Holy Eucharist

THE PASSOVER SUPPER OR THE SO-CALLED HOLY EUCHARIST

Revised by Dr. Lee Warren, B.A., D.D. April 1997

From Volume II of Elohim the Archetype (Original) Pattern of the Universe

Originally written by Henry C. Kinley, D.D., (1895-1976) Founder of the Institute of Divine Metaphysical Research, Inc.

Feel free to copy and circulate this article for non-commercial purposes provided the Web site and author are mentioned.

See Related Articles: "What is the New Testament?", Carnal Ordinaces

Introduction

In reading the New Testament writings of the Apostle Paul and the other Apostles, anyone can clearly see that the Messiahs death, burial, resurrection, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit abolished the old Law of Moses (i.e., animal sacrifices, feast days, suppers, etc.). Now one can worship Elohim (God) in Spirit and Truth (Jn. 4:21-24) without performing these works of the Law. Simply put, one is saved by Grace through Faith under the New Testament and not by works of the Law of Moses (Eph. 2:8-9). The Messiah performed all of the extraordinary miracles by the principle of faith in Elohim.

Now the problem is that Christendom has dogmatically insisted that certain sacraments be performed in order to receive eternal life. The oldest segment of Christianity is the Roman Catholic Church. They claim that the Messiah instituted the Lords Supper for Christians to keep, making this a work of righteousness, which is contrary to the New Testament. This article will prove that eating suppers for salvation is a great error according to the scriptures.The Holy Eucharist is one of the Roman Catholic Church's Seven Sacraments which, they say, "Christ" instituted to supply man's various spiritual needs of life. (See Baltimore Catechism No. 3, Revised Edition by Rev. John A. O'Brien Ph.D. L.L.D., under the Imprimatur of Edwin V. O'Hara, Archbishop of Kansas City, pages 204-210). The Word Eucharist means "Thanksgiving."

What did the Jews decide was proper for the Gentiles to do?

It took many years for some of the Jews to see that all the works of the Law of Moses had ended. In the last meeting of the Apostles recorded in A.D. 52, in the 15th chapter of Acts, they met to decide whether the Gentiles should be circumcised and keep the Law of Moses (Acts 15:1-6). If there are works of the law that the Gentiles should keep, this meeting of the Apostles should state it. They agreed on the following concerning the conversion of the Gentiles. "And they wrote letters by them after this manner; The apostles and elders and brethren send greeting unto the brethren which are of the Gentiles in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia: Forasmuch as we have heard, that certain which went out from us have troubled you with words, subverting your souls, saying, Ye must be circumcised, and keep the law: to whom we gave no such commandment: It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, &For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well. Fare ye well (Acts 15:23-29)." There is no mention here of the Lords Supper being necessary for eternal life.

What is the Lords supper?

The Holy Eucharist is one of the Roman Catholic Churchs Seven Sacraments which, they say, "Christ" instituted to supply mans various spiritual needs of life. (See Baltimore Catechism No. 3, Revised Edition by Rev. John A. OBrien Ph.D. L.L.D., under the Imprimatur of Edwin V. OHara, Archbishop of Kansas City, pages 204-210). The Word Eucharist means "Thanksgiving."

Roman Catholics maintain that "Christ" instituted the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper, the night before He died by referring to the following passage in Matthew 26:26-28. "And as they were eating, Yahshua took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it, for this is My Blood of the New Testament which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Luke records in his gospel that Yahshua further told His disciples: "this do in remembrance of me" (Luke 22:19).

Can bread and wine become the Messiahs body?

The Roman Catholics further claim that the bread and wine used in carrying out this sacrament are actually changed into the body and blood of "Jesus Christ" by the priests saying a few words over them. This is called Transubstantiation, and it is performed in the church or in the congregation at the time of the so-called Consecration of the Mass. The people and the priest receive the so-called "Changed" bread and wine in Holy Communion.

Roman Catholics further maintain that although the bread and wine retain their color, taste, weight and shape, the whole "Christ" is really present in the Holy Eucharist. This is known as Real Presence which, is the "Lords," or Catholic Churchs teaching that differs from mere men who believe the Holy Eucharist is only a sign, or a figure of "Christ," or that He is present only by His Power.

