Just before His death, our Lord Jesus established a very important tradition that became a rule of the New Covenant. This is the Lord’s Supper. It is sometimes called Communion or the Love Supper.
A will is drawn up by its owner before his death. While he is alive, he may make corrections and changes to this document. But after the owner’s death, the will comes into final force and is no longer subject to revision. Anyone who decides to alter the will of the deceased for his own benefit will be regarded as a fraud or deceiver in the eyes of society and God.
The Gospel of John was the last message to believers to be included in the canon, and in this Gospel the apostle, under the influence of the Holy Spirit, pointed out many details of the life of Jesus and those distinctive features of His teaching that we do not find in the other accounts. If we did not have this Gospel, Christianity would be different. But when God sends light to His people, He does not do so merely to increase our knowledge. He expects our obedience.
Jesus gathered His disciples for the last time in order to reveal to them very important truths that were to strengthen them in the coming trials. Death was already breathing in the Savior’s face, and He languished in anticipation of the suffering ahead. The whole human nature of Christ shuddered. He longed for the support and sympathy of His disciples, but they did not understand Jesus; the spirit of rivalry was raging within them. At the entrance stood a pitcher of water for washing feet, a task usually performed for guests by a servant, but this time there was no servant in the house. The disciples sat in proud silence, each considering himself superior. Everyone waited for someone else to take the role of a servant. Judas had already sold Christ and was waiting for the right moment to bring his deed to completion. And what could Jesus do for these wretched people? He rose from His place, laid aside His outer garment, took the pitcher of water, poured water into a basin, and began to wash the dusty feet of the disciples, one after another. The apostles were surprised and astonished by such conduct from their future King. It did not fit their understanding. But Jesus loved them unto the end. Peter, as usual, began to argue about it, hindering Jesus from doing what He intended. But the Lord, seeing his lack of understanding, said in John 13:7: ‘What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.’
Even today, many do not understand why Jesus washed their feet, but the following words of Christ became a rule for all His followers. John 13:13–17: ‘Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.’ This command entered into the New Covenant, and it is stated clearly enough that it cannot be understood merely symbolically. Washing one another’s feet is an expression of obedience to God’s command and humility before a brother or sister in a spirit of love and forgiveness. In other epistles, we read that this rite is preceded by preparation and examination of one’s heart. Repentance and acceptance of one’s adversary are necessary so that every offense or malice may be removed from the soul. And when this takes place in the heart, the washing of feet begins to symbolize cleansing from all the dirt that has clung to us amid our worldly cares. A very profound meaning is contained in this act.
Christ still desires to come to each one of us and wash our feet. Will I allow Him to do this? What will I say in response to His desire? Do not touch me!!! For I am unclean!!! And He will quietly repeat what He said to Peter.
Obedience to this command became part of the foundation of faith in Christ. For the words of His ordinance reveal special power in those who fulfill them. ‘Happy are ye if ye do them.’ It is worth being obedient.
I am always amazed that many people simply ignore this rule for receiving Communion, as though it did not exist. Yet it does exist; it was given before the death of Christ, and it cannot be abolished. Of course, turning this rite into a theatrical performance would also distort its meaning, but obedience is very important.
Then followed the partaking of unleavened bread and wine as symbols of the body broken for us and the blood of Jesus shed for us. The Sacrifice had not yet been offered, and the disciples wondered what this meant, but they accepted the offered symbols and later understood what their Teacher had meant.
The bread was not to contain leaven, since it was a symbol of the purity of Christ’s character. The wine was not to undergo fermentation. It was pure grape juice. In the Greek language, juice and wine were called by the same word, which meant a drink made from grapes, but Jesus explained in Matthew 26:29 that He would no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until the day when He would drink new wine in His Father’s Kingdom. New wine is pure grape juice that has not undergone fermentation. An alcoholic drink cannot be a symbol of the blood of Christ, for its use is condemned by Scripture. For this reason, fermented juice is not a symbol of pure blood. Isaiah writes about this in 65:8: ‘Thus saith the LORD, As the new wine is found in the cluster, and one saith, Destroy it not; for a blessing is in it.’
The blessing of observing the rules of the Supper and partaking of its symbols entered into the New Covenant and is an integral part of the lives of God’s children. And the Lord, through His Spirit, is present where believers follow this rite exactly, in order to bless all who are present with His love and grant them the blessings that He promised to His obedient followers.
The Love Supper and its observance are among the conditions of the life of a loving person. It is a recharging of our inner potential that greatly helps maintain the strength and proper condition of love’s working mechanism. Although this may sound strange in words, it is a condition that many find difficult to comprehend with the mind, yet it is worth observing, because in the invisible world all these rites and symbols have very great significance and an effect that has not yet been fully revealed to us.
The body of Christ is you and I, united by one Spirit into one living organism while still remaining different.
The blood of Christ is His soul in us; it is the life-giving power that washes us from sin, gives us victory over every unclean addiction, and makes us blameless in the sight of Heaven. The blood of Jesus is what the spiritual forces of wickedness fear most. It is God’s territory, upon which they do not enter.
If I distort these symbols through my own understanding or through inaccuracy in observing them, they lose their power and become a human tradition that has no meaning in God’s eyes. In that case, they condemn me.
My rebellious spirit may also bring condemnation when I partake of this Supper while refusing to cleanse my heart from sin, as happened with Judas. The very presence of the betrayer during this rite teaches me not to prevent other people from partaking of these symbols by judging them according to my own standard.
Love loves to take part in the Lord’s Supper. This is its element, and it joyfully immerses itself in the symbols of the rite, drawing nourishment from Heavenly sources. Kind words, wishes of blessings, and tender embraces are all part of the Love Supper, bringing love and joy.
Questions for Reflection
Please read Matthew 26:17–30; John 6:48–63; 13:1–17; 1 Corinthians 10:16–17; 11:17–34; Revelation 3:20; Galatians 5:13; and Philippians 2:3–4 in the light of this chapter. What new things did you learn for yourself from this chapter? Why is the Lord’s Supper part of the New Covenant? Do you observe this ordinance? How often? And how do you do it? Why is it necessary to wash one another’s feet? What should I do if this rite is not conducted Biblically in my church? What happens in my life when I obey this rule and do everything exactly as it is written? What do those who avoid taking part in the Love Supper lose? May sisters take part in the Lord’s Supper? If so, why?