1. For me, Christianity isn’t just a religion; it’s a lived reality. It’s experiencing a transformed life in Christ, a new identity rooted in Him. It’s about seeing the world through a different lens, understanding my life as a part of God’s ongoing story since I found salvation. At the heart of Christianity, therefore, is the concept of Covenant. Understanding the concept of Covenant is crucial. It's essentially a solemn agreement between two parties, much like the bond of marriage. A Covenant involves mutual pledges, including love and obedience. If either party fails to uphold their commitments, the Covenant is broken. The Bible is rich with examples of God's Covenants, demonstrating His ongoing relationship with humanity. We see this in His agreements with Noah, Abraham, Jacob, Moses, David, and many others.

2. During this Lenten Season, we've been reflecting deeply on the transformative work of Jesus. Today, we turn our attention to the new Covenant He established. Through this passage, we'll gain a deeper understanding of what this Covenant signifies and how we can apply its principles to our own lives. Let us read together Matthew 26:26-29.

Matthew 26:26–29 NASB 2020

Now while they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is My blood of the covenant, which is being poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it with you, new, in My Father’s kingdom.”

3. As we read this account of the Lord's Supper, or Last Supper, we see Jesus establishing a Covenant. Whether it's described as the Blood of the Covenant in the Synoptic Gospels or the New Covenant in the Fourth Gospel, the focus remains on the Covenant initiated by Jesus. This Covenant centers on loving one another, accepting one another, and sharing life together in Christ. It's fundamentally about our unity in Him.

4. The 16th-century Reformation was a period of profound upheaval and change. Between 1517 and 1525, three distinct movements emerged, each igniting a different facet of the Reformation. It began with Martin Luther in 1517, followed shortly by Ulrich Zwingli in 1518, and then the radical Anabaptist movement in 1525. The second generation of Reformers, including figures like John Calvin and Menno Simons, continued to shape these movements. Notably, in 1529, the Marburg Colloquy was convened to address a crucial theological point of contention: the understanding of the Lord's Supper. 

5. While I can't delve into all the complexities of the Marburg Colloquy, its primary consequence was the division of the Reformation movement. The reformers failed to reach a unified understanding of the Lord's Supper, preventing them from achieving full ecclesiastical unity. Prior to the Reformation, the dominant doctrine was transubstantiation, which asserted that the bread and wine literally become the body and blood of Christ. At the Marburg Colloquy, Martin Luther taught that during communion, the bread and wine contain the real body and blood of Christ, although they don't physically change. He said Christ's body and blood are present 'with, in, and by' the bread and wine. Zwingli, on the other hand, believed the bread and wine are spiritual symbols representing Jesus's body and blood. Hubmaier argued that communion is simply a memorial, a way to remember Jesus's actions and the covenant, reminding us of our pledge of love and obedience when we take part.

6. Despite their focus on the meaning of the Lord's Supper and Jesus Christ, they couldn't reach an agreement and split apart. This led to tragic outcomes. Lutherans disagreed with Zwingli's teachings (which later became the Reformed movement under Calvin), and Zwingli persecuted Hubmaier and the Anabaptists. They even killed each other. It's important to remember that Jesus intended the Lord's Supper to unite the church in Christ, not divide it. We should use this meal to remember Jesus Christ and his sacrifice.

7. Let's start by looking at the Lord's Supper in the Synoptic Gospels. We find accounts of the Last Supper in Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:10-26, Luke 22:14-23, and also in John 13. While John's gospel highlights a different aspect of the Last Supper, the other three Gospels describe it as taking place during the Passover meal.

Matthew 26:17 NLT

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, “Where do you want us to prepare the Passover meal for you?”

Mark 14:12 NIV

On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

Luke 22:7–8 ESV

Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat it.”

John 13:1 NKJV

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

8. The setting for this passage is Passover, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover is a very important holiday for Jewish people, as it commemorates God's redemptive work for them from Egypt. Through ten plagues, God punished Egypt to free his chosen people and lead them to the Promised Land. The final plague was the death of the firstborn sons. When the Israelites put blood on their doorframes, the Spirit of Death passed over their homes. This allowed them to begin their journey to the Promised Land. God instructed them to prepare for Passover by sacrificing a lamb, baking unleavened bread, and using the lamb's blood for the ritual.

