To do this, in the most effectual manner, I think it necessary to set down the text of the three evangelists who have transmitted the whole account, collated with that part of St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians which speaks of the same subject, and which, he assures us, he received by Divine revelation. It may seem strange that, although (John xiii. 1-38) mentions all the circumstances preceding the holy supper, and, from chap. xiv. 1-36 the circumstances which succeeded the breaking of the bread, and in chapters 15, 16, and 17, the discourse which followed the administration of the cup; yet he takes no notice of the Divine institution at all. This is generally accounted for on his knowledge of what the other three evangelists had written; and on his conviction that their relation was true, and needed no additional confirmation, as the matter was amply established by the conjoint testimony of three such respectable witnesses. ver. 26. And as they were eating, Jesus took bread and blessed it (euloghsav and blessed God) and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat, this is my body.

Mark xiv. 22. And as they did eat, Jesus took bread and blessed (euloghsav, blessed God) and brake it, and to them, and said, Take, eat, this is my body.

Luke xxii. 19. And he took bread and gave thanks, (eucaristhsav, i.e. to God,) and gave brake it, and gave unto them, saying: This is my body which is given for you: This do in remembrance of me.

Cor. xi. 23. The Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread; V. 24. And when he had given thanks (kai eucaristhsov, i.e. to God) he brake it, and said, Take, eat, this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me.

After giving the bread, the discourse related, John xiv. 1- 31, inclusive, is supposed by Bishop Newcome to have been delivered by our Lord, for the comfort and support of his disciples under their present and approaching trials. ver. 27. And he took the cup, and gave thanks (eucaristhsav,) and gave it to them, saying: Drink ye all of it. V. 28. For this is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many or the remission of sins. V.

29. But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

Mark xiv. 23. And he took the cup; and when he had given thanks, (eucaristhsav,) he gave it to them; and they all drank of it. V. 24. And he said unto them, This is my blood of the New Testament, which is shed for many. V. 25. Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.

Luke xxii. 20. Likewise also the cup, after supper, saying: This cup is the New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you.

Cor. xi. 25. After the same manner also, he took the cup, when he had supped, saying: This cup is the New Testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me.

After this, our Lord resumes that discourse which is found in the 15th, 16th, and 17th chapters of John, beginning with the last verse of chap. 14, Arise, let us go hence. Then succeed the following words, which conclude the whole ceremony.

Matt. xxvi. 30. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Mark xiv. 26. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Luke xxii. 39. And he came out, and went as he was wont to the Mount of Olives. And his disciples also followed him.

John xiv. 1. When Jesus had spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over the brook Kedron.

From the preceding harmonized view of this important transaction, as described by three EVANGELISTS and one APOSTLE, we see the first institution, nature, and design of what has been since called THE LORD'S SUPPER. To every circumstance, as set down here, and the mode of expression by which such circumstances are described, we should pay the deepest attention.

John Gill's Bible Commentary

So that the paschal supper was now concluded, when Christ entered upon the institution of his own supper: Jesus took bread ; which lay by him, either on the table, or in a dish.

Though this supper is distinct from the �passover�, and different from any ordinary meal, yet there are allusions to both in it, and to the customs of the Jews used in either; as in this first circumstance, of �taking� the bread: for he that asked a blessing upon bread, used to take it into his hands; and it is a rule f1532 , that �a man does not bless, wdyb �jlh swpty� d[ , �until he takes the bread into his hand�, that all may see that he blesses over it.�

Thus Christ took the bread and held it up, that his disciples might observe it: and blessed [it] ; or asked a blessing over it, and upon it, or rather blessed and gave thanks to his Father or it, and for what was signified by it; and prayed that his disciples, whilst eating it, might be led to him, the bread of life, and feed upon him in a spiritual sense; whose body was going to be broken for them, as the bread was to be, in order to obtain eternal redemption for them: so it was common with the Jews, to ask a blessing on their bread: the form in which they did it was this f1533 : �Blessed art thou, O Lord, our God, the king of the world, that produceth bread out of the earth.�

