LESSON V.—SABBATH, NOVEMBER 3, 1894.
THE BLOOD OF THE COVENANT.
1. NOW the feast of unleavened bread drew nigh, which is called the Passover.
2. And the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might put him to death; for they feared the people.
3. And Satan entered into Judas who was called Iscariot, being of the number of the twelve.
4. And he went away, and communed with the chief priests and captains, how he might deliver him unto them.
5. And they were glad, and covenanted to give him money.
6. And he consented, and sought opportunity to deliver him unto them in the absence of the multitude.
7. And the day of unleavened bread came, on which the Passover must be sacrificed.
8. And he sent Peter and John, saying, Go and make ready for us the Passover, that we may eat.
9. And they said unto him, Where wilt thou that we make ready?
10. And he said unto them, Behold, when ye are entered into the city, there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water; follow him into the house whereinto he goeth.
11. And ye shall say unto the good man of the house, The Master saith unto thee, Where is the guest chamber, where I shall eat the Passover with my disciples?
12. And he will show you a large upper room furnished; there make ready.
13. And they went, and found as he had said unto them; and they made ready the Passover.
14. And when the hour was come, he sat down, and the apostles with him.
15. And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;
16. For I say unto you, I will not eat it, until it be fulfilled in the kingdom of God.
17. And he received a cup, and when he had given thanks, he said, Take this, and divide it among yourselves;
18. For I say unto you, I will not drink from henceforth of the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of God shall come.
19. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he brake it, and gave to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you; this do in remembrance of me.
20. And the cup in like manner after supper, saying, This is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you. - While Jesus was teaching, what was drawing near?
- What is this feast called?
- How long a period did the feast of unleavened bread cover? See Ex. 12: 3-20.
- What were the chief priests and scribes doing?
- Who opened the way for them to carry out their purpose?
- When the first day of unleavened bread came, what preparation was made for the Passover?
- What directions did the Saviour give the disciples?
- How did they find the place where they should keep the Passover?
- What kind of a room was it?
- When the hour came, who sat down at the table?
- What did Jesus say to the disciples?
- Until what time did he say he should no more eat the Passover?
- When he took the cup, what did he say?
- When that time comes, what will Jesus do? Luke 12: 37.
- After the Passover supper, what did Jesus do?
- What did he say of the bread which he gave to them?
- What did he next take?
- What did he say of the cup?
- What do the bread and the wine signify? 1 Cor. 10: 16.
- By taking of them, what do we show? 1 Cor. 11: 26.
- What is said of those who shall eat and drink in this ordinance unworthily?
- How does one eat and drink unworthily? Verse 29.
- What should a man do in order that he may not so eat? Verse 28.
- For what is he to examine himself? 2 Cor. 13: 5.
1. From verse 7 we learn that Jesus and his disciples ate the Passover at the regular time. On the fourteenth day of the month the lamb was to be slain, and was to be eaten that evening. Jesus sent the disciples to prepare the Passover on the first day of unleavened bread, which was the fourteenth, when the lamb must be killed. See Ex. 12: 6, 18. If he had departed from the regular custom, the disciples would not have accepted the change without question.
2. In this connection we may note a point in regard to the kind of bread and wine to be used in the Lord's Supper. The common argument against fermented wine is that it may awaken a desire for drink on the part of some; but this is not by any means the principal reason why it should not be used. The wine represents the blood of Jesus, who was without blemish and without spot. Wine that has undergone fermentation would be no fit emblem of the blood of Jesus. It would be like offering a blemished lamb in the ancient time. Moreover, it was the feast of unleavened bread, and no leaven was to be found in any house. See Ex. 12: 15. Therefore there could have been no leavened bread in the house at that time. The same text also shows that there could have been nothing but unleavened bread with which to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Leaven indicates decay, and that would not represent the spotless Lamb of God. Christ himself was the Passover. 1 Cor. 5: 7. The Lord said, "Thou shalt not offer the blood of my sacrifice with leavened bread." Ex. 23: 18. To some this may seem an unimportant matter; but the Lord thought it of enough importance to require an express command.
3. Wherever in the Bible we find in our translation the word "testament," we should read "covenant." Christ said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood." His blood is "the blood of the everlasting covenant." Heb. 13: 20. He is the surety of the new covenant. We enter into covenant relation with him by accepting his blood as the sacrifice for our sins. Thus we make a covenant with him by sacrifice. Ps. 50: 5. He makes the sacrifice; we have only to accept it. And we eat and drink the Lord's Supper worthily when we discern the Lord's body, and, by faith, take him into our hearts, just as really as we take the bread and wine into our mouths. As the bread and the wine go to nourish our bodies, and give us physical life, so the body and blood of Christ, taken by faith, will give us spiritual life.