The New Testament Remembrance Passover

If we are a disciple of Christ, we are a student trying to become like Christ. How many ways can we keep the New Testament Passover and still follow the example Christ set after he and his disciples had eaten their last Old Testament Passover of the Exodus? The first thing to establish is the night at the beginning of the 14th day was when Christ and his disciples kept the Exodus 12:6 Passover. Christ then established the New Testament Remembrance Passover symbols of bread and wine for his new covenant church.

In Luke 22:15 -17 (KJV) when talking about His desire to eat this last Exodus Passover meal with you before I suffer, Christ took the cup, and gave thanks and then told the disciples, take this, and divide it among yourselves. This was a common way of doing this in that day.

In John 13:1-35 Jesus Christ instituted a foot washing example. Jesus riseth from the passover supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poured water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know you what I have done to you? 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 you 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. Jesus also gave a new commandment to his disciples. 34 "A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another. 35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another."

[We ought to wash one another's feet. This is an example showing how to be the greatest where one disciple does not rise up over another disciple. Stay a servant and love one another as Jesus loved us.]

With the foot washing example done Jesus then defined and established the symbols for the New Testament Passover.

Matthew 26:26-28, "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it. 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins."

[Told to eat the bread, this is my body. Told to drink all the wine in the cup, this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.]

Mark 14:22-24, "And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body. 23 And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it. 24 And he said unto them. This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many."

[Told to eat and drink what was blessed.]

Luke 22:19 -20, 19 "And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."

[Told to eat and drink what was blessed and to do this in remembrance of me.]

1 Corinthians 11:23 -25. 23 "For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. 25 After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me."

[As they sat around in conversation before Jesus instituted the symbols for the New Testament Remembrance Passover, Judas was given a sop and then he left. The bread for the sop came from the same table as the bread that was to represent the body of Christ. The bread was broken in the same general way. The bread and the cup were handled after the same manner. What was blessed was consumed and nothing was left to be dispose of.] This brings harmony to the four Gospels.

If I hold to what is said here, I will be holding to a belief that is opposed to dogma of a number of churches. By definition that will make me a heretic. Jesus Christ, Paul, Stephen, etc. did disagree with dogma? There is a time to be called a heretic and stand up and be counted.                                                                                          

2-5-09, Earl