Dogmatically, the Roman Catholics insist that when the "Lord" said: "This is My body," the entire substance of the bread was changed into His body. When He said: "This is My blood," the entire substance of the wine was changed into His blood. And further, they attest, "Christ" could not have used clearer, more explicit words than "This is My body." He did not say, "This is a sign of My body," or "This represents My body," but: "This is My body." Therefore they (the Catholics) take "Christ" at His word because He is the "Omnipotent God" and on His word they know that the Holy Eucharist IS the body and blood of "Christ."

Are Roman Catholics misinterpreting the scriptures?

First, to prove conclusively that the Catholics are absolutely wrong in their Holy Eucharist ideas, as well as in ALL their other concepts, we must reference the Prophet Isaiah. About 712 B.Y., he prophesied that Yahshua would speak and say things that would not be understood by those who were not enlightened with His Spirit. Isaiah, the Prophet spoke of the Messiah who was to come: "For with stammering lips and another tongue will he speak to this people (Isa. 28:11)."

The Apostle Peter, also in speaking of how others who are not spiritual minded might wrestle with words, had this to say of the Apostle Paul. "And account that the longsuffering of our Saviour is salvation, even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to be understood which they that are unlearned (not having the Holy Spirit) and unstable wrest as they do also the other scriptures unto their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16)."

Paul realized that Yahshua was speaking in parables and a strange tongue. His speech should have been a sign to Israel that He was the Messiah who had been promised. Paul quoted what Isaiah had previously said (Isa. 28:11, 1 Cor. 14:21-22) and further implied that this inability to interpret or perceive the words of Yahweh should be a sign to the unbelievers (such as the Roman Catholic Church).

Hence, one can see that the literal interpretation of the words of Yahshua the Messiah can give an erroneous idea of what He was actually saying. Those who are not of the Spirit of Elohim cannot understand spiritual things because they are revealed only by the Spirit (1 Cor. 2:14). This means that the Spirit that dwelt in Yahshua must also dwell or be revealed in man's mind for one to understand what Yahshua is saying.

What was the Messiahs mission?

Second, as we stated earlier, the Roman Catholic Church believes and teaches that "Jesus Christ" instituted the Holy Eucharist the night before He was crucified. This is a Christian tradition for the International Standard Bible Encyclopedia; (Electronic Database Copyright © 1996 by Biblesoft) defines the Eucharist as follows. "The distinctive rite of Christian worship, instituted by Our Lord Jesus Christ upon the eve of His atoning death, being a religious partaking of bread and wine, which, having been presented before God the Father in thankful memorial of Christs inexhaustible sacrifice, have become (through the sacramental blessing) the communion of the body and blood of Christ (compare <Jn. 6:54; Acts 2:42; 20:7,11; Rom. 15:16; 1 Cor. 10:16; 11:23-26>)."

Let us quote Yahshua the Messiahs own words when He said: "Think not that I am come to destroy the Law, or the Prophets; I am not come to destroy (or institute), but to fulfill (Matt 5:17)." Yahshuas mission on earth was to fulfill all that had been written in the Law (first five books of the Bible) and the Prophets (Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, etc. down to Malachi), or the Old Testament.

Now the words "fulfill" and "institute" have two different meanings. The word fulfill means: "1 to carry out (something promised, desired, expected, predicted, etc.); cause to be or happen; 2 to do (something required); obey; 3. to fill the requirements of; satisfy (a condition) or answer (a purpose); 4 to bring to an end; complete, according to the Websters New World Dictionary (©1995 Zane Publishing, Inc. ©1994, 1991, 1988 Simon & Schuster, Inc.)." The word "institute" means the opposite of "fulfill." It is defined as: "1 to set up; establish; found; introduce; 2 to start; initiate; 3 to install in office, esp. as a minister in a church or parish (©1995 Zane Publishing, Inc. ©1994, 1991, 1988 Simon & Schuster, Inc.)."

Now the prophets of the Old Testament prophesied Yahshuas life before He was born. Thus, He merely fulfilled what the Law and Prophets said He would do. Yahshua further said to His disciples: "Oh fools and slows of heart to believe ALL that the prophets have spoken: Ought not the Messiah to have suffered these things, and to enter into His glory? And beginning at Moses, He expounded unto them in all the scriptures (Genesis to Malachi) the things concerning Himself (Luke 24:25-27)." And again as recorded by John, Yahshua told the Jews: "Search the scriptures, for in them ye think ye have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me (John 5:39)."

