THE LORD’S SUPPER
2004-2005
LESSON FIVE
I. Chapter Eight continued (Luke 22:13-22)
The description of the institution of the Supper as it is recorded in Luke 22.
1. Third author to undertake a repetition of words of institution.
2. Not an apostle; companion and co-worker of Paul.
3. Lk 1:1-4: He received material from apostles.
4. His account more like Paul’s than Matthew and Mark.
a. Almost copies Paul’s.
b. Probably received them from Paul.
c. Paul: received words after ascension.
(1) Not in midst of His infirmities.
(2) But, after received in glory to Father’s right hand.
(3) Repetition after ascension shows He desired use of proper and natural meaning of the words.
(4) Only He can open the closed book and read it (Rev 5:5).
5. Matthew’s and Mark’s descriptions.
a. Might leave question open whether Supper was only a personal one for the apostles.
b. Or, whether it was a universal command to whole church and to whole period of the New Testament.
c. Paul’s account answers the question (1Co 11:25,26)
(1) “This do in remembrance of Me” added.
(2) Paul then explains in v26.
(3) “This cup”: More exactly notes circumstance of the time (“after supper”).
1. Luke retains same words regarding.
a. taking the bread.
b. the giving of thanks Greek:eucharistēsas: “having given thanks”
c. the distribution.
d. the reception.
2. Passes over “Take and eat”.
3. However, he not only repeats but explains.
a. by noting circumstances of the Supper.
b. by adding a very full explanation.
c. even by showing difference between sacramental and spiritual eating.
d. Note this occurred “after supper” (v20), i.e. after the supper which preceded completed.
4. He records precise order of events.
a. Christ ate the pascal lamb (Lk 22:15,16)
(1.) Was eaten standing, swiftly, with loins girded and staff in hand.
(2.) Was a type, signifying Christ.
(3.) Custom was when completed, everyone sat down to a common meal with loins ungirded and staffs laid aside (see Jn 13:4)
b. Common meal finished (vv14-18).
c. Then “new” meal.
d. Christ therefore clearly separates His Supper from other suppers, whether
(1) Secular (common meals): He will not partake of it again.
(2) Symbolic (Passover): He had made an end to symbolic actions.
5. “given for you”: (v19)
a. No way this clause will permit another way than proper and natural meaning.
b. Is an explanatory expression.
6. “do this in remembrance of me”.
a. teaches and demonstrates the use and benefit of what is distributed and received.
b. i.e. “in memory of the fact that My body was given into death for you.”
c. throughout Scripture, the recording and memory of the name of God and His covenant signifies a true exercise of faith.
d. on contrary, loss of faith described by “forgetfulness” (2Pe1:9)
7. Therefore
a. “Take and eat”: the physical and the sacramental eating.
b. “in remembrance”: the spiritual eating.
8. “the new covenant in my blood” (v20)
a. Eliminates possibility of metaphor re: “blood” of Matthew and Mark.
b. “new covenant” cannot be a figure of speech due to words of first record (“the blood of the new covenant”): must have same meaning in both records. (cf T.R. and Nestle)
9. Note “is” as copula omitted in second portion.
a. Zwingli, et al, tried to make “is” a metonymy instead of “to be”.
b. But, what can they do when it is omitted.
c. Greek:Touto to potērion hē kainē diathēkē en tō haimati mou: This the cup the new covenant in the blood of me)
d. We agree in supplying the “is”, but should other words be changed because of a word which does not occur but must be supplied?
e. In repetition to Paul, Son of God repeated particularly things He judged in some need of clarification
(1) He passed over words not needing clarification (“Take and eat” and “Drink of it, all of you”).
(2) Did not wish to retract or abolish anything.
(3) Only to explain and clarify.
f. “new covenant”
(1) Sometimes used to indicate the effect (the blessings) (e.g. Jer 31:31ff)
(2) Sometimes refers to the covenant itself (i.e. the treaty itself)
(3) Often, both concepts joined together, but in a certain order (e.g. Ex 24:8).
g. This blood called the blood of the covenant.
(1) Because by its shedding, the treaty is ratified with God in order to acquire the blessings.
(2) And because, by the imparting of the same the treaty is also ratified and sealed with us, in order to confer and seal the covenant blessings with each individual communicant.
h. There are two main questions in the covenant of Christ.
(1) What is distributed to us and received orally?
(2) Why is it distributed to us?
(3) Matthew and Mark explain the first in a lucid way (His body and His blood)
(4) Matthew and Mark hint at answer to second question.
(5) Luke and Paul explain second point clearly (He ratifies, confirms, and seals His new covenant with us.)
(6) How this ratification takes place clearly explained by Matthew. (“Drink of it, all of you; this is My blood, which is the blood of the new covenant”)
(7) That it might be salutary, Paul adds “This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” (i.e. the spiritual eating, by faith, described).
i. Luke also uses “shed for you” Greek:to huper humōn ekchunomenon: for you being shed).
(1) In the Greek, can not be referred to anything but the cup.
(2) Therefore, it is not only wine.
(3) Is so clear in text, some (e.g. Beza) argue, either
(a) text is incorrect, or
(b) Luke inept in the Greek language.
II. Chapter Eight (1Co 11:23-29)
The description of the institution of the Lord’s Supper as it is recorded in Paul, 1Co 11.
A. The authority of Paul’s testimony should be great.
1. The apostle to the Gentiles.
2. Debtor equally to the learned and to the unlearned (Ro 1:14)
3. Jews and other learned knew figures of speech without needing anyone to show them.
4. But, unlearned Gentiles in danger of being deceived.
5. So, Paul speaks all the more clearly.
B. 1Co 11:23.
1. Paul set forth this form as a most certain rule and norm.
2. Could settle all such controversies rightly.
C. 1Co 11:18,20.
1. When you “come together as a church.”
2. He is not trying to suspend us between heaven and earth or to investigate the secrets of the heavens.
3. The Supper is and it is celebrated where any of His disciples are gathered in one place, in the church which is still struggling here on earth, for the purpose of eating the Supper. (i.e. “when you come together to eat”: 1Co 11:33).
D. 1Co 11:24.
1. Paul changes word order pointing to His true body.
2. Greek:Touto mou estin to sōma: “This of me is the body”
3. Adds greater emphasis.
E. 1Co 11:24 re: “broken for you”.
1. T.R.: Greek:klōmenon: “being broken”.
2. Is omitted in Nestles.
3. Luke has “which is given Greek:didomenon for you”.
4. No bone of pascal lamb was to be broken (Ex 12:46).
5. Jn 19:33,36: no bone of His to be broken.
6. Therefore, “broken” here is not used in place of “sacrificed”.
7. Must therefore refer to the distribution.
a. Bread.
b. and, Body.
c. Old Testament uses “break” for distribution (e.g. Ge 41:56,57; Dt 2:6; Pr 11:26; Is 55:1 all use Hebrew “shabar”)
8. Remember, Paul did not change the word “given” to “broken” by his own authority.
9. Christ chose the words.
F. Christ, the Ascended Lord, states two points
1. That it was given for us on the cross.
2. That the same body is broken in the Supper, i.e. distributed and offered.
3. He know of that which He speaks!
4. Therefore, the two formulas are not in conflict.
G. 1Co 10:16.
1. Paul calls it a Greek:koinōnia: a communion or participation.
2. More will be said on this later.
3. But it is not some idle distribution.
4. We must rest our case safely in His words: (2Co 10:5).
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