Continued.

The Institution of the Lord’s Supper

In understanding the meaning of Jesus’ table fellowship, we find that it is tied to the forgiveness of sins. Furthermore, it is tied to the eschatological banquet because those who eat and drink with Jesus and his other dinner guests will get to eat and drink with them in the Kingdom of Heaven. As Jesus told His disciples:

And you are those who have stood by Me in My trials; and just as My Father has granted Me a kingdom, I grant you that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel (Luke 22.28-30).

But here we must be careful not to ignore the complexity of Jesus’ eschatological message. In the two versions of the Parable of the Wedding Feast we find two different horizons in view. On the one hand, in Luke’s account, the resurrection is probably in view (14.14). In Matthew 21.33-22.14, however, the Wedding Feast is much more imminent. The Table of the Kingdom of God will be a new covenant community in history which replaces Israel as defined by the Temple in Jerusalem, for Jerusalem is soon to be surrounded by armies (Luke 21.20) and the Temple destroyed (see above). In Matt 8.11-12 and Luke 13.22-30 (both quoted above) the situation is more ambiguous–perhaps purposefully so.

This brings us to the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26.26-29/ Mark 14.22-25/ Luke 22.17-20) where Jesus promised the disciples that they would eat and drink at His table in His Kingdom (Luke 22.28-30). When passing the cup Jesus uttered an oath: “For I say to you, I will not drink of the fruit of the vine from now on until the Kingdom of God comes (Luke 22.18/ Matt 26.29/ Mark 14.25). When did this happen?

After this, Jesus, knowing that all things had already been accomplished, in order that the Scripture might be fulfilled, said, “I am thirsty.” A jar full of sour wine was standing there; so they put a sponge full of the sour wine upon hyssop and brought it up to His mouth. When Jesus therefore had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit (John 19.28-30/ Matt 27.48/ Mark 15.36).

In an important sense, Jesus considered the Kingdom to have come while He was still on the cross. It was before His death that he broke his fast and tasted the fruit of the vine.

From the data we have been given about eating and drinking in the Kingdom, we see eating and drinking in the Kingdom means (1) eating and drinking in some special way after Jesus has made atonement for sins on the cross, (2) eating and drinking in some special way after God has destroyed the Temple, and (3) eating and drinking with the righteous after the resurrection.

Of course, the question that needs to be answered for situations (1) and (2) is: What is the “special way” of eating and drinking which counts as eating and drinking in the Kingdom? The Gospel accounts make that question inescapable. The only likely answer they seem to provide to that question is the institution of the Lord’s Supper (Matt 26.26-29/ Mark 14.22-25/ Luke 22.17-20/ 1 Cor 11.23-25). The Lord’s Supper is the continuation, albeit in a special way, of Jesus’ practice of eating and drinking with sinners on the basis of His willingness and ability to forgive their sins. A place at this Supper is a foretaste and promise of a place at the resurrection of the righteous.

TO BE CONTINUED