Wednesday, March 23
Scripture: Luke 22:14-23

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had 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.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed!” And they began to question one another, which of them it could be who was going to do this.

DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME

With the words, “Do this in remembrance of me,” Jesus was certainly referring to his impending sacrifice. But he seems to have also been asking his apostles to remember him, the person, their friend and Lord. With communion, we commemorate not only a one-time event, but the everlasting, perfect and ongoing reality of who Christ is. At the dinner table, Jesus left them with one final, intentional impression. I wonder if it was this impression that the apostles found most memorable that evening. What details of that first communion does Luke record that might bring new depth our celebration of this sacrament?

First, we can remember Christ’s sovereignty. Jesus was sovereign over the meal, beginning early in the day as he coordinated it (Luke 22:7-13). Although the passion and crucifixion awaited him, Christ demonstrated remarkable composure at the table. Arcabas represents Christ’s demeanor well in today’s painting. The hands that break the bread are gentle yet strong, soft yet sure. These are not the hands of a nervous or fearful man, but of one who is secure, resolved, in control. As Jesus distributed the bread and wine, declaring the radical new symbolism of his body and blood in the elements, he foreshadowed the violent sacrifice he would make and demonstrated his authority over this sacred Jewish ritual. He then omnisciently made known at the table one apostle’s secret plan to betray him. I like the way one theologian, James Edwards, summarizes the scene: “He is intentionally presiding over his final earthly Passover meal.”

Second, we can remember Christ’s obedience. Jesus, with full knowledge of what he must do and, apparently, no escape from the physical and emotional suffering to come, submitted to his purpose. Jesus acknowledged and obeyed the course that had been set for him: “the Son of Man goes as it has been determined.” He was not a passive participant, either. He went willingly and knowingly. Jesus is Lord over life, including his own, and even in his lordship and omnipotence he chose to obey unto death.

Third, we can remember Christ as the Passover lamb of the new covenant. In a meal that was originally meant to commemorate God rescuing the Israelites from Egypt, Christ gave himself as the rescuer of all mankind from sin and separation. Today, this may be the most intuitive thing for us to remember when we share with one another in the bread and wine. But for the apostles, this would have been, at best, a vague new idea during their meal. It is an image Jesus nonetheless intended as he enriched the meaning of the Passover elements for them; he was introducing to them the idea that this rescue would look much more like the substitutionary sacrifice of a lamb than the heroic triumph of a king.

Appropriately for Lent, this passage from Luke is about remembering who Christ is and anticipating what he will do – both for the apostles and for us. Jesus asked the Twelve to drink and eat in remembrance of his blood, yet to be spilled, and of his body, yet to be broken. Likewise, we can remember another event that has yet to unfold when we drink and eat in remembrance of Christ. That is, the feast Jesus will partake of in the fully realized kingdom of God (v. 16). At that meal, Jesus will be the same sovereign, obedient, sacrificial Savior that he was when he reclined at the table with the Twelve.

PRAYER

Jesus Christ, Bread of Life, sustain us.
Bolster our faith because you are sovereign.
Fortify us for obedience by your own example.
Multiply our praise because you rescued us.
Jesus Christ, Bread of Life, sustain us with yourself. Amen.

Juliana Semione, Academic Specialist, Torrey Honors Institute