THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN FOR US? – AN EASTER MESSAGE FOR GOOD FRIDAY
PART A. LOOKING AT CERTAIN TEXTS
{{Luke 22:19 “When He had taken some bread and given thanks, He broke it, and gave it to them saying, “THIS IS MY BODY WHICH IS GIVEN FOR YOU. Do this in remembrance of Me”}}
Luke is the only evangelist to mention “which is given for you”. Jesus gave His body for us and soon we will examine what that means.
There was one stage I was using an expression quite without thinking, a habit a lot of us do. We just repeat what we have heard and don’t critically examine it. Well I did examine it and went to check it against scripture and found it was wrong, or is it fully wrong? The expression is “His body was broken for us.”
How can the body of the Lord be broken if His bones were not? {{John 19:36 These things came to pass that the Scripture might be fulfilled, “NOT A BONE OF HIM SHALL BE BROKEN,”}}. His body was whipped and torn, lacerated extensively, bruised and shamefully treated but it was not broken.
Someone might say, “How can you say that when we have a verse like this – {{1Corinthians 11:23-24 for I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread, 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.”}} “Surely the broken bread represents a broken body?”
That is a good observation and to connect this we look at the great Day of Atonement when two goats were taken, the one for sacrifice and the one for the scapegoat. The sacrificial goat was killed, giving its life, and the blood was taken by the high priest to be sprinkled on the ark and mercy seat. Its body was not broken though, nor a bone broken. The scapegoat had the nation’s sins confessed over it and then released to a solitary place bearing away the sins of the people. It also was not broken in its body.
What does the breaking of the bread mean and is there a correlation to a broken body? The answer to the second part is “No” because the Lord’s body was not broken. Greek scholar F B Meyer says in his Commentary – [[“Christ’s body was not, indeed, literally broken (John 19:33), but in His violent death our Lord sees that accomplished in His body which He had just done with the bread. This is the point of what He beholds in the broken bread looked upon by Him with such direct creative vividness of regard; but in truth the simple t? ?p?? ?µ?? is more in keeping with the deep emotion of the moment than any attempt to expound in a more detailed way the symbolism which both presents and interprets itself in the breaking of bread; and Matthew and Mark have not even this “for you.”]]
In fact there has been much dispute among scholars and textual critics about the Greek in this verse - 1Corinthians 11:23. The Pulpit Commentary touches on that dispute in summary – [[These words are omitted by all the best uncials, “Which is broken for you.” The word "broken" is of doubtful authenticity. Some manuscripts have "given," and one (D) a milder word for "broken," as though to avoid any contradiction of John 19:36, where, however, the word is "shall not be crushed." The "broken" is nevertheless involved in the "he broke it," which was a part of the ceremony as originally illustrated.]]
I will draw this discussion to an end because there is the lovely meditation to come on what “GIVEN” means. To close I will quote from Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges – [[In some manuscripts, the word “broken” is omitted, but the majority of manuscripts retain it, and its omission renders the sentence rather harsh. Thus, then, the words of the institution [of the communion], as recorded by St Paul, are as follows: ‘This is My body, which is [being broken] for you; this do in remembrance of Me, i.e. to serve as a memorial of Me, or to preserve My memory. Let us next take Luke’s account of it, derived either from St Paul or from the same source as his. ‘This is My body, which is given for you; this do in remembrance of Me.’ Matthew and Mark simply give the words, ‘Take, eat: this is My body.’]]
PART B. WHAT BLESSINGS HAVE FLOWED FROM “GIVEN FOR US”?
This is directly what the Lord said: HIS BODY WAS GIVEN [FOR US]. The disciples probably did not recall those words at the crucifixion and if they did, they did not know the meaning of them as they saw the Lord dying, savagely taken from them. Their despondency was immense; dreams shattered and the future just annihilated.
After the resurrection Jesus taught His disciples but all the recall and power came from the Holy Spirit who granted absolute understanding. He set the disciples on fire. We will examine seven aspects of what this word “given” contains.
NUMBER 1 - GIVEN FOR SALVATION
This is the most obvious reason for the Lord’s death on the cross, and the benefit derived from that for all repentant sinners. It was the focus of Peter’s testimony before the high priest – {{Acts 4:12 “and there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.”}}
The Lord gave Himself in order that all might be saved, and that salvation comes to all those who repent and believe. Paul and Barnabas were the lights to the Gentiles so they would hear the words of salvation.
