After the Last Supper

Theme of Matthew: “Behold your King is coming to you” (Zech.9:9; Mt.21:4-5)

CHARTING THE COURSE FOR THIS STUDY

Ø New Covenant, Israel and Dispensationalism

Ø Jesus teaches that His disciples will fall away (vv.31-35)

Ø Jesus prays in Gethsemane (vv.36-46)

“In the history of the Christian church a number of different terms have been associated with the Last Supper. Some of these, such as the “breaking of bread” (Acts 2:42, 46; 20:7, 11); the “eucharist” (Mt 26:27; Mk 14:23; Lk 22:17, 19; 1 Cor 11:24); the “table of the Lord” (1 Cor 10:21); “communion” (1 Cor 10:16); and the “Lord’s Supper” (1 Cor 11:20) stem from the NT. Others, such as the “mass” (from the Latin ending of the Roman rite—Ite, missa est—”Go, you are dismissed”) and the “Last Supper,” do not” (Green, J. B., McKnight, S., & Marshall, I. H. Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels).

It seems that the number thirteen became “unlucky” during the middle ages when people noted that Judas’ presence at the table made the total thirteen. Friday the 13^th also appears to be a day of superstition because Jesus was crucified on a Friday.

What does “just as it is written of Him” mean? (v.24; cf. Matt 26:31, 54, 56; Mark 9:12; Luke 24:25–27, 46; Acts 17:2f; 26:22f; 1 Cor 15:3; 1 Pet 1:10f)

What four things does Jesus do in verse 26?

Verse 26 says, “having blessed.” Where was the blessing directed? (cf. Matthew 14:19)

WCF 29:3

The Lord Jesus hath, in this ordinance, appointed His ministers to declare His word of institution to the people; to pray, and bless the elements of bread and wine, and thereby to set them apart from a common to an holy use; and to take and break the bread, to take the cup, and (they communicating also themselves) to give both to the communicants; (Matt. 26:26–28, Mark 14:22–24, Luke 22:19–20, 1 Cor. 11:23–26) but to none who are not then present in the congregation. (Acts 20:7, 1 Cor. 11:20)

Compare the cup Jesus gives to His disciples In verses 27-28 with the cup of verses 38-42 (see Exodus 12:21-22 where basin can be translated “cup.”). What are the similarities and what are the differences? (see Psalm 16:5; 75:8; 116:13; Isaiah 51:17; Jeremiah 25:15-31)

NOTE: Ancient cups were utensils for drinking but more like our bowls – wide and shallow (see Exodus 12:21-22).

Why has finding “The Holy Grail” fascinated Christians throughout the centuries? Is there an irony in the search for the holy grail?

What do we learn about the relationship of the New Testament church to Old Testament Israel from Jesus’ words, “this is My blood of the covenant…” (v.28; Jeremiah 31:31-34//Hebrews 8:8-13 with 10:15-18; Daniel 9:24-27)?

ONE OF THE CENTRAL TENANTS OF DISPENSATIONALISM HAS BEEN THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH. BUT THE LORD’S SUPPER UNDERMINES THIS.

Ø Lewis Sperry Chafer (founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary) taught (and so did John Walvoord and Charles Ryrie for a time) that the New Covenant predicted for Israel in Jeremiah 31:31–34 was not the same as the New Covenant established with the church and referred to specifically by Christ and Paul (Luke 22:20; 2 Cor 3:6). Chafer and others taught that there are TWO NEW COVENANTS because “to suppose that these two covenants…are the same is to assume that there is a latitude of common interest between God’s purpose for Israel and His purpose for the Church.”

“If the church is fulfilling Israel's promises as contained in the new covenant or anywhere in the Scriptures, then [dispensational] premillennialism is condemned” (Charles Ryrie, “The Relationship of the New Covenant to Premillennialism” unpublished Master's thesis, Dallas Theological Seminary 1947, p. 31). Later Ryrie modified this to “premillennialism is weakened” if the New Covenant in relation to the church in the New Testament is the same as that described in the Old Testament (Ryrie, The Basis of the Premillennial Faith, 115). Later Ryrie further modified his view by saying, “the OT revelation of the New Covenant links it with the nation Israel…the NT adds the truth that believers in Christ…are ministers of the New Covenant (2 Cor 3:6).” (Charles C. Ryrie, “Covenant, New,” in The Wycliffe Bible Encyclopedia. rev. ed., ed. Charles F. Pfeiffer, Howard F. Vos, and J. Rea, 2 vols. [Chicago: Moody, 1975], 1:392; quoted in Rodney Decker, “The Church’s Relationship to the New Covenant” Bibliotheca Sacra Volume 152). Is it any wonder why some churches are leaning away from doctrine nowadays?

Ø Most Dispensationalists have come to realize that an absolute distinction between Israel and the church is absurd and some have modified it by saying that there is one New Covenant which “will be fulfilled eschatologically with Israel but is participated in soteriologically by the church today” (Homer A. Kent, Jr., Grace Theological Journal 6 [Fall 1985]:297). The problems with this view:

(1) Eschatology (The End) began with Jesus’ death. This means the New Covenant is realized in the church both soteriologically and eschatologically. (This is not to deny that there is a consummation yet to come.)

