1 Corinthians 11:23-26 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered to you… I. HE TOOK BREAD. 1. Why did Christ choose so cheap and common a thing to exhibit His body in? (1) Herein He graciously provided for the poor. Had He appointed some costly recipe, the poor could not procure it for themselves, and the charity of the rich would not purchase it for others. (2) Had He instituted it in some precious element, people might have imputed the efficacy thereof to its natural worth and working, not to Christ's institution. Christ therefore chooseth a thing so mean in itself, that it cannot eclipse God of His glory; none can be so mad as to attribute to plain bread itself such spiritual operation. Let us take heed how we despise the simplicity of God's ordinance. Say not with Naaman, "Are not Abana and Pharpar," etc. Is not the bread at the baker's, and the wine at the vintner's, as good as that in the sacrament? And far be it from us to seek with our own inventions to beguard that which God will have plain. Rather let us pray, that our eyes may be anointed with that eye-salve, to see majesty in the meanness, and the state in the simplicity, of the sacraments. 2. But amongst such variety of cheap elements, why was bread preferred? To show our bodies can as well subsist without bread, as our souls without a Saviour. It is called "the staff of bread"; other meats are but as "pretty wands to whisk in our hands. Without bread no feast; with bread no famine. II. HE SAID UNTO THEM, TAKE, i.e., in their hands, and put it to their mouth; not as the custom lately introduced in the Romish Church, for the priest to put it in the mouth of every communicant. But it is pleaded, that it is unmannerly for laymen to handle Christ's body; and therefore it is most reverence to take it with their mouths. 1. There is no such clown in Christianity as he who will be more mannerly than God will have him. It is most reverence for us to do as God commands us. Ahaz tempted God in saying, be "would not tempt Him" (Isaiah 7:12). Those do little better who, more nice than wise, strain courtesy not to take Christ's body in their hands, when He reaches it. 2. Take it strictly, and our mouths are as unworthy as our hands to receive Christ's body. But, seeing it is Christ's pleasure to come under the roof of our mouth, let Him also pass through the porch of our hands. The rather because it seemeth that we entertain Christ's body in more state, and with more observance towards it, when the more servants attend it, the more members of our body using their service in receiving it. 3. The Romish custom loseth the significancy of the hand of faith. The taking Christ's body in our hands mindeth us spiritually by faith to apprehend and lay hold on His mercies and merits. (T. Fuller, D.D.) Parallel Verses KJV: For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: |
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