fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2.16) and quotes the passage in it’s entirety during his sermon (Acts 2.18). We will discuss the passage more fully in the section on doctrine, but for now, the question to be asked is; how was God’s spirit being poured out? Peter responded to the repentant multitude, when they asked him what they should do, that they were to, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2.38). The gift which Peter spoke of was the washing away of the sins of which they repented. Having done this God then added them to the church (Acts 2.47).
The pouring out of God’s spirit was to be upon all flesh (Joel 2.28) or as Peter stated “to all that are afar off” (Acts 2.39). Paul clarifies who these people are, who were not part of God’s family under the former covenant (Ephesians 2.13). The gift of God was Christ (John 3.16) who poured out his soul unto death (Isaiah 53.12) which brought about the forgiveness of sins by the shedding of His blood (Romans 6.1-7). In this light, the drink offerings may be considered prophetic figures of the shedding of blood by Christ and the subsequent pouring out of God’s spirit for the remission of sins of the world as individuals come to repentance and obey the gospel.
Returning to the Lord’s Supper, we may establish a link with the act of remembrance with Christ’s death. Christ being made in the form of a man, having a body prepared by God which was to be offered as the final sacrifice for sins, left a simple means of remembering His sacrifice and the provisions made by God. The fruit of the vine, correctly appreciated by the Christian, represents the blood of Christ which was shed on the cross. This in turn points to the Father who gave Christ as the sacrifice and reinforces the remembrance of God’s patience and love for mankind. Finally this leads one to revere or respect the New Testament as God’s final statement and plan for reconciling man.
A second set of representations in the Lord’s Supper is that of Christ’s consecration as a high priest. While on earth Christ was given the authority to forgive sins, raise the dead, heal the sick and mark the beginning of the new covenant soon to be put in place. As with the discussion of the sacrifices above, the consecration of the priests under the Law provides another figurative link with the wholeness of the scriptures and God’s plan to bring the fullness of all things to their close in Christ.
God instructed Moses to consecrate Aaron and his sons to be ministers before him. Moses writes, “Now this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them to minister as priests to me: take one young bull and two rams without blemish, and unleavened bread and unleavened cakes mixed with oil, and unleavened wafers spread with oil; you shall make them with fine wheat flour ... and you shall put them in one basket, and present them in the basket along with the bull and the two rams.” (Exodus 29.2-3). These instructions can be found in other places in the Law as well (Leviticus 8.2-10). During the consecration of the priests the specific uses of a bull, two rams and the unleavened bread are stated more clearly (Leviticus 8.10-32).
The significance of the bread can be seen in later passages which speak of the duties of the priests and requirements they had to meet. Speaking of the priests, God stated, “They shall be holy to their God and not profane the name of their God, for they present the offerings by fire to the Lord, the bread of their God; so they shall be holy.” (Leviticus 21.6). A figure of Christ emerges more strongly along with the prophetic element of the unleavened bread when Moses writes, “No man of your offspring throughout their generations who has a defect shall approach to offer the bread of his God.” (Leviticus 21.17).
Christ was the sinless lamb of God. The priests, as noted above, were to be without defect as well. This can be considered as a figurative representation of a better priest to come who is Christ. The appearance of the unleavened bread in this sense specifically points to the future and provides a figure of Christ. Paired with the sacrifices and the consecration of the priests, the unleavened bread not only contained a means of remembrance for the Hebrews but also a sign for the future.
Christ, during the institution of the Communion, is consecrated as a sacrifice and also as the high priest of the new covenant. The writer of Hebrews discusses this in detail. Speaking of Christ, the writer states, “But this man, because he continueth ever, hath an unchangeable priesthood. Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.” (Hebrews 7.24-27).
The memorial instituted by Christ was such that the bread represented the body which was given for the sins of the world (Luke 22.19). Within the remembrance of the sacrifice of Christ is the awareness that He is the high priest of the faith. The discerning of the body, as Paul wrote to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 11.29), contains the knowledge of the rulership of Christ as the high priest of His people. This in turn points to the fact that it is only through Christ that one may come to God (John 14.6). Failure to rightly discern the Lord’s body is to separate oneself from God. The strong warnings by Paul to the Corinthians places great emphasis on the need to develop this reverence and recognition.
The third parallel that can be drawn is that between the Passover and the death of Christ on the cross. The Passover lamb was separated from the flock and reserved for the purpose of being offered. This offering created a barrier of protection for the people of God while it spelled the doom of the firstborn of Egypt. The Passover marked the end of bondage and the beginning of freedom under God’s spiritual leadership. The Passover also ended the leadership of the Patriarchs and instituted the leadership of Moses and the priests as ministers before God to the people through the instrument of the Law.
The Passover was commanded as a remembrance to mark the deliverance promised by God. The real act here to be remembered was the display of God’s power over life and death. In a similar fashion the Lord’s Supper is a remembrance of the display of God’s power by the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Christ is referred to as the Christian’s Passover in the New Testament which provides credibility for making this association. Paul writes, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.” (1 Corinthians 5.7). The situation here was one in which sin had been allowed to exist in the congregation at Corinth. Paul brings together several figurative elements in his writing. He refers to the sin as leaven. The sin was corruption and so the presence of sin, or leaven, rendered the Christians at Corinth defiled. They were part of the body of Christ, which is the church (Colossians 1.18), and were to be unleavened, or pure. The purification of the Christian is indicative of an attitude which abstains from sin (1 Thessalonians 5.22) and are thus to be holy as Christ is holy (1 John 2.6).
Like the Passover kept by the Hebrews, Christ embodies the power of God through His faithfulness and ability to perform the things that He has promised. Christ represented the passing of the old covenant to be replaced by a new and better law. His death marked the end of the bondage of sin and eternal death in Hell. Christ was separated from the beginning of the world and reserved as the sacrifice for sins just as the Passover lamb was killed. Christ, on the eve of his death, instituted a memorial by which his followers would remember His offering upon the cross. The blood of the Passover lamb meant death for those outside of the kingdom of God just as those who are outside God’s spiritual kingdom, the church, who are not cleansed by the blood of Christ, will be eternally lost.
The Lord’s Supper is therefore a remarkable yet simple means by which the body of Christ, the church, calls to mind the reason for their existence. The blessings of God and His goodness are brought to their fullest expression in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The unleavened bread and the fruit of the vine therefore represent the totality of God’s actions as they are brought together in the completion of His work. As Christians assemble themselves on the first day of the week to break bread, they are joined in common unity of purpose and spirit as God’s holy people. Properly observed the Communion becomes the reinforcement of an attitude of reverence, respect and thankfulness to God and His son Jesus Christ.