Christ’s Mandate

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. — 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

To the frustration of some and the delight of others, the New Testament is sparse on what Christian worship should look like. Surprisingly, compared to the detailed descriptions of Temple worship in Judaism, the New Testament offers no explicit instructions on worship. The instructions we do have from Paul primarily focus on keeping order in the growing, Spirit-filled church. People are experiencing freedom in Christ and struggle to navigate it, so Paul provides some guidelines for the Church.

One of the few exceptions where an explicit command about Christian worship is given is the theme of Maundy Thursday. “Maundy” is a shortened form of the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning mandate or command. This mandate comes from Jesus himself and is recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, and reiterated by Paul in 1 Corinthians. It is Christ’s command to partake of the bread representing His body and the wine representing His blood in remembrance of Him. This act is more commonly referred to as Eucharist, Communion, or the Lord’s Table/Supper.

Each of these names is appropriate, and each provides a different context through which to view this event. When taken together, they provide a rich tapestry through which the Church can experience this mandate from Christ.

Eucharist: The term “Eucharist” comes from the Greek “eucharistia” meaning “thanksgiving.” Depending on the context, it can be used as a noun or a verb. In this context, it is used as a verb. Jesus, in His mandate, is actively giving thanks to God for the bread and wine. As part of the instructions given in the command to “do this in remembrance of me,” is the example Jesus provides of giving thanks to God. When we gather to partake of the bread and wine, we are to give thanks as well. We give thanks for the body of Christ given for us and the blood of Christ, the “blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many” (Mark 14:24).

Communion: When we gather at the Lord’s table, we commune with one another and with Christ. The rich and poor, young and old, weak and poor all gather at this table as one. There are no social or class distinctions. Paul declares, “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Cor 10:16-17). Through Christ in our partaking of the bread and the wine, we commune with the entire body of Christ, locally and universally.

The Lord’s Table/Supper: This table belongs to Christ, not any one church. Jesus is the host, and He invites all to partake at His table. In the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, we are told that the blood of the new covenant is poured out “for many.” By joining the Lord at His table, we declare that we are now members of, and representatives of His Body and the new covenant established through Him.

As we pause today to remember the institution of one of the few mandates we have regarding Christian worship, I hope you are able to find a community where you can gather at the Lord’s Table, where all are invited and welcome, to commune with Jesus and all the saints, giving thanks for the precious gift we have as we remember the death and resurrection of Jesus, until He comes again.