For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”
For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. Therefore, whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. For this reason, many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world. Therefore, my brethren, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. But if anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, lest you come together for judgment. And the rest I will set in order when I come. (1 Co 11:23–34).
In the preceding passage, the apostle Paul addresses his concerns and disapproval regarding how the church in Corinth was observing the Lord’s Supper, often called the agape feast in those times. In the text we're exploring today, Paul endeavors to correct their practices according to the instructions he received from the Lord concerning the love that should be expressed in the attitudes of the brothers and sisters attending the feast.
When Paul says, "For I received from the Lord," he implies that what he's about to convey is not merely his opinion but a revelation he received directly from Jesus Christ. However, the New Testament doesn't specify when or how Paul received this instruction.
Though the Bible recounts Paul's encounter with Jesus on the road to Damascus, it doesn't explicitly mention Jesus instructing Paul regarding the Lord's Supper. Despite Paul's numerous mystical experiences, including his journey to the third heaven, there's little mention of Christ instructing him on the communion meal.
Paul doesn't dwell on how he received these instructions, emphasizing only that he did. This isn't surprising given Paul's independence, firmly rooted in his experience with the risen Christ, as demonstrated in his interactions with the early church leaders.
"But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. For I neither received it from man, nor was I taught it, but it came through the revelation of Jesus Christ. To reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood, nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me; but I went to Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to see Peter, and remained with him fifteen days." Galatians 1:11-18
The fact that Paul had to provide instructions to the Corinthians regarding the observance of this sacrament or ordinance suggests that not everyone in the Corinthian church fully understood its significance. There was likely no consensus within the church then on how the Lord’s Supper should be conducted. While it's possible that Paul's writing in 1 Corinthians marks the first instance of a written account of the Last Supper for clarity's sake, oral traditions based on the apostles' encounters with Jesus likely circulated before this. The later authoring of the Gospels supports this notion.
The Installment of a New Covenant And Fulfilment of Prophecy
Jeremiah 31:31-34:
"Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more."
The New Testament provides a compelling narrative of how the early church grasped the fulfillment of ancient prophecies concerning the New Covenant initiated by Jesus. Through a tapestry of scriptures, the portrait of this covenant's establishment is vividly painted, showcasing its transformative power and universal significance.
In Hebrews 8:6-13, the author draws a direct line from Jeremiah's prophecy to Jesus as the mediator of a superior covenant.
Hebrews 8:6-13
"But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second. Because finding fault with them, He says: 'Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I disregarded them, says the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws in their mind and write them on their hearts; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. None of them shall teach his neighbor, and none his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them. For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.' In that He says, 'A new covenant,' He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away."
This passage not only affirms the fulfillment of the New Covenant but also underscores its supremacy over the old, emphasizing its ability to internally transform and offer forgiveness of sins. Through Jesus, the promise of a renewed relationship with God finds its ultimate fulfillment.
In the poignant setting of the Last Supper, recounted in Matthew 26:26-28 and Luke 22:20, Jesus unveils the profound significance of the elements shared among his disciples. By equating the bread and wine with his body and blood, he unequivocally links the act of communion with Jeremiah's inauguration of the New Covenant. Through his sacrifice, Jesus establishes a new paradigm of forgiveness and communion with God, fulfilling the deepest yearnings of the human heart.
Furthermore, in Acts 15:14-18, the early church leadership, led by James, draws upon Old Testament prophecy to validate the inclusion of Gentiles into the fold of believers. While not explicitly mentioning the New Covenant, this passage underscores the broader theme of God's redemptive plan unfolding through establishing the Christian community. It demonstrates how the early church recognized the fulfillment of prophecy in expanding God's kingdom to encompass all nations, a central tenet of the New Covenant.
Collectively, these passages form a compelling argument for the early church's understanding of the New Covenant's fulfillment in Jesus Christ. Through his sacrificial death and resurrection, Jesus inaugurated a new era of grace and reconciliation, bringing to fruition the promises of the old and ushering in a kingdom marked by forgiveness, transformation, and universal inclusion.
Did Jesus Come to Help us Keep the Old Covenant?
The idea that Jesus came to help people keep the old covenant is based on a misunderstanding of Jesus' teachings and mission. This line of thinking fails to recognize Jesus's fundamental shift in humanity's relationship with God by establishing the New Covenant.
Here are several reasons why we argue this perspective represents a challenge
First, we have Jesus' own words. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the inadequacy of the old covenant and the need for something new. He spoke of fulfilling the law and the prophets (Matthew 5:17) and introduced radical reinterpretations of traditional Jewish teachings (e.g., on Sabbath observance, divorce, and purity laws). These teachings point to a new way of understanding and relating to God, not simply reinforcing the old covenant.
