From: Ben Crick (ben.crick@argonet.co.uk)
Date: Mon Mar 16 1998 - 22:30:19 EST
On Mon 16 Mar 98 (11:02:51), john.m.moe-1@tc.umn.edu wrote:
>ÊI'd like to raise a point that Ben Crick, among others, often reminds
>Êus of. That is, our text has an OT background. These men in the upper
>Êroom are men of the Old Testament. Could it be that the pouring out of
>Êthe cup of the New Testament is an allusion the the liturgical pouring
>Êout of the blood of the Old Testament at the base of the altar ( Ex.
>Ê29:12; Lev.Ê4:7,18,25,30,34)?
Hi John!
I would like to agree with you; but in fact Luke's account of the Institution
of the Lord's Supper makes it clear that the Cup in verse 20 is the Cup
of Blessing, "Blessed be He, and blessed be his Name": the Third Cup of the
Seder, META TO DEIPNHSAI. It follows the final course of the Passover meal,
the Afikomen or EPIKOMION, when the Matsahs are broken into pieces, dipped
in the Haroseth or bitter herbs, and eaten.
So Luke records: KAI LABWN ARTON EUCARISTHSAS EKLASEN KAI EDWKEN AUTOIS
LEGWN, ktl: giving the Afikomen an entirely new significance.
This IMHO is where we should look for the OT background. Jesus was speaking
futuristically about his blood being spilt; it had not yet been spilt at the
time he was speaking. Compare the "prophetic perfects" in Isaiah 53, where
Isaiah prophesies the sacrifice of the coming Servant in terms as if it had
already taken place. The next day, Christ's blood was spilt: before, during,
and after his crucifixion. The wine in the POTHRION represented his blood,
about to be shed as an expiation for sins. It stained the woodwork of the
cross, as the Passover blood stained the doorposts and lintels of the
Hebrew dwellings at the original Passover.
The Lord's Supper commemorates the Passover, not the Levitical sacrifices
for sin. "Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us, therefore let us keep
the feast" (1 Corinthians 5:7-8). So we're looking at Exodus 12:3-13.
Thanks for raising this issue.
-- Revd Ben Crick, BA CF <ben.crick@argonet.co.uk> 232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK) http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
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