udra / Depositphotos.com
CONLEY COMMENTARY (WSAU) – A lot happens during Holy Week: Palm Sunday, Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem. The clearing of the temple. The last supper. The betrayal by Judas. The arrest at Gethesmene. The trial before Pilate. The crucifixion. And the resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Today I’d like to talk about the last supper, where Jesus celebrates the first communion. Scripture tells us that during the meal Christ took bread, gave thanks and broke it. “This is my body which is broken for you,” He said. At the end of the meal, he took the cup and said “this wine is the new covenant between God and his people. My blood is poured out for you, and for many, for the forgiveness of sin.” Christ’s final request at the table was “do this in remembrance of me.”
The disciples must not have understood. Surely Jesus was talking in parables again. His body was not broken. His blood had not been spilled. It was just more talk, as Jesus said, that will make sense to some and not to others.
Well, Christ-followers continue to celebrate communion more than 2,000 years later. That tells us that the disciples must have observed the Lord’s supper a second time. When is not recorded. Christ’s crucifixion was a day after the last supper. His resurrection was three days later. Some time after that, when bread was broken and wine was shared in His name, the disciples must have understood… then.
That’s a good example of what it’s like to follow Jesus. Will you understand everything? No, of course not. But you will have a different and deeper understanding the more you stay with it.
The journey itself is rewarding.
I wish you a blessed Holy Week.
Chris Conley
Comments