the bread and the cup

going for the cup! To make wine of grapes, the grapes have gone through a complicated process. They are crushed (> suffering and death) and the juice is then stored in oaken (!) barrels,, in a cellar (> grave) and when it comes out of the basement, over time (> resurrection), it is enjoyed as a spirituous (alcoholic), uplifting drink; as wine, that gladdens the heart. Wine speaks of life that is stronger than death. If we raise a glass, we therefore correctly say: to life! – (Heb. ‘Le Chaim’!). Is it strange that in the sports world the cup is the emblem of victory!? -John 15:1-, the fruit of the vine also cheers God (Judges 9:13). God knows, namely, what the vine represents. the new covenant The red wine represents the blood of Christ, but also the new covenant that God, before long, will establish with the house of Israel and the house of Judah. It will be a covenant of grace, because all obligations are with God. YAHWEH, Himself, guarantees its success. “I will remember their sins no more”, “I will write my laws in their hearts”, “I will …”, etc. The new Covenant is a symbol of pure grace. the death of the Lord In both, “bread and wine”, we proclaim “the death of the Lord”. Both emblems refer to the grave yard. That does not make us gloomy, on the contrary, because the tomb shows that the stone has been rolled away! We think of Him that was dead, and therefore, is now also Lord of Life. -1 Corinthians 11:26- as often… In 1 Corinthians 11, Paul does not prescribe a ritual, but assumes that believers will eat a meal, together, from time to time. A meal, the sitting together at a table, eating the same bread and drinking the same wine, expresses community, close fellowship. What is more delightful (Lord-like) than being reminded, when eating and drinking together, of the new Life in Christ and to celebrate that? therefore many weak and ailing Paul makes a direct link between the lack of discernment of the Corinthians and that among them are many who are weak and ailing. Would the Corinthians have really been aware of the meaning of bread and wine, they would have had power and would, therefore, have had much more mental and physical resistance against negative influences and actions. But, vice versa, a lack of awareness of the spiritual meaning of bread and wine was the cause of much weakness and illness. -1Corinthians 11:29.30- pedagogical The large number of weak, sickly and dying in the ecclesia of Corinth, should have caused the believers to ponder this issue. Would the Corinthians have been aware of the meaning of bread and the cup, this ‘pedagogical’ lesson would not have been necessary. The world, steeped in unbelief, is doomed in not having “the blessing of bread and wine”. The word “disciplined” in 11:32 (Greek: paideuo) is directly related to our word “pedagogical” (teaching). Paul speaks in verse 31 and 32 about judging ourselves and about discipline and about being condemned with the world. The word “judged” is ‘KRINO’ and is related to our words “criticism” and ‘crisis’. Because the Corinthians lacked a healthy, critical self-reflection (“judging themselves”), they were placed under the criticism of the Lord (“judgment of the Lord”). coming together for judgment Paul observed that the meetings of the Corinthians were not edifying. The same he would undoubtedly say about the vast majority of meetings of Christians, today. The powerful message, as it was given to Paul to make it known among the nations, is ignored and unknown. And instead of enjoying festive meals, they come together for a meager, little piece of bread and a sip of grape juice (how illustrative!). Meanwhile, they bite and devour one another… -1Corinthians 11:17,34- bread and wine in the OT Bread and wine are emblems of “life and abundance” (John 10:10). Ecclesiastes 9:7 says: “Well then, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry (lit. good) heart…”. According to Psalm 104:15, bread makes the heart of man strong and wine makes the heart rejoice. Melchizedek came to meet Abram and blessed him with bread and wine. And it was David who was sent to Saul with bread and wine. Both, Melchizedek and David are in this, types of Israel’s resurrected Messiah, Jesus Christ. -Genesis 14:18, 1Sam.16:20-

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