Exodus 12:17–18 NASB 2020

You shall also keep the Feast of Unleavened Bread, for on this very day I brought your multitudes out of the land of Egypt; therefore you shall keep this day throughout your generations as a permanent ordinance. In the first month, on the fourteenth day of the month at evening, you shall eat unleavened bread, until the twenty-first day of the month at evening.

Exodus 12:19–20 NASB 2020

For seven days there shall be no dough with yeast found in your houses; for whoever eats anything with yeast, that person shall be cut off from the congregation of Israel, whether he is a stranger or a native of the land. You shall not eat anything with yeast; in all your dwellings you shall eat unleavened bread.’

9. Therefore, it wasn't by chance that Jesus prepared the bread and wine. He taught them the meaning of the Last Supper. It symbolized that their salvation came not from their own actions, but from Jesus's sacrifice. Jesus was about to be crucified. Just as a lamb or goat was sacrificed for Passover, representing God's great act of redemption in Egypt, Jesus became the ransom for many, freeing them from their sins, their former master.

Matthew 20:28 AMP

Just as the Son of Man came not to be waited on but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many [the price paid to set them free].

10. So, participating in the Lord's Supper isn't just taking part in a religious ceremony. It means much more. When we partake in communion, we're declaring that we've been saved through Jesus, and that we now live with God, guided by the Holy Spirit. We're also proclaiming that our new life of redemption has begun through Jesus, and that we'll enter the new heaven and earth when he returns.

11. Also, participating in the Lord's Supper means joining Jesus's larger community. Salvation includes being part of this community. Today, some people think salvation is only an individual matter. That's only partly true. If we're saved by Christ, we should be involved in his community, forgiving and accepting one another. Jesus established a new covenant through the Last Supper. During that meal, he washed his disciples' feet, symbolizing forgiveness.

John 13:2–5 NLT

It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God. So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.

John 13:10–11 NASB 2020

Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet; otherwise he is completely clean. And you are clean—but not all of you.” For He knew the one who was betraying Him; it was for this reason that He said, “Not all of you are clean.”

John 13:34–35 NRSV

I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

12. At the Last Supper, Jesus clearly showed them how to forgive and accept one another. This is what it means to love one another. Jesus knew they would betray, deny, and abandon him on the cross. He knew they would struggle with their faith. Because he understood their weaknesses, he taught them how to forgive themselves and accept each other. This is love. So, through the Last Supper, Jesus established a new covenant. The first covenant, through Moses, was about God's redemption from Egypt. Jesus's new covenant is about building a community of love. Therefore, the purpose of the Lord's Supper is to build the church in Jesus's name, not in the name of any person or through human effort. The foundation of the church is love: love for God and love for our neighbors. The Lord's Supper helps us remember this: the church is about Jesus's love, not human power. That meal wasn't just for them; it's for us now. It tells us that even when things are bad, we can belong, be forgiven, and love.

13. After the church service, we'll have our Annual General Meeting (AGM). This is where we'll look back at what God has done for us in 2024. It's not a time for arguing. Some churches have disagreements during these meetings, but our AGM should be a time to recognize God's love and kindness shown to us and through us. Let's remember we're not just a religious group, but a loving community in Christ. We're the church, which means we're Christ's body, and his love flows through us when we love each other.

Podcast: https://youtu.be/2nDrs4pal0c

Understanding the Last Supper and Covenant

Study Guide

Quiz

Instructions: Answer the following questions in 2-3 sentences each.

• Explain the core concept of a covenant in a biblical context, using the analogy of marriage provided in the text.

• According to the text, what was the dominant doctrine regarding the bread and wine of communion before the Reformation? Briefly describe this belief.

• Describe Martin Luther's understanding of Christ's presence in the Lord's Supper, as presented during the Marburg Colloquy.

• How did Ulrich Zwingli's view of the bread and wine in communion differ from Martin Luther's understanding?

• What was Balthasar Hubmaier's perspective on the meaning and significance of partaking in communion?

• According to the Synoptic Gospels, in what significant Jewish celebration did the Last Supper take place? What is the historical importance of this celebration?

• Explain how the text connects Jesus's sacrifice on the cross to the Passover lamb and the concept of ransom.

