From the beginning, Christ’s meal of remembrance has consisted specifically of bread (which was broken and distributed) and wine (which was passed along in a cup). Yet on the night when Christ instituted this meal, it formed part of an entire Passover meal. The early church continued to incorporate the sacrament of bread and wine into a larger meal (the love feast
).
In the Corinthians’ case, however, it seems that the sacrament no longer had an honoured and distinguished place within the love feast. Eating and drinking, instead of remembrance, had become the dominant motif of the gathering.
In naming the cup the new covenant in my blood,
Jesus was building on Jeremiah’s prophecy of a new covenant in which God would write his law on his people’s hearts (Jeremiah 31:31–34; see also Jeremiah 32:40; Jeremiah 50:5; Isaiah 54:9–10; Isaiah 55:3). The covenant is called new,
because it is a fulfilment of the temporary covenant that was mediated by Moses (Hebrews 8:5–13).
On that Thursday evening, Jesus knew that he was about to inaugurate the new covenant through his atoning work on the cross. It was with this confidence that he instituted his supper.
25 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.”