Jesus Body and Blood

When Jesus broke the bread and shared it, he said, “This is my body given for you”. He was not saying that the bread had become his body, but prophesying what would happen in the next three days. His statement was a prophecy that his body would be broken for the disciples to give them life. He was saying that he loved them enough to suffer and die for them. The broken bread was a symbol of his unconditional love for us. When we break bread we should be making a similar declaration and prophecy. We should be expressing a similar commitment to our brothers and sisters: “You are more important to me than my comfort.” Eating with them is an expression of our willingness to pour out our lives for them, in the same way that Jesus did for us.

The same applies to Jesus statement: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you”. He is not talking about wine turning into blood. He was proclaiming a new covenant that he would establish with all Christians by dying on the cross. When we take the cup, we are not drinking Jesus blood. We are declaring that we are part of the covenant that he established. We are also declaring the same covenant with the brothers and sisters eating a meal with us. We are saying that we will sweat blood for them. We are committing to dying, if necessary, for our brothers and sisters in the Lord. This is why the Lord supper is also called a “Love Feast” (Jude 12). Eating the Lord’s Supper is a covenant commitment of unconditional love to the other members of the Church.