The Last Supper Series

• He had instructed them to remember Him in the eating of the unleavened bread, which represents His sacrificed body, and in the drinking of the cup, which represents His shed blood as a sacrifice for sin. “Do this,” He said, “as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:25). That memorial was to continue until that day in His Father’s kingdom. No particular timetable for celebrating the Lord’s Supper is commanded here. The early church apparently included it at the culmination of a “love feast” or fellowship meal (cf. Acts 2:42; 20:7–12; Jude 12). ( Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 392). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

The Lord’s promise to drink with the disciples in that future kingdom was another assurance to them of His return, an assurance that would take on intensified meaning after His death, resurrection, and ascension. “When I return to (consummate) My kingdom,” He promised them, “you will all be there and you will all drink the cup new with Me.” In other words, the Lord’s Supper not only is a reminder of our Lord’s sacrifice for our sins but also a reminder of His promise to return and share His kingdom blessings with us. From those words we learn that the end of this present age does not signal the end of this observance. The Lord’s Supper therefore points both to the past and to the future, both to Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary and to the messianic banquet (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, p. 539). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

• We feel this same sense of anticipation as we wait for our adult children to arrive “home for the holidays.” (It is also the longing to perfectly fellowship with those who have died and gone on to be in the Father’s presence). We can imagine the heart of the king waiting for the ingathering of his entire family before participating again in the meal himself. It has been anticipated nearly two thousand years now by our reckoning. Imagine how long it has been in the reckoning of the Father’s heart! What a grand family meal it will be! (Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 439). Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

(Format note: Outline & some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1985). Matthew (Mt 26:25–29). Chicago: Moody Press.)