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.

 

Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops

Christ the Teacher/Pantocrator, with Gospel open to John 11:25, Greek

 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known.

"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."

- Matthew 10:24-33

Yesterday we read the continuation of Jesus' teaching to the Twelve, as He sent them out on their first mission:   "Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves.  Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves.  But beware of men, for they will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake, as a testimony to them and to the Gentiles.  But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak.  For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.  Now brother will deliver up brother to death, and a  father his child; and the children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death.  And you will be hated by all for My name's sake.  But he who endures to the end will be saved.  When they persecute you in this city, flee to another.  For assuredly, I say to you, you will not have gone through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."

 "A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master.  It is enough for a disciple that he be like his teacher, and a servant like his master.  If they have called the master of the house Beelzebub, how much more will they call those of his household!  Therefore do not fear them.  For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known."  Jesus continues to warn the disciples about the persecution and hatred that is to come.  He refers back to something we read in chapter 9, that the Pharisees accused Him of casting out demons by the power of demons (9:34).  My study bible notes that in today's passage, the phrase do not fear is repeated three times all together, in order to embolden the witness of the gospel in the face of adversity and difficulty.  It adds that Christian believers, both then and today as well, must neither be intimated by persecution nor fail in their mission to preach.

"Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.  And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.  But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.  Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin?  And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will.  But the very hairs of your head are all numbered.  Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.  Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."  My study bible says that, as Jesus tells us there is no need to fear the killing of the soul, we are to understand that souls are immortal, and ours by grace.  Fear Him is a command to fear God (Proverbs 9:10; Luke 1:50, 23:40; Acts 10:2; Colossians 3:22; 1 Peter 2:17), as God alone has the power to judge the soul.  We are instructed, by contrast, to resist the devil (James 4:7) and not to fear him.  The word for hell is literally "Gehenna."  In Jewish history, Gehenna was the valley of Hinnom; it became a place of forbidden religious practices (2 Chronicles 28:3, Jeremiah 32:35).    King Josiah stopped these practices (2 Kings 23:10).  By the time of Christ, my study bible explains, this valley had become a garbage dump that smoldered continually.  Because of such associations, Gehenna took on the connotation of eternal punishment in the afterlife.  Nevertheless, Christ's warnings regarding judgment are quite real.

In today's reading, Jesus says, " For there is nothing covered that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known," and also, "Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops."  These are sentences which express the idea of revelation, of openly showing something to the world that was previously hidden or secret, possibly known to only a few.  It tells us about the growth of the gospel, and what is coming into the world.  It also gives us a sense that the spread of the gospel is similar to the Incarnation itself.  Christ was born at night, without fanfare except for the shepherds in the hills (Luke 2:8-20), who only know because the glory and rejoicing of heaven is uncontained and made known by the angels.  Similarly, the Magi of the East, the "wise men" (Matthew 2:1-2) know because they can read the stars (also associated with angels in Scripture; see Revelation 1:20).  These things of great portent happen in ways unknown to the world, and yet they unfold to become magnificent, brilliant, a light to the world.  We might think of revelation as limited to particular things or messages, such as prophesy or the specific ways that God is revealed in Scripture.  But the truth is that through Christ's words, we should understand that the action of revelation goes on all the time, and even that we are to be a part of it.  At the end of today's passage, He says, "Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven.  But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven."   This is a continuation of the action of revealing what is covered, and coming to know what is hidden.  It follows upon His command that what He tells in the dark, we should speak in the light -- and that what we hear in the ear we are to preach on the housetops.  To confess, in the sense of the way the Greek word is used here,  is to express a belief, to agree.   Therefore Jesus isn't speaking specifically about witnessing; instead He's speaking about proclaiming His truth, preaching the word He has given, sharing the gospel.  He reveals that gospel to us, and we in turn may give it to others.  Our choice to either confess or deny what He offers is linked to what we choose to reveal or to help suppress; in turn His own action will be reciprocal to ours as we choose to live our lives.  Do we deny His truth?  Or do we share it?  Jesus does not present other "in between" alternatives.  In a sense, to fail to profess is similar to denial -- because we remains hidden through silence, a lack of expression in the world.  In what ways do you live the gospel and so reveal it to others?  How do we follow His commands and act on them?  What are the things you learn from your faith and then pass on to others?  Let us not keep it hidden, but profess it so that its beauty may be given to all.