The Pulpit Commentary — Luke — Volume 2 — Section 190

BB the Founder of a great religion, he pur• " I will not drink " Likewise n.lso tho posed.on this momentous occasion, transform• of tbe fruit of the cup nfter Supper'' ing_the mos~ solemn festal gathering of the vine, until the king- (vcr. 20). &nc1ont Jewish people, which commemorated dom of God sh11ll their greatest deliverance, into &feast which come" (ver. 18). should-as age sucoeeded e.ge-commemo- rnte a far greo.ter deliverance, not of the It wo.s in the course of the, great ritual old chosen race only, but of every race under Supper on some of the oco11sions wlien the heaven. These were three of the reasons cup was passed round, and the unleavened why he had desired so earnestly to eat this bread formally broken or dipped in one of Passover with them. "To-morrow, at the the Passover dishes, that the Lord found usual hour, when the people cat their PMs- his opportunity solemnly to announce the over, it will be too late for us." Thi, he formal abrogation of the old Paschal Supper expresses in his own snd words, "before I and the institution of the new communion suffer." feast. The above literal interpretation of Vers. 16-1S.-For I say unto you, I will the Lord's mystio words, "until that day not any more eat thereof, until it be fulfilled when I drink it new with you in my Father's in the kingdom of God, There was yet one kingdom " (M11tt. xxvi. 29), or, BS St. other renson for the Master's special desire Luke reports them, " I will not drink of once more to ent the solemn Passover with the fruit of the vine, until the kingdom of his chosen disciples. He would, by some God shall come "-which literal interpre- l!i.gnificant e.ction a.nd word, show that the tation in the main is tha.t preferred by De11n great Jewish feast, for so many centuries Mansel (Commentary on Matt. xxvi. 29); the central act of the ritual observances see, too, St. Chrysostom in Matt. Hom, under the :Mosaio Law, from henceforth l:uii., who adopts the so.me litel'o.l interpre- would be superseded by a. new and a. yet tation-does not exclude a yet deeper o.nd more solemn reli~om rite. The Jewish more spiritual meaning which lies beneath Passover wus to give ple.ce to the Christian the surface, and which speaks of another sacrament. He. their Master, would with a.nd spiritual banquet in the heo.venly realm, tliem she.re in the Passover meal that even- which not only the Redeemer, but also his ing for the last time. The next time that redeemed, will partake of. Heaven-life he would partake would be still with them, under the form of a banquet was imagery but it would be in tlie kingdom of God, that well known o.nd often painted by the Jewish is to say, in the Church of God, which masters in the old rabbinio schools before wna to be founded after his resurrection. o.nd contemporary with the earthly lifo of The kingdom of God commenced with the Christ. The New Testament writers in resurrection of Jesus. The constant cele- several places have adopted the similo.r bration of the Holy Eucharist commenced imagery, notably in Ma.tt. viii. ·n: eh. from that time: it is more than probable xxii. 30; Rev. xix. 9. How widespread that our Lord partook of it, after hia re- and well loved wa.e thia Jewish reprei;ento.- snrrection, with his own (see eh. xxiv. 30: tion of the heaven-life under the form of a Acts L 41 ). I will not any more eo.t thereof, banquet ia clear from the three above-quoted until . . . I will not driDk of the fruit of the references to.ken from SS. Matthew, Paul vine, until, etc. These statements, which (Luke), o.nd John. speak of e. final partaking ( eating a.n<l drillk- Vere. 19, 20.-And he took bread, and gave :wg), w-e closely po.ro.llel to the command thanks, and brake it, and gave unto thom, coutained in vers. 19, 20. The first state- saying, Thill is my body which is given for ment seems solemnly to close the celebration you : this do in remembranoe of me. Like- of the Pa,;,;over Feast: the second, to in- wise also the oup after supper, saying, This stitute with equal 110lemnity a new feast in oup ia the newtestamou.t in my blood, whioh its place- is shed for yon. Around these words, and the po.ro.llel passages in SS. Matthew and " With desire I haoe de~ired to eat this }fark, for more than a thousand yciire fierce passo1Jer with you before I Htjfer" (ver. 15); theologicnl disputes Lave raged. Men have for- gone gladly to prison o.nd to death ro.tber 77.e Pa,801!er Feast is The Holy EucTwrist than renounce what they believed to be the Bowmnly put, an end i, ,olemnly insti- true interpretation. Now, a brief exegeticul to. tuted. commenta1·y id not the place to enter into " I will not any " He took bread, ..• these sad controversies. It will be sulll- more eat thereof, until and brake it, and cient here to indicnte some of the lines of it Lt fullilled in the gave unto thew : ... thought wliich the pre.ycrful earnest reader kinguom of God" This do in remem- might wisely follow out so o.e to o.tto.in certain (vcr. 16). brance of me" (ver. just ideas respecting tbo blessed rito here iu• li1. stituted-itleo.s which way suffico for n. prao- on. xxrx. 1-71.) TllE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE. HJ()