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Jesus' Institution of the Lord's Supper in Matthew 26

Matthew 26:26–29 records Jesus' institution of the Lord's Supper during the Passover meal on Thursday evening, April 6, A.D. 30 [3]. The text reads: "While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, 'Take, eat; this is My body'" [2]. He then took the cup, gave thanks, and said, "This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins" (Matthew 26:28). This institution is also recorded in Mark 14:22–25, Luke 22:19–20, and 1 Corinthians 11:24–26, though notably absent from John's Gospel [1].

Literary and Historical Context

The institution occurs within the Passover narrative, immediately following Jesus' prediction of Judas's betrayal and preceding the departure to Gethsemane. The meal itself was the Jewish Passover feast, and Jesus likely instituted the Supper at the third cup—the "cup of blessing"—using one of the unleavened cakes from the feast [3]. This timing is significant: Jesus transforms elements already laden with redemptive symbolism (the bread and wine of Passover, commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt) into signs of a new covenant sealed by his own blood. The Passover context prefigures the Lord's Supper, as Paul later writes: "Christ our Passover has been sacrificed" (1 Corinthians 5:7) [4].

Matthew's account emphasizes covenant language. The phrase "blood of the covenant" echoes Exodus 24:8, where Moses ratified the Sinai covenant by sprinkling blood on the people. Jesus' words reframe this: his blood establishes a new covenant, and it is "poured out for many for forgiveness of sins"—a purpose absent from the old covenant ritual. The "for many" language recalls Isaiah 53:12, linking the Supper to the Suffering Servant's atoning work.

Key Interpretive Issues

The central exegetical question concerns Jesus' words "This is my body" and "This is my blood." Does "is" signify literal identity, symbolic representation, or sacramental presence? Christian traditions have divided sharply here.

The Lutheran tradition, as expressed in the Augsburg Confession, teaches "that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed to those who eat the Supper of the Lord" [12]. This affirms real presence without explaining the mode, rejecting both mere symbolism and transubstantiation.

Reformed theology, articulated by Calvin, holds that believers receive Christ spiritually through faith in the Supper. Calvin emphasized that "the thing itself, of which it is the sacrament, is for every man to life" [10], distinguishing between the outward sign and the inward grace. The bread and wine remain bread and wine, but Christ is truly present to faith, nourishing believers spiritually [8].

Catholic theology teaches transubstantiation: the substance of bread and wine becomes the substance of Christ's body and blood, though the accidents (appearance, taste) remain. Aquinas argued that through this sacrament believers receive grace toward "the attaining of eternal life," since "it was by His Passion that Christ opened to us the approach to eternal life" [9].

Purpose and Function

Paul's account in 1 Corinthians 11:24–26 adds the command "Do this in remembrance of me" and explains that "as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes." The Supper is thus memorial, proclamation, and anticipation [5]. Jamieson-Fausset-Brown notes that "show" (Greek katangellō) means "announce publicly"—each participant professes, "the Lord has died FOR ME" [6]. The Supper is not merely backward-looking but eschatological, pointing to Christ's return [5].

The early church practiced the Supper continually (Acts 2:42; 20:7) [4], calling it "eucharist" (thanksgiving) from Jesus' giving of thanks (Matthew 26:27), and later "mass" in the Latin Church, from the dismissal formula Ite, missa est [1]. The Anglican tradition identifies it as one of two sacraments "ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel" [11].

Matthew's account concludes with Jesus' vow: "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" (26:29). This eschatological note links the Supper to the messianic banquet, when Christ will feast with his people in the consummated kingdom [7]. The Supper thus stands between two Passovers: the historical exodus and the final redemption, embodying both memory and hope.