O sinner, all who are lost, listen to the word of the Lord – {{2Corinthians 6:2 for He says, “At the acceptable time I listened to you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is “the acceptable time,” BEHOLD, NOW IS “THE DAY OF SALVATION”}}. “Given for you” – given for full salvation. Jesus gave up His body, His life, for the salvation of the world and if anyone refuses that, that person will be guilty of the blood of the Lord. Do not spurn what was freely given for you.
Why was the cross necessary? Was there any other way? There could have been ways but then God would not be God because His attributes would fail. God’s holiness would fail if salvation bypassed the cross. God’s justice would fail if penalty for sin was overlooked. The penalty had to be met but who could do that? Could you pay the eternal judgement sin deserves. Miserably, not! The hymn writer stated it well in this stanza –
There was none other good enough
To pay the price of sin.
He only could unlock the gate
Of heaven, and let us in.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like if God created us as the animals with no eternal spirit? We would be creatures of the earth to live our lives and then to die. Then is the oblivion of nothingness. No, God created precious souls with an eternal spirit so those souls could know perfection in righteousness with God in eternity.
However sin severed all relationship and there was no permanent way for salvation except through the death of God’s Son. That is why salvation is so important. The Lord was given for our salvation. Praise the Saviour for that.
NUMBER 2 - GIVEN LOVINGLY
What better verse can we have for this than the gospel in a nutshell as it is called – {{John 3:16 “for God so loved the world that HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life,”}}. The Lord Jesus Christ was given lovingly to be the Saviour of the world.
Of all the New Testament writers it is the Apostle John who teaches most clearly what love is. The godly principle is that love is a two way street. We love Him because He first loved us. The Lord laid down His life in love for us vile and wretched sinners who had all gone our own ways further and further away from God, but then His love laid hold on us in conversion to make us fellow members of God’s loving family.
We look at two more verses as we think of God’s love this Easter time – {{1John 3:1 “See how great a love THE FATHER HAS BESTOWED UPON US that we should be called children of God, and such we are. For this reason the world does not know us because it did not know Him.”}} And we have this truth also – {{1John 4:10 “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that HE LOVED US and SENT HIS SON to be the propitiation for our sins.”}}
The Saviour was given in love from the very heart of the Father; He came in love for all the world; and He dies lovingly for all mankind.
NUMBER 3 – GIVEN ETERNALLY
What use would salvation be if it was for this life only? It would make no sense whatever. God created us with eternity in our inner being, and so great was the love and mercy of the Father that Jesus was given to bring us life everlasting. Our eternal destinies mattered to Him. Consider what Paul wrote in regard to this – {{1Timothy 1:15 “It is a trustworthy statement deserving full acceptance, that CHRIST JESUS CAME INTO THE WORLD TO SAVE SINNERS, among whom I am foremost of all,”}}
If we don’t have eternal life then we have eternal death resting on our heads. All mankind has eternal death as an inheritance to be cashed in. God loved so immensely that the Son was given, so eternal death would be replaced by eternal life.
I have been using eternal life but everlasting life I think is much better, as the AV uses it in John 3:16. In Mathematics we have a ray, a line segment and a line. A line extends from one end to the other, both ends without an end/terminus. That is like eternal, as God is, from eternity past to eternity future.
A line segment is a fixed section of a line that has a terminus at both ends. That is like a giraffe, say; it is born and it dies. There is nothing everlasting or eternal in that.
A ray has a starting point but has no end. It continues forever. That is like us Christians. Our starting point is when we accepted the Lord into our lives and now we have everlasting life. I like to think of us as rays.
NUMBER 4 – GIVEN GRACEFULLY
What is your favourite New Testament verse on grace? This is mine – {{2Corinthians 8:9 “for you know THE GRACE OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, that though He was rich, yet for your sake He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.”}}. That is one of the greatest substitution verses in the bible. What I was, Christ became; so that what Christ is, I become!
It was through grace that such a sinner as I have been taken from the dungeon of sinfulness and condemnation, and elevated to a position at the King’s table. The perfect example is Mephibosheth, lame, rejected, and in a hopeless mess, but GRACE shown by David, brought him out of his misery and placed him at the King’s own table. What greater measure of grace could we find, of what the Father has done for me/you. It is grace abounding. Here I quote the words of Philip Doddridge:
Grace! 'tis a charming sound
Harmonious to my ear;
Heaven with the echo shall resound,
And all the earth shall hear.
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Grace first contrived the way
To save rebellious man;
And all the steps that grace display
Which drew the wondrous plan.
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’Twas grace that wrote my name
In life’s eternal book;
’Twas grace that gave me to the Lamb,
Who all my sorrows took.
