Matthew 26:26-30

Mat 26:26 (KJB)
And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

Now on the heels of the Passover meal, Jesus now institutes the Lord’s Supper which will become of the two remembrances that He will command the church keep, the other is water baptism. Jesus then took the bread and when He broke it, He gave it to the disciples and said, “take, eat: this is my body.” The broken bread was symbolic of the Lord’s body which will soon be broken by means of scourging and crucifixion. (1 Cor 11:24 KJV) And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. Now this is a symbolic observance because the bread could not be His body because He was standing in His body. Whenever Communion is served, it is always symbolic because it is a remembrance. Unfortunately over the years the Lord’s Supper has taken on some unbiblical characteristics. Some churches teach that it is a means of grace which it is not. It does not have the ability to grant salvation. That comes through Christ not a ceremony. Then there are two main aberrations of the Lord’s Supper which have survived many years, they are Consubstantiation and Transubstantiation.

Consubstantiation - It is the belief that the Lord Jesus Christ is present when the elements of Communion are given. He is present in the manner that the blood and body of Christ are present alongside the bread and wine. The Lutherans are the main denomination which still teach and believe this but not all. Martin Luther taught that the body and blood of Christ was present with the bread and wine.

Transubstantiation - It is the belief by the Roman Catholic Institution that the wafer and wine become the actual blood and body of the Lord Jesus Christ after the Priest consecrates it. This belief is based on an erroneous view of John 6. (John 6:54 KJV) Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. Many true Christians were murdered by the Roman Catholics because of their rejection of this teaching.

Mat 26:27 (KJB)
And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

Then Jesus takes the cup and gives thanks and then gives it to the disciples and tells them, “Drink ye all of it.” This means that everyone at that table should drink from that cup. This is also a command to every believer down through history that we are all to partake of the Lord’s Supper as a remembrance of His suffering and a looking forward to His return. (1 Cor 11:26 KJV) For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord's death till he come. It is to be celebrated until the Lord returns on the last day.

Mat 26:28 (KJB)
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Testament - Covenant
Remission - Forgiveness, release, or deliverance

Then Jesus refers to the cup as His blood of the New Testament or Covenant. The New Covenant has been prophesied in the Hebrew Scriptures. (Jer 31:31 KJV) Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: The old covenant was made at Sinai and was the law. Then God had made a covenant with Abraham. (Gen 17:7 KJV) And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. If you notice this was an everlasting covenant and the only everlasting covenant is the Covenant of Grace through the Lord Jesus Christ. Then there was the eternal covenant which God made with David. (2 Sam 7:13 KJV) He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever. The throne is the rule of the Lord Jesus Christ and that would be forever. No longer would a person have to keep the law and the ceremonies and sacrifices associated with it because now salvation comes through the Lord Jesus Christ. (Heb 9:13-15 KJV) For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: {14} How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? {15} And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Then these people who become saved under the new covenant will receive remission of their sins, that is, full forgiveness. (Acts 10:43 KJV) To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. No longer would a person have to appear year by year with a sacrifice because the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus took care of sins forever. (Col 2:13-14 KJV) And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; {14} Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; All sins of the believer have been removed and not just covered. Then the verse states that this was done for many and that means not everyone. (Mat 1:21 KJV) And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Jesus came to die for His people and not for everyone in the whole world. This is called Limited Atonement.

Mat 26:29 (KJB)
But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Here Jesus makes a great promise to the disciples and to us. He states that He will not drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when He drinks it new in His Father’s kingdom. This does not mean there is going to be wine drinking in Heaven but that there will be greater pleasures in Heaven when all the suffering in the world is completed by the believers and the end finally comes. (Psa 16:11 KJV) Thou wilt show me the path of life: in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore. It is compared to the non-alcoholic wine of this age because of the freshness of the grape which brings refreshment. The word “new” in this verse carries with it the meaning of “in a new exalted way.” This verse is to be understood that when the last one is saved and all the judgments are out of the way, the eternal life of bliss for the redeemed child of God will just be beginning when we are all together, the completed body of Christ. It will be a time of unending joy.

Mat 26:30 (KJB)
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

The hymn they probably sang was the Hallel Psalms 115-118 which signified the end of the Passover meal. Jesus Himself had sung the hymn too even though He knew that they were going to meet the soldiers head on who were going to arrest Him. One of the reasons that Jesus could sing the hymn with His impending crucifixion at hand is found in Hebrews. (Heb 12:2 KJV) Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus despised or set aside the shame of the cross which would last for but a second compared to eternity and to what it will accomplish. It would purchase the salvation for millions and the fact that He will sit at the right hand of the throne of God tells us that His sacrifice is sufficient to save all He came to save and to rule throughout eternity.

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