What Sup?

Matthew 26:26–30 (NKJV) — 26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” 27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. 28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. 29 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 new with you in My Father’s kingdom.” 30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 

Many Christians are probably familiar with the Lord’s Supper. However, they might not necessarily appreciate the expressions and significances behind it. This sacrament in the Church is often associated with words like “Holy Communion” and “The Eucharist”, but what do these terms mean?

Supper: A meal, which can range from the simple to the grand.

Last Supper: Christ’s last meal with his disciples before his crucifixion (Matt 26:26-30).

Lord’s Supper: The practice of the Last Supper that Christ instituted for the Church (Matt 26:26-30). This term was first coined in 1 Corinthians 11:20.

Holy Communion: Sacred fellowship. The word “Communion” (1 Cor 10:16) is translated from the Greek word κοινωνία (koinōnia), which means fellowship.

Eucharist: To give thanks. This term was derived from Jesus giving thanks during the Last Supper (Mark 14:23).

Break Bread/ Breaking of Bread: To break bread. This term was derived from the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26:26). This practice is observed 3 times in the book of Acts (Acts 2:42; Acts 2:46; Acts 20:7).

 While all the terms above relate to the Lord’s Supper in some way, the term “Lord’s Supper” will be used in the rest of this summary for simplicity. The significances of the Lord’s Supper can be broadly characterised into 10 main points.

The Lord’s Supper references the first Passover before Israel’s exodus from Egypt, where they were instructed to paint their lintels and doorposts with the blood of an unblemished lamb, and to bake and eat bread without leaven as the Lord’s final judgment “passed over” them (Exod 12). In this case, the wine and bread in the Lord’s supper represents the blood and bread in the Passover.  Broadly speaking, the Passover commemorates Israel’s Deliverance (Redemption), New Beginning (Hope), and God’s Kingdom People (Messianic Community), first as being freed from Egypt as a foreshadowing of Christ, who is the substance (1 Col 2:16-17) and eventual complete fulfilment of the Passover.

The unleavened bread in the Lord’s Supper ultimately represents Jesus’ perfect and sinless body since leaven in bread is taken to represent sin in the body (1 Cor 5:6-7). As such, the Breaking of Bread represents Jesus’ perfect sacrifice and death to rescue and redeem mankind from their sins (John 1:29).

In the same light, the wine in the Lord’s Supper ultimately represents Jesus’ shed blood when his perfect body was sacrificed (broken). This shedding of blood granted mankind remission of their sins (Heb 9:22), and ratified the new resultant covenant since blood was used to ratify covenants (Exod 24:8). Practically, we can appropriate this remission of our sins as we put our faith in Jesus Christ and repent of our sins.

Akin to Israel’s deliverance from Egypt and beyond, the Lord’s Supper also points to Jesus’ resurrection after his sacrifice and death, where the Church can then be part of the New Beginning (Hope) as God’s Kingdom People (Messianic Community) after freedom from sin. Practically, as we share in the sacrifice and death of Jesus through faith and repentance, we will also share in His new life. This is paralleled in how the disciples’ eyes were opened to Jesus’ resurrected self when they partook of the broken bread after his resurrection (Luke 24:30-31).

The Lord’s Supper points to the complete fulfilment of the New Beginning for the Church as it readies itself for Jesus’ return. At that time, the Lord’s Supper will also be expressed as the Marriage Supper of the Lamb where Christ and His bride will celebrate the consummation of their marriage (Rev 19:9). This process is akin to how a bride shares a first cup of wine with her groom at that start to ratify the covenant of marriage, after which she then prepares and makes herself ready for when the groom finally returns and holds the wedding banquet with a second cup of wine being shared. Practically, the Lord’s Supper prompts us not just to look back at Christ’s sacrifice but also forward as we keep ourselves ready for His return.

The Lord’s Supper is a Communion with Christ or, more plainly, a sacred fellowship (relationship) with Him. In pointing to both his death and resurrection, the supper points to the Church’s relationship with Christ as it is united with Him in both His death (Rom 6:16-18) and life (Gal 2:20). Just as the Church is in relationship with Christ, its individual members are also in relationship with one another (John 17:20-22). Practically, we are to maintain and grow our relationship with Christ and with one another in the Church, abstaining from ungodly communions and not being conformed to the patterns of this world, while also guarding ourselves from divisions within the Church as we honour and forgive one another.

The relationship with Christ and the Church is holy. Practically, the Lord’s Supper must be partaken with reverence (1 Cor 11:27), with caution taken towards the consequences of not doing so (1 Cor 11:30).

The Lord’s Supper serves as a practice to bring to remembrance Christ’s covenant with the Church, considering his Redemption, Ratification, Resurrection, Return, Relationship, and Reverence.

Practically, the accessibility of the Lord’s Supper with a simple breaking of bread and drinking of wine makes it replicable and repeatable practice that we are instructed to do often (1 Cor 11:25). Given the reverence inherent in this activity, it should be conducted by an appropriately mature Christian.

Overall, the Lord’s Supper points to Jesus’ resolution of mankind’s sin. Practically, it should prompt us to personally bring a resolution to our individual kingdom assignments that we have received in the Lord as we join Him in His redemptive work for mankind.

Ultimately, the Lord’s Supper reminds us that our faith is not in the bread or the wine but in Jesus Christ – who He is, what HE has done and what He can do. May we all remember this the next time we celebrate the Lord’s Supper with others.