Wednesday | 24 April 2019
Soon after He was anointed in Bethany, Jesus instructed His disciples to prepare the Passover meal in Jerusalem. Luk 22:8-12. When Jesus sat down with His disciples in the upper room, He said to them, ‘With fervent desire, I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.’ Luk 22:15. The first Passover was celebrated by the Israelites in the land of Egypt. The last Passover was celebrated by Jesus and His disciples in Jerusalem in an upper room. This was the end of the ordinance of the Passover with all its sacrificial lambs, unleavened bread, and bitter herbs. From that time onwards, the sacrifice of any lamb for a Passover meal was an abomination to God and an offence to Christ. Isa 66:3. It is an offence to Christ because He is the true Passover Lamb. 1Co 5:7.
Jesus celebrated the last Passover meal with His disciples. However, more significantly, He inaugurated the first communion meal. It was the disciples who prepared the lamb for the last Passover. It was God, the Father, who prepared Christ to be the Lamb for the first communion. The shift from Passover to communion took place when Christ made the Passover meal a participation, or communion, in His own person and life. In Egypt, the first Passover provided protection for the firstborn of Israel, from death at the hand of the Lord through His angel. It was also a celebration meal to commemorate their deliverance from bondage and slavery to the Egyptians. The communion meal is more than this. It signifies that we have become members of Christ’s own body, and participants in the New Covenant that He has made with us in His own blood.
Jesus said, concerning the bread, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Luk 22:19. Jesus said, concerning the cup, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’ Luk 22:20.
Further Study:
Luke 22
Daily Proverb:
References:
Luk 22:8-12
And He sent Peter and John, saying, ‘Go and prepare the Passover for us, that we may eat.’ So they said to Him, ‘Where do You want us to prepare?’ And He said to them, ‘Behold, when you have entered the city, a man will meet you carrying a pitcher of water; follow him into the house which he enters. Then you shall say to the master of the house, “The Teacher says to you, ‘Where is the guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ ” Then he will show you a large, furnished upper room; there make ready.’
Luk 22:15
Then He said to them, ‘With fervent desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.’
Isa 66:3
He who kills a bull is as if he slays a man; He who sacrifices a lamb, as if he breaks a dog's neck; He who offers a grain offering, as if he offers swine's blood; He who burns incense, as if he blesses an idol. Just as they have chosen their own ways, And their soul delights in their abominations.
1Co 5:7
Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, since you truly are unleavened. For indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us.
Luk 22:19-20
And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.’ Likewise He also took the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you.’