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Grace taught my wandering feet
To tread the heavenly road;
And new supplies each hour I meet,
While pressing on to God.
Let us never forget the cost of our salvation, and at this Easter time let us NEVER forget each word in this verse – {{Ephesians 1:7 “In HIM we have REDEMPTION through His BLOOD, the FORGIVENESS of our trespasses, according to the RICHES OF HIS GRACE”}}
NUMBER 5 – GIVEN SACRIFICIALLY
{{John 1:35-36 Again the next day John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked upon Jesus as He walked and said, “BEHOLD, THE LAMB OF GOD!”}}
The lamb always signified sacrifice, the innocent for the guilty. Although the scripture does not say, the clothing God prepared for the nakedness of Adam and Eve came from a slaughtered lamb/lambs. All the lambs sacrificed in the Old Testament were types of the perfect Lamb of God who was to come into the world. God Himself will provide a lamb for sacrifice – {{Genesis 22:8 Abraham said, “GOD WILL PROVIDE FOR HIMSELF THE LAMB FOR THE BURNT OFFERING, my son,” so the two of them walked on together.”}}
((Psalm 40:6-7 Sacrifice and meal offering You have not desired. My ears You have opened. Burnt offering and sin offering You have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I COME. In the scroll of the book it is written of me.”}} Sacrifice and offerings could never atone for the sin of us all. Then Jesus came as our sacrifice. Make no mistake about it, the Lord came for the cross, not to establish Himself on the earth (at that time). Sacrifice for sins was the purpose of the first Advent and His coming was confirmed by Paul – {{Hebrews 7:26-27 “It was fitting that we should have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens - who does not need daily, like those high priests, to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of the people, because this He did once for all when HE OFFERED UP HIMSELF.”}}
And if you missed that, we have again this precious truth stated a bit further on – {{Hebrews 9:14 “how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit OFFERED HIMSELF WITHOUT BLEMISH TO GOD, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”}}
The sacrifice of Christ is remembered each Sunday at the Lord’s table and when the whole Church is gathered in heaven after the Rapture we have this – {{Revelation 5:6-7 and I saw between the throne (with the four living creatures) and the elders, A LAMB STANDING AS IF SLAIN, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. He came, and He took it out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne,”}}
For all eternity Jesus will be the Lamb of God given for the sins of the world.
NUMBER 6 – GIVEN UNRESERVEDLY
Was there any holding back from the cross? Did Jesus give Himself but with some reluctance? Jesus came into the world for a steadfast purpose and lived steadfastly in the knowledge of His mission. “I come to do Your will, O God,”
Jesus Christ never wavered once from the reason for His coming. Sadly some do not appreciate what transpired in the Garden of Gethsemane on the betrayal night. Matthew records this – {{Matthew 26:39 and He went a little beyond them and fell on His face and prayed saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me, YET NOT AS I WILL, BUT AS YOU WILL,”}}
The Lord was in torment, for what lay ahead was a pit so deep there was no standing (Psalm 69:2 ) and He knew all the waves and billows of God’s wrath would Passover Him (Psalm 69:15 ) and He’d be poured out like water (Psalm 22:14). The dread of what was to transpire was overwhelming but never did He flinch or contemplate any action other than fulfilling the Father’s will. Those who say He had doubts or wanted to turn back are offering up almost blasphemy.
“Here am I. Send Me.” He came and was resolute in man’s salvation. {{Luke 9:51 “It came about, when the days were approaching for His ascension, that HE RESOLUTELY SET HIS FACE to go to Jerusalem.”}} Jesus resolutely set His face to Golgotha because He came to do the Father’s will.
NUMBER 7 – GIVEN FREELY
There was no compulsion whatever in the coming of Jesus into the world. The whole Godhead had it planned from past eternity, and in the fullness of time Jesus came, born of a virgin to give new birth to all those who would enter in by faith.
The Father freely gave His Son into the world and freely gave Him to the shame of the cross. Salvation comes at the greatest possible price that no one could ever pay. How we love the Lord who did all this for us. Because the Lamb was given freely to the cross, how dreadful it is for those who despise the Son of God and reject Him. Paul touches on the freely part in this verse – {{Romans 8:32 “He who did not spare His own Son, but DELIVERED HIM UP FOR US ALL, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things?”}}
To close this seventh point here is a verse – {{Matthew 10:8 “Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give.”}}
The Father gave freely and we receive freely. We must give freely because we received freely.
We looked at 7 points of what it means, “My body GIVEN FOR YOU.” God bless you this Easter time.