One can readily see that, in Yahshuas reference to the "scriptures" He was not talking about the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, nor the Acts of the Apostles or the Epistles, for they were not yet written. He was speaking of the Law and the Prophets, the Old Testament or the first five books of the Bible and from Joshua to Malachi. These scriptures were written before Yahshua was born and they definitely foretold what He would do. Therefore, in order to understand what Yahshua was doing while He was here on the earth plane, one would have to go to them. The so-called the New Testament was written after He had been here and died.

Isaiah wrote: "To the Law and to the Testimony (Prophets) if they speak NOT according to this word, it is because there IS NO LIGHT IN THEM (Isa. 8:20)." Anyone who says that Yahshua instituted anything has no light (or the Holy Spirit) in him, for Yahshua only fulfilled that which had been written that He would do.

When He was nailed to the cross, the Messiah bent His head in the locks of His shoulder and said: "It is finished (John 19:30)." These three words did not mean His life was ended or finished. The Messiah meant that He had finished fulfilling all that was written in the Law and Prophets concerning Him. [For more details see the article "What is the New Testament?" in the January/February 1997 issue of the "PLIM REPORT"]

Exactly what is the Holy Eucharist or the Lords supper?

Third, let us find out truthfully just what Yahshua was doing and what He meant by His words when He took bread and brake it and gave it to His disciples to eat, and likewise the cup to drink. In reality, the Messiah was eating the Passover meal with His disciples. He was not instituting another meal, for we know according to the scriptures that He was fulfilling them. Now mens vain imaginations have incorrectly labeled this meal the so-called Lords Supper or Holy Eucharist as they have inaccurately interpreted what the Messiah was doing.

When the Israelites were held in bondage down in Egypt under Pharaoh, Elohim instituted the Passover Meal by Moses (Ex. 12:1-9). Elohim performed many wondrous works in Egypt by pouring out ten (10)-devastating plagues on Pharaoh and the Egyptians. Elohim told Moses to tell all of the Israelites to choose a male lamb or a goat of the first year without spot or blemish on the tenth day of the first month. They held it over until the fourteenth day of the first month (Abib or April; Ex. 13:3-4). Each family was to eat one lamb or goat. If a family could not eat a whole lamb, then families had to join according to their size, for ALL of the lamb had to be eaten.

On the evening of the fourteenth day of the first month, the lamb or goat was to be slain and the blood taken and sprinkled on the two side posts and on the upper doorposts inside of every house where an Israelite lived. Then they were to roast the lamb and eat it with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. The lamb or goat was not to be raw or sodden with water and every bit of it was to be eaten so that none of it remained until the morning, and if any did remain, it was to be burned with fire.

Elohim told Moses to tell the Israelites that He would pass through the land of Egypt that night (Abib 14th) and would smite all the firstborn in the land of Egypt both man and beast. Elohim would execute judgment against all the "gods" of Egypt. However, wherever He saw the blood on the doorposts of the houses, it would be as a sign. Elohim would see it, PASSOVER that house, and would not kill anyone therein. This event is known as the PASSOVER and the Israelites were to keep it with its feast as a memorial from year to year (Ex. 12th chp).

Yahweh did just what He told Moses that He would do. Pharaoh let the Israelites go after experiencing the pangs of this tenth and devastating plague. The Israelites celebrated or kept the feast of the Passover each year at the same time throughout their generations.

Did the Messiah eat the Passover meal?

Yahshua being a Jew was obligated to keep the Passover. It was the night before the Passover when He sat down to eat with His disciples (Matt. 26:17-18; Luke 22:1-8; Mark 14:12; John 13:1). Please note that the Israelites ate this Passover feast in their houses and NOT in a congregation, assembly, or church.

Yahshua sent His disciples to look for a room where they might eat the Passover together. He gave them explicit directions (Matt. 26th chapter; Luke 22nd chapter; Mark 14th chapter; John 13th chapter). They found a place and the disciples made ready the Passover Feast, for as we have already stated, it was the time of the Passover in Jerusalem.

