Chapter 72—“In Remembrance of Me”
This chapter is based on
Matthew 26:20-29
;
Mark 14:17-25
;
Luke
22:14-23
;
John 13:18-30
“The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took
bread: 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. After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had
supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye,
as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me. For as often as ye eat this
bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till He come.”
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
.
Christ was standing at the point of transition between two
economies and their two great festivals. He, the spotless Lamb of
God, was about to present Himself as a sin offering, that He would
thus bring to an end the system of types and ceremonies that for four
thousand years had pointed to His death. As He ate the Passover with
His disciples, He instituted in its place the service that was to be the
memorial of His great sacrifice. The national festival of the Jews was
to pass away forever. The service which Christ established was to be
observed by His followers in all lands and through all ages.
The Passover was ordained as a commemoration of the deliverance
of Israel from Egyptian bondage. God had directed that, year by year,
as the children should ask the meaning of this ordinance, the history
should be repeated. Thus the wonderful deliverance was to be kept
fresh in the minds of all. The ordinance of the Lord’s Supper was
given to commemorate the great deliverance wrought out as the result
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of the death of Christ. Till He shall come the second time in power
and glory, this ordinance is to be celebrated. It is the means by which
His great work for us is to be kept fresh in our minds.
At the time of their deliverance from Egypt, the children of Israel
ate the Passover supper standing, with their loins girded, and with their
staves in their hands, ready for their journey. The manner in which
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