(2) This view fails to see that the New Testament church is the continuation of Old Testament Israel. By this I mean:

a. The Old Testament church was looking in faith to the coming of Jesus through prophecy, the shadows and types of the Temple, the kings, and the priesthood.

b. The New Testament church confesses in faith that Jesus is the fulfilment of the Old Testament prophecies and the reality of what the Temple, kings, and priesthood were all looking forward to.

c. Jeremiah 31:31-34 and Hebrews 8:8-13 demonstrates the relationship of the church of the New Covenant to Israel of the Old Covenant because the writer of Hebrews indicates that the New Covenant was made with the “house of Israel and with the house of Judah.”

(3) Jesus gives the keys of the kingdom to the church in Matthew 16:19. In giving the keys to Peter, Jesus is taking them away from the Jewish religious leaders (Luke 11:52; cf. Matthew 21:42-45; 23:2-3,13).

a. The Jews had corrupted the interpretation of the Law (Matthew 5:17-20; 7:27).

b. The religious leaders had continually perverted the demands of the law for mercy and sacrifice, as is evidenced by Jesus’ teaching about the Sabbath (Matthew 12:1-14)

c. The Jews had invalidated the Fifth Commandment for the sake of their tradition (Matthew 15:1-8).

d. Jesus warned His disciples, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees” (Matthew 16:11-12).

e. The High Priest and the Sanhedrin did not believe that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of God (Matthew 26:63-66).

f. Do Dispensationalists believe that Jesus is going to take the keys from the church and give them back to ethnic Israel?

Question: Why do Dispensationalists keep changing and holding on to unbiblical distinctions between Israel and the church?

Answer: Because of the earthly, territorial and political promises God gave in the Old Testament.

Progressive Dispensationalists believe that [only] the “spiritual” aspects of the covenant are being fulfilled through the work of the Holy Spirit (e.g. regeneration). However, they believe the “material” aspects of the New Covenant will be fulfilled on earth and before the consummation (see Ezek.36:28; 37:14). Reformed theology answers this by saying:

(1) This fails to grasp that the OT prophets spoke of the Kingdom in terms of types and shadows. As John Calvin put it, “the Prophets accommodated their discourses to men of their own age and time, and described the kingdom and priesthood of Christ under those external symbols, which were then in use. It is hence proper to take the ceremonies of the Law as denoting the reality, or what they signified.”

(2) The material blessings of the New Covenant are rooted in the flesh and blood of Jesus. Our inheritance of the earth includes our reign with Christ during the intermediate state (see 2 Timothy 2:10-12a; Revelation 2:26-27; 3:21; 20:4-6) and will be consummated with His bodily return.

(3) The material aspects regarding land are being fulfilled in the church, “Thus, in speaking of “the fruit of the Spirit,” [Gal.5:22-23] Paul announces that the new creation has arrived in Galatia…It is they…who fulfill the imagery of the productive land; they are the new Israel which has returned from exile; they are the fruitful vine the old Israel failed to be (John 15:2-8, in contrast to Isa 5:1-6; Jer 8:13; Hos 9:10; 14:6-7; Hab 3:17)” (Garlington, An Exposition of Galatians, 275).

What wouldn’t Jesus drink? (v.29)

Why wouldn’t Jesus drink? (v.29)

What did Jesus and His disciples do after the Lord’s Supper? (v.30) Is this still appropriate for the church today?

JESUS TEACHES THAT HIS DISCIPLES WILL FALL AWAY BUT THAT WE WILL RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD (Matthew 26:31-35//Mark 14:26-31//Luke 22:31-34//John 13:36-38)

What two things does Jesus say will happen in v.31? (cf. Zechariah 13:7)

What does Jesus say will happen in v.32?

What does Peter say will never happen? (v.33)

What is the irony of Peter and the disciples saying, “I will not deny You”? (vv.33,35)

What is one of the problems with “spiritual” pride?

JESUS PRAYS IN GETHSEMANE (Matthew 26:36-46//Mark 14:32-42//Luke 22:39-46)

Why was Jesus grieved and distressed? (v.37)

Gethsemane is where He died; the cross is only the evidence.
~ Leonard Ravenhill

LESSON: The agony of Jesus at Gethsemane should give non-Christians pause before they die.

What was the extent of Jesus’ grief? Why?

What is “cup” a metaphor for? (v.39; cf. Psalm 11:6; 75:8,9; Isaiah 51:17, 19, 22)

What previous deliverances of Jesus occurred in Matthew? (v.39)

Monothelitism

Ø Heretical belief that Jesus has only one will. Since Jesus is one Person with two natures He must have only one will.

Ø The Christian monk, Maximus the Confessor (580-682) maintained the orthodox doctrine of dythelitism, that Jesus had two wills and not one. He taught that the two wills of Jesus always acted in harmony.

Ø Monothelitism was condemned by the 6^th Ecumenical Council in 680 AD.

How might the sleepiness of the disciples been a temptation for Jesus? (v.40)

What means did God ordain to preserve the disciples from temptation? (v.41)

What does Jesus mean when He says, “the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak”? (v.41)

How is this true for you? Do you neglect the ordinances of God because you are tired?

FOR NEXT WEEK: Why does Jesus mean, “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” (v.29)?