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The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · December 17, 1867

FromReview and Herald, Vol. XXXI, No. 1

Read the full edition

Report of the Battle Creek Bible Class.

By W. C. G.

MARK XIV, 22–42.

THE INSTITUTION OF THE LORD'S SUPPER.

VERSE 22. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.
Ques. Who are the persons here referred to, and what is meant by “they did eat?”
Ans. Christ and his twelve apostles were the persons, and they were eating the passover. After they had partaken of the passover in a formal manner, in obedience to the requirements of the law, our Saviour instituted what we now call the Lord's supper.
Q. Why was this a fitting occasion for its institution?
A. This was the last legal occurrence of the feast, as the type had reached its antitype. The true passover, Christ himself, was about to be sacrificed for the sins of the world. The types and shadows were to cease, and henceforth, the institutions of the gospel were to be memorials.
Q. How frequently should the Lord's supper be observed?
A. Some have taken the ground that its observance should be annual, taking the place of the passover, and being celebrated on the anniversary of that feast. It appears, however, that this was not the custom of the apostles, nor are we anywhere commanded so to observe it. It should not be too seldom celebrated, nor so frequently as to make it too common, and it thereby lose its impressiveness.
Q. What does the bread represent?
A. The body of Christ, broken for our transgressions.
Q. Was this illustration ever used before this time?
A. Yes; John vi, 35: “And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life.”
Q. To what does the expression “blessed” apply? Here followed quite an extended and interesting discussion as to whether the term applied to the bread, or to God. Some contended that he blessed the bread, others that the term signified, as stated in the parallel texts, and in Paul's account in 1 Cor. xi, 24, that he “gave thanks,” which would indicate that he blessed God by thanksgiving. This question was finally laid over until the next Sabbath for further consideration.
Q. What does the breaking of the bread signify?
A. The breaking of the body of Christ. Although not a bone of him was broken—thus fulfilling the type of the paschal lamb, which was not to have a bone broken—yet his flesh was broken and bruised, for our iniquities.
Q. What prophecy was fulfilled in this?
A. Isa. liii, 5, 10: “He was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities. . . . It pleased the Lord to bruise him.”
Q. What is signified by the expression, “Take, eat; this is my body”?
A. When we eat of the bread, we are to remember the body of Christ, which was offered for us, and apply it to our own individual cases.
Q. Is this figure used elsewhere in Scripture?
A. Yes; John vi, 54–56: “Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.”
Q. What is the meaning of the expression, “this is my body”?
A. This represents my body. The Roman Catholic theory of transubstantiation is, that the bread and wine become converted into the literal body and blood of Christ, by a miracle, at each celebration of the Lord's supper, and is founded on the expressions, this is my body, and this is my blood. But similar expressions are of frequent occurrence in the Scriptures, as in Christ's parables, the Revelation, &c.: “The reapers are the angels,” &c., meaning represent the angels; “The good seed is the word,” &c., “The seven candles are the seven churches,” &c., meaning in every case, “stand for” or “represent.”
The fact that the Roman Catholics themselves do not fully believe the theory, was illustrated by an anecdote:
A Catholic priest was endeavoring to convince a Protestant of the truthfulness of the theory of transubstantiation, when the latter subjected his doctrine to the following test: Having, unbeknown to the priest, caused a quantity of arsenic to be incorporated into the wafers used in communion, before they were placed in his hands, he waited until the ceremony had been said which was supposed to work the miraculous change, and then asked him if that was now the literal body of Christ. “Yes,” was the reply. “Well,” said the Protestant, “before the change was wrought, it contained a quantity of arsenic, but of course it contains none now, and must be harmless.” This revelation prevented the priest from eating it, notwithstanding his boasted confidence in the theory.
VERSE 23. And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
Q. What does the wine represent?
A. The blood of Christ. In the former dispensation this was represented by the actual, literal blood of the sacrifices that were slain in the typical service, but in this memorial wine is used.
Q. What cup was used on this occasion?
A. Probably the cup used in the feast of the passover, called the “grace cup,” or “cup of blessing.”
Q. What kind of bread was used on this occasion?
A. Unleavened, as no leaven was allowed in all their houses during the feast of the passover. Some have argued from this, that only unleavened bread should be used in the Lord's supper, as the process of leavening is really a process of decay and putrefaction, and therefore this kind of bread would not be appropriate as a symbol of the body of Christ. Nothing, however, is commanded in the Bible, in regard to it.
Q. Was Judas among the number?
A. From the account of the passover, given by John, we are led to infer that he was not; John xiii, 39: “He then having received the sop went immediately out; and it was night.” If Judas went out immediately upon receiving the sop, he could not have participated in the events which transpired after the passover.
VERSE 24. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Q. What is meant by the blood of the new testament.
A. The blood of Christ which was shed to ratify the new covenant or testament. Paul says in Heb. ix, 16, 17: “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.”
Q. How was the old testament or covenant confirmed?
A. By typical blood. Heb. ix, 18–20: “Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood. For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book and all the people. Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.”
