Bible Study - Luke 22
S —And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
Luke 22:19–20 ESV
O — Using the bread and cup as symbols of his body and blood, Jesus instituted the communion service that his disciples were to practice in remembrance of his death. The unleavened bread of the Passover symbolized Jesus' death as the Passover lamb — a sacrifice that would pay for the sins of the world (cf. 1 Cor 11:24–25). Throughout the Old Testament, God's covenants were confirmed through the blood of a sacrifice (Gen 15:9–10; Exod 24:8). Jesus' death established the new covenant that God had long promised his people (Jer 31:31–34).
New Living Translation Study Bible (Tyndale House Publishers, 2008), notes on Luke 22:19–20.
A — As believers, we take communion regularly to remember the sacrifice Christ made — his body broken, his blood poured out — for us. But this moment at the table doesn't stand alone. It echoes a pattern of provision and protection that runs through the entire story of God.
He provided manna in the wilderness so the Israelites could live and be sustained when there was nothing left to sustain them. He provided protection through the blood of the Passover lamb, painted on doorposts so that death would pass over his people. In both cases, God met his people in their moment of greatest need — with bread and with blood.
Jesus did the same, only once and for all. He sealed a new covenant, not with the blood of an animal, but with his own. That is why we take communion. We never want to forget what it cost him — or what it means for us.
R — Heavenly Father, we worship and surrender to you. We are grateful for the price Jesus paid for our sins — his body broken, his blood poured out. We remember and honor you with our hearts, our minds, our words, our actions, and our lives. Thank you for a love expressed in such a powerful and personal way. Amen.
