Calvin was this presence of power.* The Reformed churches teach that the bread is called the body of Christ in the same sense that the cup is called the new covenant. He Avho in faith receives the cup, receives the covenant of which it was the pledge ; and he who receives in faith the bread receives the benefits of Christ's body as broken for sin. The one is the symbol and pledge of the other.
Broken for you. In Luke it is, given for you. In Matthew and Mark these words are omitted. In some manuscripts f the word (/cA-w/Aci/ov), broken^ is wanting in this passage ; so that it would read simply for you^ leaving the participle to be sup- plied from the context. Broken or given for you means slain, or given unto death for you. The sacrificial character of the death of Christ enters essentially into the nature of this ordi- nance. It is the commemoration of his death, not as a teacher, or a benefactor, but as a sacrifice ; so that if this idea be kept out of view the sacrament loses all its significance and power.
This do in remetnbrance of me. These words are not found in Matthew or Mark. They occur in Luke 22, 19, as they do here. This do, i. e. 'Do what I have just done; take bread, consecrate it, break it, distribute and eat it. In rememhranee of me, i. e. that I may be remembered as he who died for your sins. This is the specific, definite object of the Lord's Supper, to which all other ends must be subordinate, because this alone is stated in the words of institution. It is of course involved in this, that we profess faith in him as the sacrifice for our sins ; that we receive him as such ; that we ackno^r- ledge the obligations which rest upon us as those who have been redeemed by his blood ; and that we recognize ourselves as constituent members of his church and all believers as our brethren. We are thus, as taught in the preceding chapter, brought into a real communion with Christ and with all his people by the believing participation of this ordinance.
25. After the same manner also (he took) the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testa-
* Haec communicatio corporis Christi, quam nobis in coena exhiberi dico, nee localem praesentiam, nee Christi descensum, nee infinitam extensionehi, nee aliud quicquam tale flagitat. . . . Locum non niutat, ut nobis adsit, sed e coelo praesentera in nos carnis suae virtutem transniittat.
f The MSS. A. B. C. omit KAa>^ievov, Griesbach questioned its genuineness, Laehmann and Tisehendorf reject it.