What form our Lord used, is not certain; no doubt it was one of his composing, and every way suitable to the design of this ordinance. It was customary also when there were many at table, that lay down there, however, as Christ and his disciples now did, for one to ask a blessing for them all; for so runs the rule f1534 , �if they sit to eat, everyone blesses for himself, but if they lie along, �lkl �rbm dja , �one blesses for them all�.�

Moreover, they always blessed, before they brake: �Says Rabba f1535 , he blesses, and after that he breaks:� this rule Christ likewise carefully observes, for it follows, and brake it . The rules concerning breaking of bread, are these f1536 ; �The master of the house recites and finishes the blessing, and after that he breaks: � no man that breaks, is allowed to break, till they have brought the salt, and what is to be eaten with the bread, before everyone � and he does not break neither a small piece, lest he should seem to be sparing; nor a large piece, bigger than an egg, lest he should be thought to be famished; � and on the sabbath day he breaks a large piece, and he does not break, but in the place where it is well baked: it is a principal command to break a whole loaf.�

Christ broke the bread, as the symbol of his body, which was to be broken by blows, and scourges, thorns, nails, and spear, and to be separated from his soul, and die as a sacrifice for the sins of his people: and having so done, he gave it to the disciples ; which being a distinct act from breaking the bread, shows that the latter does not design the distribution of the bread, but an act preceding it, and a very significant one: and which ought not to be laid aside: according to the Jewish usages, �He that broke the bread, put a piece before everyone, and the other takes it in his hand; and he that breaks, does not give it into the hand of the eater, unless he is a mourner; and he that breaks, stretches out his hand first and eats, and they that sit, or lie at the table, are not allowed to taste, until he that blesses, has tasted; and he that breaks, is not allowed to taste, until the Amen is finished out of the mouth of the majority of those that sit at table.� And said, take, eat, this is my body ; in Luke it is added, �which is given for you�, ( Luke 22:19); that is, unto death, as a sacrifice for sin; and by the Apostle Paul, ( 1 Corinthians 11:24), �which is broken for you�; as that bread then was, and so expressive of his wounds, bruises, sufferings, and death, for them. Now when he says, �this is my body�, he cannot mean, that that bread was his real body; or that it was changed and converted into the very substance of his body; but that it was an emblem and representation of his body, which was just ready to be offered up, once for all: in like manner, as the Jews in the eating of their passover used to say of the unleavened bread, � ayn[d amjl ah , this is �the bread of affliction�, which our fathers ate in the land of Egypt.�

Not that they thought that was the selfsame bread, but that it resembled it, and was a representation of the affliction and distress their fathers were in at that time: to which some think our Lord here alludes: though rather, the reference is to the passover lamb, which is frequently, in Jewish writings, called �the body� of the lamb: thus mention being made of the bringing of the herbs, the unleavened bread, and the sauce �Charoseth�, with other things to the master of the house, it is added f1539 : �and in the sanctuary (whilst that stood) they bring unto him, jsp l� wpwg , �the body of the lamb�.�

Again, elsewhere it is said, �they bring a table furnished, and on it the bitter herbs and other greens, and the unleavened bread, and the sauce, jsph �bk l� wpwgw �and the body of the paschal lamb�.�

And a little further f1541 , �he recites the blessing, blessed art thou O Lord, etc. for the eating of the passover, and he eats, jsp l� wpwgm , �of the body of the passover�.�

And now it is, as if Christ had said, you have had �the body� of the lamb set before you, and have eaten of it, in commemoration of the deliverance out of Egypt, and as a type of me the true passover, quickly to be sacrificed; and this rite of eating the body of the paschal lamb is now to cease; and I do here by this bread, in an emblematical way, set before you �my body�, which is to be given to obtain spiritual deliverance, and eternal redemption for you; in remembrance of which, you, and all my followers in successive generations, are to take and eat of it, till I come. The words, �take, eat�, show that Christ did not put the bread into the mouths of the disciples, but they took it in their hands, and ate it; expressive of taking and receiving Christ by the hand of faith, and feeding on him in a spiritual manner.

Matthew Henry Commentary

Greek Textus Receptus