Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you"

 

 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.  But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 

Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written:

'I will strike the Shepherd,

And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

"But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."  Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.  Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!"  And so said all the disciples.

 

- Matthew 26:26-35 

 

Yesterday we read that on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.  When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.  Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"  He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."  Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?"  He said to him, "You have said it."

 

 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat; this is My body."  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."   My study Bible notes that this is the institution of the Eucharist, which it calls the "long-awaited messianic banquet," to which even Judas is admitted (compare Esther 7).  Jesus is seeking by all means possible to save him.  But because of his wicked heart, my study Bible says, Judas' participation will lead to his condemnation (1 Corinthians 11:27-30).  These words of Jesus are repeated in the Divine Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom; they invite the faithful to receive His body and blood.  In Holy Communion we are thereby united to Christ.  As Jesus gave thanks (εὐχαριστέω/eucharisteo, forming the Greek root of "eucharist"), it teaches us how we are to celebrate this sacrament, also that He comes willingly to His Passion, and even, my study Bible says, to accept sufferings with thankfulness -- knowing that God can use sufferings for ultimate good.  Moreover, the Old Covenant was sealed with the blood of bulls and goats.  But the New is sealed by the gift of Christ Himself, who my study Bible says shed His own blood to conquer sin and death and to reconcile us with God.  Christ names it the blood of the new covenant, effectively God's promise and the fulfillment of the Law.  "New" indicates that this covenant brings immortality and incorruptible life; and it's very important to understand that this covenant will always carry the quality of newness.  Shed for many uses an Aramaic expression meaning "for all."

 

 "But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.  My study Bible notes that patristic commentary teaches that Jesus also drinks the cup of His own Blood.  He does so in order to lead all believers into participation in His heavenly mysteries; one more incident in which He fulfills all righteousness.   In My Father's kingdom, my study Bible says, relates to the time after Christ's Resurrection, when He will both eat and drink to show the reality of His victory over death (Luke 24:41-43).  Additionally, it points to the eternal banquet of the Kingdom in the age to come.  

Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of Me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'  But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee."  Peter answered and said to Him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of You, I will never be made to stumble."  Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.  Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You!"  And so said all the disciples.  This prophesy of Christ regarding Peter's denial will be fulfilled as Peter stands outside the home of the chief priest, with which Jesus is tried by the Sanhedrin.  We will read this story of denial later on in this chapter.   But for now, let us note how emphatically Peter and all the disciples declare they will not deny Christ.

As Jesus is on the cusp of His Passion, He tells the disciples, "Take, eat; this is My body."  It is remarkable to consider the time, not only because of its proximity to the Crucifixion, but because He is literally teaching them the truth behind what is about to happen. Everything about to unfold is the culmination of His ministry, the final gift He gives for salvation, to the world.  Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you.  For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."  Let's consider that His blood will indeed soon be shed, for which He now gives thanks in front of the disciples.  God is using this occasion for something much greater than anyone can understand in that room, and likely for something much greater than any one of us has realized even two thousand years later -- and Christ Himself is giving thanks for the opportunity, the blessing, the grace, and the magnanimity of this new covenant which will remit sins for all who take it up and live it.  He insists that they all drink -- even His adversary, soon to be His betrayer, Judas, who has been with Him all this time.  Because this grace is on offer for many, meaning "for all," He commands all to drink.  The remission of sins is the acceptance into His eternal Kingdom, His Father's kingdom, the one established in the promise of Christ the Bridegroom, and this is that true New Covenant.  It is now available to all who will take it up and live it.  So Jesus establishes where He is before all the disciples here, explaining to them what is about to happen and why, even giving thanks for the occasion, so that they and we will know the depth and meaning of what they will witness, and what is being initiated for the life of the world.  He predicts their denial, and their scattering and stumbling in the face of the shattering reality they will face.  Can we imagine giving thanks in such a circumstance?  And yet, with God, all things are possible, and "we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose" (Romans 8:28).  If Christ can give thanks at this moment, then let us remember at all times in our lives to give thanks, for we do not know how God is calling us, through the good and the evil, and what God will make out of every moment of our lives, in ways which we can't yet see.