Q. What is meant by “shed for many.”
A. Shed for all the world. This does not save all, however, for some do not avail themselves of the merits of Christ's blood, even although it is shed for them.
Q. In this respect how does the new covenant differ from the old?
A. The blood of the former dispensation was shed only for the Jews, while that of the new is shed for all. The Jews only were God's chosen people then, but now the middle wall of partition is broken down, that the Gentiles may be admitted to partake of the plan of salvation.
VERSE 25. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
Q. What is meant by “that day.”
A. The time when he will drink newly-made wine at the marriage supper of the Lamb, in the New Jerusalem, the metropolis of the kingdom of God.
VERSE 26. And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
Q. Why did they go out?
A. They were occupying the guest chamber of a friend, only for the purpose of eating the passover, and had no further claim upon his hospitality. And probably Jesus did not wish to implicate him by being in his house when he should be taken prisoner.
VERSE 27. And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
Q. What is meant by the word “offended?”
A. Shall be caused to offend, in that they would forsake their Lord in his time of distress and affliction.
Q. Where is the prophecy here quoted written?
A. Zech. xiii, 7: “Awake, O sword, against my Shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the Lord of hosts; smite the Shepherd and the sheep shall be scattered; and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.”
Q. What does it signify?
A. Christ, the Shepherd, was to be smitten, and the sheep, his disciples, were scattered in their fright and unbelief.
VERSE 28. But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
Q. What is meant by this promise?
A. That he would again gather the affrighted sheep after his resurrection, before ascending to his Father.
VERSES 29–31. But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I. And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently, If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all.
Remark. Many, like Peter, are ready to protest their willingness to suffer affliction and sorrow on account of their faith, but, like him, perhaps would deny their Masterwhen brought to the test. We should be careful and examine our hearts to see whether we are really willing to suffer for Jesus, that we may reign with him in his kingdom.
VERSE 32. And they came to a place which was named Gethsemane; and he saith to his disciples, Sit ye here, while I shall pray.
Q. What is the meaning of the word Gethsemane?
A. Olive mill; probably so named from the fact that Gethsemane was a garden of Olives. It was located at the foot of the mount of Olives.
VERSES 33, 34. And he taketh with him Peter and James and John, and began to be sore amazed, and to be very heavy; and saith unto them, My soul is exceeding sorrowful unto death; tarry ye here, and watch.
Remark. If the soul of Christ was sorrowful unto death, it must have been because his soul could die. The popular dogma that only the body of Christ died is disproved by this, and by other expressions in the Bible. As in Isa. liii, 10, it declares, “Thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin,” &c. Verse 12: “He hath poured out his soul unto death.”
VERSES 35, 36. And he went forward a little, and fell on the ground, and prayed that, if it were possible, the hour might pass from him. And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me; nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt.
Q. Was this prayer answered?
A. Some have supposed that Christ prayed to be saved from the death of the cross. But it seems this was not the case. When his soul was sorrowful unto death it was because he felt the weight of the sins of the world upon him with such crushing force that he feared he should not be able to endure the load, but would fail under it. That the burden of his prayer was for relief from this is evident from the fact that his prayer was answered, which could not have been the case had he prayed for deliverance from the death of the cross. Heb. v, 7: “Who in the days of his flesh, when he had offered up prayers and supplications, with strong crying and tears unto him that was able to save him from death and was heard in that he feared.”
Q. What is the meaning of “Abba?”
A. The word literally means father. Probably used in this case as an expression of endearment.
VERSES 37, 38. And he cometh, and findeth them sleeping, and saith unto Peter, Simon, sleepest thou? couldest not thou watch one hour? Watch ye and pray, lest ye enter into temptation. The spirit truly is ready, but the flesh is weak.
Q. Why did he address Peter?
A. Because he had made such loud professions of fidelity, and had been so vehement in declaring his allegiance to Christ. It was as much as to say to him, “After all your boasting, could you not watch a single hour?”
VERSES 39–42. And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. And when he returned, he found them asleep again (for their eyes were heavy), neither wist they what to answer him. And he cometh the third time and saith unto them, Sleep on now, and take your rest; it is enough, the hour is come; behold, the Son of man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise up, let us go; lo, he that betrayeth me is at hand.
Q. What was the occasion of the heaviness of the disciples?
A. It was already in the night, and perhaps they were overwhelmed with sorrow as they begun to realize the fact that Christ was about to be taken from them, and in a certain sense stupefied by the intensity of their grief.
Remark. Christ was aware of the fact that he was betrayed into the hands of his enemies, and voluntarily placed himself in a position to be taken by them, in order that he might be offered up for the sins of the world. He might have escaped his fate if he chose, but his love for sinners led him to give his life for them, and peaceably yield himself into the hands of his enemies.
Several questions were introduced for the consideration of the class, but the discussion of them was deferred until the next Sabbath, and will be duly reported through the Review.
W. C. G.