By Timothy W. Burnett
Last week we stopped at the point after Jesus washed his disciples' feet and gave his first prophecy that one of them would betray him. Next we come to Luke 22:14-15, "And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the twelve apostles with him. And he said unto them, 'With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer. For I say unto you, I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.'" What a touching moment this must have been. After washing the feet, they all reclined to eat, and Jesus told them how he desired to eat the passover with them before he suffered. He then prophesied that they would not eat together until everything is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. He may have been talking about the joining together of Jesus with his Bride as recorded in Revelation 21:1-2, or when he rules with certain saints during the thousand year reign as recorded in Revelation 19:4. There will be a day when they will be together again. In the mean time, Jesus Christ is in heaven with his Father.
Next we come to Matthew 26:21-25, "And as they did eat, he said, 'Verily I say unto you, that one of you shall betray me.' And they were exceeding sorrowful, and began every one of them to say unto him, 'Lord, is it I?' And he answered and said, 'He that dips his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me. The son of man goes as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the son of man is betrayed! It had been good for that man if he had not been born.' Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, 'Master, is it I?' He said unto him, 'You have said.'" Remember that earlier Jesus told them that he would be betrayed, and they pondered on it. This time each one asked him "Lord, is it I?" The same occurrence can be found in Mark 14:17-21.
Sometime after his second mention of his betrayal, Jesus taught his disciples about the symbolism of his body and blood as related to food and drink. This record can be found in Matthew 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25 and Luke 22:17-20. Having been recorded in three different gospels, God completely established the importance of this teaching.There should be no doubt that when Christians eat food it should be done in rememberance of Christ's body that was broken for complete healing, and when they drink with the meal, it should be done in remembrance of his blood that was spilled unto the forgiveness of sins. We find this also in 1Peter 2:24, "Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness, by whose stripes you were healed." When we drink, let it be without doubt that having been filled with holy spirit, we are completely cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. When we eat, let it be without doubt that having been born-again, the name of Jesus Christ is able to heal us.
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