WHY OBSERVE THE LORDS EVENING MEAL? “I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to you.”—1 Corinthians 11:23. JEHOVAH’S only-begotten Son was present. So were 11 men who ‘had stuck with him in his trials.’ (Luke 22:28) It was Thursday evening, March 31, 33 C.E., and a FULL MOON very likely adorned the skies above Jerusalem. Jesus Christ and his apostles had just concluded the Passover celebration. Traitorous Judas Iscariot had been dismissed, but it was not time for the others to depart. Why? Because Jesus was about to do something of utmost importance. What was it? Since the Gospel writer Matthew was there, let him tell us. He wrote: “Jesus took a loaf and, after saying a blessing, he broke it and, giving it to the disciples, he said: ‘Take, eat. This means my body.’ Also, he took a cup and, having given thanks, he gave it to them, saying: ‘Drink out of it, all of you; for this means my “blood of the covenant,” which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.’” (Matthew 26:26-28) Was this to be a onetime event? What was its significance? Has it any meaning for us today? “Keep Doing This” The step that Jesus Christ took on the night of Nisan 14, 33 C.E., was much more than a passing incident in his life. The apostle Paul discussed it when writing to anointed Christians in Corinth, where the pattern was still being followed over 20 years later. Although Paul was not with Jesus and the 11 apostles in 33 C.E., he surely learned from some of the apostles what happened on that occasion. Furthermore, Paul evidently got confirmation of aspects of that event by inspired revelation. Said Paul: “I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: ‘This means my body which is in your behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.’ He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: ‘This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’”—1 Corinthians 11:23-25. The Gospel writer Luke confirms that Jesus commanded: “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) These words have also been rendered: “Do this in memory of me” (Today’s English Version) and “Do this as a memorial of me.” (The Jerusalem Bible) In fact, this observance is often referred to as the Memorial of Christ’s death. Paul also calls it the Lord’s Evening Meal—an appropriate designation, since this was instituted at night. (1 Corinthians 11:20) Christians are commanded to observe the Lord’s Evening Meal. But why was this observance instituted? Why It Was Instituted One reason why the Memorial was instituted had to do with one purpose served by Jesus’ death. He died as an upholder of his heavenly Father’s sovereignty. Christ thus proved Satan the Devil, who had falsely charged that humans serve God only out of selfish motives, to be a liar. (Job 2:1-5) Jesus’ death in faithfulness proved this contention false and made Jehovah’s heart rejoice.—Proverbs 27:11. Another reason why the Lord’s Evening Meal was instituted was to remind us that by means of his death as a perfect, sinless human, Jesus ‘gave his soul (physical body) a ransom in exchange for many.’ (Matthew 20:28) When the first man sinned against God, he forfeited perfect human life and all its prospects. Jesus said, however: “God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, in order that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) Indeed, “the wages sin pays is death, but the gift God gives is everlasting life by Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23) Observance of the Lord’s Evening Meal reminds us of the great love shown by both Jehovah and his Son in connection with Jesus’ sacrificial death. How we should appreciate that love! :( People dont realize that Jesus was not the one who suffered most, but his Father was the one who made the sacrifice in order to give us everlasting life to live on paradise earth. Jesus agreed with his Father to be a sacrifice. There is no more painful sorrow than seeing your beloved son die in the hands of your enemies. Jesus felt this pain when his father looked away when being tortured. Jesus died of a broken heart first, not from being tortured. The two thieves beside him were not physically perfect like Jesus and yet they lived longer than him, showing that Jesus true cause of death was a broken heart from being betrayed by his people and by his disciple. Observe It When? Regarding the Lord’s Evening Meal, Paul said: “As often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.” (1 Corinthians 11:26) Individual anointed Christians would partake of the Memorial emblems until their death. Thus, before Jehovah God and the world, they would repeatedly proclaim their faith in God’s provision of Jesus’ ransom sacrifice.How long would the body of anointed Christians observe the Memorial of Christ’s death? “Until he arrives,” said Paul, evidently meaning that these observances would continue until Jesus’ arrival to receive his anointed followers into heaven by a resurrection during his “presence.” (1 Thessalonians 4:14-17) This harmonizes with Jesus’ words to the 11 loyal apostles: “If I go my way and prepare a place for you, I am coming again and will receive you home to myself, that where I am you also may be.”—John 14:3. When Jesus instituted the Memorial, he referred to the cup of wine and told his faithful apostles: “I shall by no means drink anymore of the product of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” (Mark 14:25) Since Jesus would not be drinking literal wine in heaven, he obviously had in mind the joy sometimes symbolized by wine. (Psalm 104:15; Ecclesiastes 10:19) Being together in the Kingdom would be a joyous experience that he and his footstep followers yearned for with great anticipation.—Romans 8:23; 2 Corinthians 5:2. :) Should Jesus’ death be commemorated monthly, weekly, or even daily? No. Jesus instituted the Lord’s Evening Meal and was killed on the day of Passover, which was observed “as a memorial” of Israel’s deliverance from Egyptian bondage in 1513 B.C.E. (Exodus 12:14) The Passover was held only once a year, on the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan. (Exodus 12:1-6; Leviticus 23:5) This indicates that Jesus’ death should be commemorated only as often as the Passover—annually—not monthly, weekly, or daily. So, then, it is appropriate to observe the Memorial annually on Nisan 14. Says one reference work: “The Christians of Asia Minor were called Quartodecimans [Fourteenthers] from their custom of celebrating the pascha [Lord’s Evening Meal] invariably on the 14th of Nisan . . . The date might fall on Friday or on any of the other days of the week.”—The New Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Volume IV, page 44. :) Repeating this ceremony is turning a sacred day into a burdensome ritual which is not what the Bible or God are about. The Bible is a guide to help us live in peace, and protect us from Satans lies. :( Show respect for the MOST important death in history and do not celebrate Easter celebrations with bunnies and egg hunts during a memorial of holy meaning. Do not mix the things of the world with the holy because the Bible clearly shows we are not to mix the filthy things of the world with his. The Bible shows Jesus in many instances teaching that we should stay away from unclean things and to not participate with unbelievers. “You are no part of the world.” —JOHN 15:19
Posted on: Thu, 27 Mar 2014 08:23:16 +0000
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