• According to the text, what are two important aspects of participating in the Lord's Supper beyond it being a religious ceremony?

• Describe the significance of Jesus washing his disciples' feet during the Last Supper, as explained in the provided text.

• What was the primary consequence of the disagreement among reformers regarding the Lord's Supper at the Marburg Colloquy?

Answer Key for Quiz

• A covenant is a solemn agreement between two parties, similar to marriage, involving mutual pledges such as love and obedience. If either party fails to uphold their commitments, the covenant is considered broken. The Bible provides numerous examples of God's covenants with humanity.

• Before the Reformation, the dominant doctrine was transubstantiation, which asserted that during communion, the bread and wine literally become the actual body and blood of Jesus Christ.

• Martin Luther taught that during communion, the bread and wine do not physically change, but they contain the real body and blood of Christ. He believed Christ's presence was 'with, in, and by' the bread and wine.

• Ulrich Zwingli believed that the bread and wine in communion were spiritual symbols that represented the body and blood of Jesus Christ; they were not literally or physically containing Christ's presence.

• Balthasar Hubmaier viewed communion as a memorial, a symbolic act of remembrance for Jesus's actions and the establishment of the covenant. It served as a reminder of the believer's pledge of love and obedience.

• According to the Synoptic Gospels, the Last Supper took place during the Passover meal, also known as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Passover commemorates God's redemptive act of freeing the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.

• The text explains that just as a lamb was sacrificed during Passover to represent God's redemption of the Israelites, Jesus's crucifixion was a sacrifice, a ransom paid to free people from their sins, making him the ultimate Passover lamb.

• Participating in the Lord's Supper signifies that one has been saved through Jesus and now lives with God, guided by the Holy Spirit. It also proclaims the beginning of a new life of redemption through Jesus, with the anticipation of his return and the new heaven and earth.

• Jesus washing his disciples' feet symbolized forgiveness and the importance of accepting one another within the Christian community. Knowing his disciples' weaknesses, he demonstrated how to forgive themselves and each other.

• The primary consequence of the reformers' failure to reach a unified understanding of the Lord's Supper at the Marburg Colloquy was the division of the Reformation movement, preventing them from achieving full ecclesiastical unity.

Glossary of Key Terms

• Covenant: A solemn agreement or binding commitment between two parties, often involving mutual promises and obligations. In the Bible, it frequently refers to the agreements between God and humanity.

• Old Covenant: The covenant established between God and the nation of Israel, particularly through Moses, centered on the Law and God's deliverance from Egypt (as commemorated by Passover).

• New Covenant: The covenant established by Jesus Christ through his life, death, and resurrection, particularly symbolized at the Last Supper, focused on forgiveness of sins and a new relationship with God based on grace and love.

• Lord's Supper (Communion): A Christian ritual based on the Last Supper, in which participants partake of bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus Christ's sacrifice and the New Covenant.

• Passover: A major Jewish festival that commemorates the liberation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It involves specific rituals, including the Seder meal.

• Transubstantiation: A Roman Catholic doctrine that during the Eucharist, the bread and wine are literally transformed into the body and blood of Christ, while retaining their outward appearance.

• Consubstantiation: A Protestant doctrine (associated with Martin Luther) that during the Lord's Supper, the body and blood of Christ are truly present "in, with, and under" the bread and wine, although the elements do not undergo a literal transformation.

• Memorialism: A Protestant view of the Lord's Supper (associated with Ulrich Zwingli) that the bread and wine are symbolic representations of Christ's body and blood, serving as a remembrance of his sacrifice.

• Reformation: A 16th-century movement that aimed to reform the doctrines and practices of the Roman Catholic Church, leading to the establishment of Protestantism. Key figures included Martin Luther, John Calvin, and Ulrich Zwingli.

• Marburg Colloquy: A meeting in 1529 between Martin Luther and Ulrich Zwingli, along with other reformers, to attempt to resolve theological differences, particularly regarding the understanding of the Lord's Supper. It ultimately failed to achieve unity on this point.

• Salvation: Deliverance from sin and its consequences, often understood in Christianity as being brought into a right relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ. This can have both individual and communal dimensions.

• Synoptic Gospels: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, which share a similar perspective and contain many of the same stories about Jesus's life and ministry.