THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION

By Gary Ray Branscome

Scripture records the words that Christ used to institute His Supper in four places. In each of those accounts the inspired writer briefly recounts what was said, and every student of Scripture knows that there are minor differences in the accounts.

In the past, skeptics have used those differences to attack the Bible, and deny its inspiration. However, police investigator J. Warner Wallace found the minor differences in the various accounts to be evidence of their truthfulness, and one of the things that led him to become a Christian. As a police investigator, he found that whenever witnesses agree perfectly, it is because they have agreed on what to say. But, when there is no collusion there are always minor, but easily reconcilable, differences. [His testimony is on youtube.]

The Words Take Eat This Is My Body

Matthew 26:26 As they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, Take, eat; this is my body.

Mark 14:22 As they ate, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave to them, saying, Take, eat: this is my body.

Luke 22:19 He took bread, and gave thanks, and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me.

1Corinthians 11:23-24 The Lord Jesus the same night in which He was betrayed took bread: And after giving thanks, He broke it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

While all four of these accounts tell us that Christ said, “This is My body,” the words, “Whosoever shall eat this bread,” tell us that the bread remained bread, and the fact that Christ’s physical body was doing the talking tells us that He was not passing out His physical flesh (1Corinthians 11:27). At the same time, we should never contradict what He said! Through the words of His Supper He truly gives us His body, not as something physical, but as the atonement for our sin. And, all who receive it are, “Members of His body, of His flesh, and of His bones” (Ephesians 5:30).

The Words This Is My Blood

Matthew 26:27-28 He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Mark 14:23-24 He took the cup, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them: and they all drank of it. And He said to them, This is my blood of the new testament, that is shed for many.

Luke 22:20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

1Corinthians 11:25 In the same way He also took the cup, after He had eaten, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.

While all four of these accounts tell us that Christ said, “This is My blood,” His presence tells us that He was not passing out physical blood. Yet we should never contradict what He said (Isaiah 8:20). His words, “Which is shed for you,” tell us that He was talking about the blood that was “shed” on the cross (not a symbol). And, through the words of His Supper He truly does give us His blood, not as something physical, but as the atonement for our sin. The ceremony promises us Christ's body and blood as the atonement for our sin, while faith receives what is promised (Galatians 3:6,22).

The words, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread,” tell us that all who partake are bound together in one body through faith in Him (1Corinthians 10:16-17).