Sources

  1. Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Lord's Supper — (1 Cor. 11:20), called also "the Lord's table" (10:21), "communion," "cup of blessing" (10:16), and "breaking of bread" (Acts 2:42). In the early Church it was called also "eucharist," or giving of thanks (comp. Matt. 26:27), and generally by the Latin Church "mass," a name derived from the formula of dismission, Ite, missa est, i.e., "Go, it is discharged." The account of the institution of this ordinance is given in Matt. 26:26-29, Mark 14:22-25, Luke 22:19, 20, and 1 Cor. 11:24-26. It is not mentioned by John. It was designed, (1.) To commemorate t”
  2. Matthew “Matthew 26:26 (NASB) — While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."”
  3. Smith's Bible Dictionary “Smith's Bible Dictionary: Lords Supper — The words which thus describe the great central act of the worship of the Christian Church occur but in a single passage of the New Testament-- (1 Corinthians 11:20) + Its institution .--It was instituted on that night when Jesus and his disciples met together to eat the passover, (Matthew 26:19; Mark 14:16; Luke 22:13) (on Thursday evening, April 6, A.D. 30). It was probably instituted at the third cup (the cup of blessing) of the passover [see on [821]Passover], Jesus taking one of the unleavened cakes used at the feast and breaking it and giving it t”
  4. Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Communion of the Lord's Supper — Prefigured -- Ex 12:21-28; 1Co 5:7,8. Instituted -- Mt 26:26; 1Co 11:23. Object of -- Lu 22:19; 1Co 11:24,26. Is the communion of the body and blood of Christ -- 1Co 10:16. Both bread and wine are necessary to be received in -- Mt 26:27; 1Co 11:26. Self-examination commanded before partaking of -- 1Co 11:28,31. Newness of heart and life necessary to the worthy partaking of -- 1Co 5:7,8. Partakers of, be wholly separate to God -- 1Co 10:21. Was continually partaken of, by the Church -- Ac 2:42; 20:7. Unworthy partakers of Are guilty of”
  5. 1 Corinthians (Protestant academic) “Tyndale House on 1 Corinthians 11:26: 11:26 In taking the Lord’s Supper, Christians proclaim the saving significance of the Lord’s death to those around them until he comes again (see 1:7-8; cp. 1 Thes 1:9-10; 3:12; 4:13-18; 5:23).”
  6. 1 Corinthians (Presbyterian) “Jamieson, Fausset & Brown on 1 Corinthians 11:26: For--in proof that the Lord's Supper is "in remembrance" of Him. show--announce publicly. The Greek does not mean to dramatically represent, but "ye publicly profess each of you, the Lord has died FOR ME" [WAHL]. This word, as "is" in Christ's institution (Co1 11:24-25), implies not literal presence, but a vivid realization, by faith, of Christ in the Lord's Supper, as a living person, not a mere abstract dogma, "bone of our bone, and flesh of our flesh" (Eph 5:30; compare Gen 2:23); and ourselves "members of His body, of His flesh, and of Hi”
  7. Luke (Baptist/Reformed) “John Gill on Luke 22:29: That ye may eat, and drink, at my table, in my kingdom,.... In the Gospel dispensation, or Gospel church state, in which Christ has a table, called the table of the Lord, Co1 10:21 which is the Lord's supper, and is a table well furnished with the best of provisions, his flesh and blood, of which believers may eat and drink with a hearty welcome; Christ himself being present to sup with them: and in his personal reign on earth, where will be the marriage supper of the Lamb, to which all the saints will be called; and will sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and be”
  8. CCEL (Reformed) “John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, section 99: 2555 CHAPTER 17. OF THE LORD’S SUPPER, AND THE BENEFITS CONFERRED BY IT. This chapter is divided into two principal heads.—I. The first part shows what it is that God exhibits in the Holy Supper, sec. 1-4; and then in what way and how far it becomes ours, sec. 5-11. II. The second part is chiefly occupied with a refutation of the errors which superstition has introduced in regard to the Lord’s Supper. And, first, Transubstantiation is refuted, sec. 12-15. Next, Consubstantiation and Ubiquity, sec. 16-19. Thirdly, It is shown that t”
  9. theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Effects of This Sacrament, Art. 2: Article: Whether the attaining of glory is an effect of this sacrament? I answer that, In this sacrament we may consider both that from which it derives its effect, namely, Christ contained in it, as also His Passion represented by it; and that through which it works its effect, namely, the use of the sacrament, and its species. Now as to both of these it belongs to this sacrament to cause the attaining of eternal life. Because it was by His Passion that Christ opened to us the approach to eternal l”
  10. Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 7: Augustine — Homilies on John — CHAPTER VI. 41-59. (part 13): Lord's table it is taken, by some to life, by some to destruction: but the thing itself, of which it is the sacrament, is for every man to life, for no man to destruction, whosoever shall have been a partaker thereof. 16. But lest they should suppose that eternal life was promised in this meat and drink in such manner that they who should take it should not even now die in the body, He condescended to meet this thought; for when He had said, "He that eateth my flesh, anti drinketh my blood, hath eternal life," He forthwi”
  11. Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican) “Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion (Anglican, 1571), Section 262: There are two Sacraments ordained of Christ our Lord in the Gospel, that is to say, Baptism, and the Supper of the Lord.”
  12. Augsburg Confession (Lutheran) “Augsburg Confession (Lutheran, 1530), 1 Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood: 1 Of the Supper of the Lord they teach that the Body and Blood of Christ are truly present, and are distributed 2 to those who eat the Supper of the Lord; and they reject those that teach otherwise.”
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