[Oiven for you.] It may be asked by whom and to what was our Lord's body given ? It was given by His own free will and choice, as well as by God the Fathers love, to suffering, to death, and to the grave, on behalf of a world of sinners, to procure eternal life for as many as would believe on Him.
19. — [Do this.] The Roman Catholics struggle hard to make out that these words mean "'Offer up this sacrifice," and that the words were specially intended to be confined to priests conse- crating the bread and wine, and offering it up as a sacrifice in the mass. The idea will not bear calm examination. The natural meaning of the words is a command addressed to all disciples. " Practice this," — " Do what I have just showed you," — "Keep up the ordinance I have just appointed," — "Break, take, eat this bread in all ages, in remembrance of me."
20. — [This cup is the New Testament.] Here, as well as in the former verse, the meaning is, " This cup represents the new cove- nant, which is to be sealed and ratified with my blood, — which blood is shed, or going to be shed for you." There is a peculiarity in the Greek words, which can only be conveyed to an English reader by a paraphrase.
It is clear that a " cup " is not literally a " testament" or coven- ant. The Roman Catholic who contends that in the former verse, where our Lord says, " this is my body," He meant " this is my literal body, really and truly," will find it hard to explain our Lord's meaning here. — The Protestant view that in both cases our Lord meant " this bread represents my body," and " this cup represents the new covenant which is ratified by my blood," is the only rational and satisfactory view.
If our Lord had really meant that what He gave His disciples was literally His "blood," it seems impossible to understand the calmness with which they received the announcement. They were all Jews, and as Jews had all been taught from their infancy that to eat blood was a great sin. They evidently understood the words as Protestants do now. ^Levit. iii. 17; vu. 26.)
21. — [The hand.. As with me on the table.] These words make it clear and plain that Judas Iscariot was one of those who received the Lord's Supper. No other honest conclusion seems possible. If so, according to Roman Catholics, Judas must actually have eaten Christ's body, and drank Christ's blood ! And yet he was a son of perdition !
To keep away from the Lord's Table at some particular church, because some of the communicants live inconsistent lives, is a proceeding which cannot be reconciled with the Scripture before us. The expression in Corinthians, which is often quoted on the subject, "with such an one no not to eat," (I Cor. v. II,) has no reference to the Lord's Supper at all.
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BXPOsrroRY thoughts.
Burkitt remarks, " Nothing is more ordinary than for unholy persons to press into the holy ordinances of God, which they iiave no right to. Yet their presence pollutes the ordinance only to themselyes.**
22. — lOoeth as it was determined ; hut woe, dc.'\ Let us note in this verse that though the wickedness of Judas was foreknown, and foreseen, and permitted hy God in His infinite wisdom, — ^yet Judas was not the less guUty in God's sight. God's fore-know- ledge does not destroy man's responsibility, or justify man in going on still in wickedness, under the excuse that he cannot help sinning. Nothing can happen, in heaven or in earth, without God's knowledge and permission. But sinners lune always addressed by God as responsible, and as free agents.
Augustine, quoted by Ford, remarks, that " God is said to will things, in the way of permission, which he does not will in the way of approbation."
Bishop Hall says, "It is the greatest praise of God's wis- dom that he can turn the sins of man to his own glory."
LUKE XXn. 24—30.
24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be ac- counted the greatest.
25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them ; and they that exercise authority upon them are called bene- factors.
26 But ye sJiaU not he so : but he that is greatest among yon, let him be as the younger ; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve.
27 For whether is greater, he that
sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat ? but I am among you as he that serveth.
28 Ye are they which have con- tinued with me in my temptations.
29 And I appoint nnto you a king- dom, as my Father hath appointed unto me ;
30 That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
Let US observe, in this passage, how firmly pride and love of preeminence can stick to the hearts of good men. We are told, that " There was a strife among the disciples, which of them should be accounted the greatest." The strife was one which had been rebuked by our Lord on a former occasion. The ordinance which the dis- ciples had just been receiving, and the circumstances under which they were assembled, made the strife pecu-