For example, when Jesus speaks about Sabbath observance in Matthew 12:1-14, he challenges the traditional understanding by emphasizing the principle of mercy over strict legalism. Instead of condemning his disciples for picking grain on the Sabbath, Jesus highlights the greater importance of human need and compassion. Similarly, in his teachings on divorce in Matthew 5:31-32, Jesus redirects focus from legalistic interpretations to the original intent of marriage as a sacred covenant between a husband and wife. These examples demonstrate Jesus' transformative approach, shifting the emphasis from external observance to matters of the heart and relationship with God.
Secondly, the symbolism of Jesus' actions! The institution of the Last Supper, where Jesus identifies the bread and wine with his body and blood, symbolizes the inauguration of the New Covenant (Matthew 26:26-28, Luke 22:20). This act signifies a departure from the old covenant sacrifices and rituals, pointing to a new reality where forgiveness and communion with God are achieved through Jesus' sacrifice.
Next, we have the writings of the apostles. For instance, the New Testament epistles, particularly those written by Paul and the author of Hebrews, provide extensive theological reflections on the significance of Jesus' life, death, and resurrection. These writings consistently emphasize the superiority of the New Covenant over the Old, highlighting the transformative power of grace and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in believers' lives.
Finally, we have to deal with the historical context. For example, Jesus' ministry occurred within the framework of first-century Judaism, characterized by observing the Mosaic Law and Temple rituals. However, Jesus' teachings and actions often challenged and transcended these religious practices, pointing to a deeper spiritual reality that transcends legalistic adherence to the old covenant.
Signs of both covenants Old Covenant:
Sign: The sign or symbol of the Old Covenant was primarily the circumcision. Circumcision was given to Abraham as a sign of the covenant between God and him and his descendants (Genesis 17:10-14). It marked physical descent from Abraham and participation in the covenant community.
New Covenant:
Sign: The sign or symbol of the New Covenant is the Lord's Supper or Communion. During the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine, blessed them, and gave them to his disciples, instructing them to do this in remembrance of him (Luke 22:19-20). The bread symbolizes his body, and the wine symbolizes his blood, representing the sacrificial nature of Jesus' death and the forgiveness of sins for those who believe in him.
Comparison of Nature and Focus:
Nature: The Old Covenant sign of circumcision was physical and external, marking one as a member of the covenant community based on lineage and adherence to the Mosaic Law. In contrast, the New Covenant sign of communion is spiritual and internal, symbolizing participation in the covenant community based on faith in Jesus Christ and his sacrificial atonement for sin.
Focus: Circumcision primarily focused on separating God's chosen people from other nations and adhering to the Mosaic Law. On the other hand, Communion focuses on the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sins, and the unity of believers as one body in Christ.
Fulfillment: Circumcision pointed forward to the coming of the Messiah and the establishment of the New Covenant. Communion commemorates the fulfillment of the Old Covenant promises in Jesus Christ and the inauguration of the New Covenant through his death and resurrection.
Conclusion
Paul outlines in 1 Corinthians 11:23-34 the right approach and attitude when partaking of the Lord's Supper. He emphasizes the importance of remembrance, instructing believers to partake of the bread and wine to remember Christ's body broken and blood shed for their sins. Additionally, Paul highlights the need for self-examination before partaking, urging believers to discern the significance of communion and their unity with other believers. Furthermore, Paul admonishes the Corinthian church for their divisions and inequalities during the Lord's Supper, emphasizing the importance of waiting for one another and sharing the meal to reflect the unity and equality found in Christ.
Paul's instructions regarding the Lord's Supper apply to believers today in significant ways. First and foremost, the act of remembrance remains central. Just as believers in Paul's time were called to reflect on Christ's sacrifice through the symbols of bread and wine, contemporary believers are likewise urged to remember the profound significance of Jesus' death and resurrection during communion. This remembrance serves as a spiritual anchor, grounding believers in the core message of the gospel and renewing their commitment to following Christ. Additionally, the call to self-examination remains pertinent. Believers are encouraged to engage in introspection before partaking of the Lord's Supper, examining their hearts, and confessing any sins or shortcomings before God. This practice fosters personal reflection, spiritual growth, and a deeper connection with God. Furthermore, Paul's emphasis on unity and equality among believers during the Lord's Supper resonates strongly today. Believers are reminded to approach communion in a manner that reflects the unity of the body of Christ, embracing the truth that all believers are equal before God regardless of background or status. This includes demonstrating patience and love towards one another, sharing the meal with humility and gratitude, and striving to maintain unity within the church community. In essence, Paul's instructions serve as a timeless guide, fostering spiritual renewal, personal growth, and unity among believers in communion.
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