How does this verse connect to the Last Supper in the Gospels? Setting the scene “ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night He was betrayed, took bread …” (1 Corinthians 11:23) Paul’s link to the Gospels • Paul dates the event: “the night He was betrayed,” matching each Gospel’s Passover setting (Matthew 26:17–20; Mark 14:12–17; Luke 22:7–14). • His wording mirrors Luke most closely, suggesting a shared, Spirit-given tradition: — Luke 22:19: “And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it …” — 1 Corinthians 11:24 (next verse): “and when He had given thanks, He broke it …” • Paul insists he “received from the Lord,” underscoring divine revelation; yet the details align so tightly with the Gospel accounts that both sources ultimately converge—one gospel story told by four witnesses (three evangelists and the apostle Paul). Shared core elements 1. Timing: Passover evening; betrayal looming (Matthew 26:21–25; John 13:21–30). 2. Actions: • Taking bread • Giving thanks (Greek: eucharisteō) • Breaking it • Distributing it with a spoken declaration of sacrifice (“This is My body”). 3. Cup sequence: after supper, the cup is presented as “the new covenant in My blood” (Luke 22:20; 1 Corinthians 11:25). 4. Command: “Do this in remembrance of Me” appears in Luke and Paul, binding remembrance to practice. Key theological echoes • Covenant language: Paul’s “new covenant” echoes Jeremiah 31:31-34, showing Christ fulfills prophetic promise. • Atonement center stage: “given for you” (Luke) and “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26:28) interpreted by Paul in 1 Corinthians 11:26—“you proclaim the Lord’s death until He comes.” • Betrayal backdrop: darkness of sin highlights the brightness of grace; compare Psalm 41:9 prophecy with John 13:18, reflected in Paul’s phrase “night He was betrayed.” Practical takeaways • The Lord’s Supper is historically anchored—rooted in the same night, same words, same symbols recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and Paul. • Believers relive a Gospel event every time they partake, proclaiming in unity what Scripture presents with one voice. • Fidelity to the simple pattern—bread, cup, remembrance—keeps worship tethered to Christ’s finished work and promised return. |
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