After Palm Sunday the next
observance during Holy Week in many churches is that of Maundy Thursday. Maundy Thursday is also a church term and not
found in the Bible. On this day
believers remember the establishment of the Lord’s Supper. Jesus met with his disciples on the first day
of Passover. At this time they ate
unleaven bread, which symbolized Christ’s body, and drank from the fruit of the
vine, which symbolized Christ’s blood.
This meal was meant to be eaten again and again until Jesus returns.
The establishment of the Lord’s
Supper is recorded in Matthew 26:26-30, Mark 14:22-26, Luke 22:19-22 and 1
Corinthians 11:23-26. Following is the
account given in Matthew 26:26-30.
While they were
eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to his
disciples, saying, “Take and eat; this is my body.”
Then he took the
cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of
you. This is my blood of the covenant,
which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of
the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my
Father’s kingdom.”
When they had
sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
While we should remember and give
thanks 24/7 for the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross, so that we may live
with him forever, we all need to make the additional remembrance by eating the
bread and drinking the fruit of the vine as he instructed us when he
established the Lord’s Supper.
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