In fact, Yahshua was the Passover (Messiah our Passover is sacrificed for us, 1 Cor. 5:7). It should be noted that there is nowhere in the 4 Gospels or the letters of Paul that the Messiah instituted another meal called the Lord's Supper after the Passover meal, which He and His disciples were eating. We will discuss this later in the article.

What does the Passover Supper signify?

The lamb slain down in Egypt, its blood sprinkled on the right and left door posts, and up over the door of each Israelite's house (Ex. 12:21-23), prefigured the Messiah nailed to the cross, who was the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8). The blood on the doorposts represented the blood from the nails in the Messiahs right and left hand, and blood upon the top of His head from the crown of thorns.

In the book of Revelation the Apostle John was made to understand the Messiahs crucifixion in Jerusalem corresponds to the Passover lamb slain in Egypt. He wrote: "And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt where also our Saviour was crucified (Rev. ll:8)."

Yahshua knew that He was the Passover (or that Sacrificial Lamb), and commanded His disciples in a figure to eat of His body and drink of His blood. He did this by taking the bread and breaking it (prefiguring His broken body and the spent carcass of the sacrificial lambs in Egypt) and drinking the bitter herbs in the cup (His spilled blood in figure). This was done in fulfillment of the Israelites eating all the lamb in Egypt and drinking bitter herbs in their houses before the Passover (Jews were forbidden by law to drink any blood (Lev. 17:10).

Now it was NECESSARY for every Israelite to eat the sacrificial lamb down in Egypt in order to be saved out of dark chaotic Egypt. Likewise, it was necessary for the disciples to figuratively eat all of Yahshuas body and blood to attain Eternal Life and be saved from eternal damnation and hell.

However, actually eating the bread and drinking the contents of the cup meant absolutely nothing. Yahshua used the analogy of eating food to describe believing words (Job 34:4). It was the words that Yahshua spoke which were Spirit and Life (John 6:63). Now the Messiah told Israel in a parable that they had to eat His flesh and drink His blood in order to have eternal life, which they did not understand (Jn. 6:42-58). Many took His words literally. He explained it to His disciples by saying: "It is the spirit that quickeneth: the flesh profiteth nothing, the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life (John 6:63)."

How did the people in Cornith eat the Lords supper?

After Pentecost, the Apostle Paul was aware of the divisions in the Corinthian assembly regarding the Lord's supper. He told them: "When ye come together therefore into one place, this is NOT to eat Lords Memorial (Yahshuas Supper), for in eating everyone taketh before another his own supper and one is hungry, and another is drunken. What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or (His spiritual body) and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you in this? I praise you not (I Cor. 11:20-22)." There are many interpretations on what the Apostle Paul is referring to here. The traditional Christian belief is that this assembly is profaning the Lord's Supper. Others believe Paul is telling them not to eat it period.

Biblical commentaries on the Apostle Pauls account of the Lords Supper?

Many Biblical scholars use the Corinthian account of the Lords Supper as proof that the Messiah instituted it. These Bible commentaries interpret the Apostle Pauls passage admonishing the assembly "not to eat the Lord's Supper" as a warning not to profane the Eucharist. We will list a few of their comments.

" International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (Electronic Database Copyright © 1996 by Biblesoft) states the following about Pauls view of the Lords supper. "The Pauline-account, <I Cor. 11:23-26> (the earliest written down, circa 55 AD), was called forth in rebuke of the scandalous profanation of the Eucharist at Corinth. It gives us another tradition independent of; and supplementary to, that of Mark-Matthew. It claims the authority of the Savior as its source, and had been already made known to the Corinthians in the apostles oral teaching. The time of the institution is mentioned as the night of the betrayal. We note of the bread, 'This is my body, which is for you,' of the cup, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood,' and the redoubled command, 'This do in remembrance of me.'"

" Matthew Henrys Commentary states the following about the Lord's Supper. "In this passage the apostle sharply rebukes them for much greater disorders than the former, in their partaking of the Lords supper, which was commonly done in the first ages, as the ancients tell us, with a love-feast annexed, which gave occasion to the scandalous disorders which the apostle here reprehends, concerning which observe,"

" Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary states the following about Pauls comment on the Lord's Supper to the Corinth. "It is not possible to eat a true Lords supper where UNITY exists not <1 Cor. 10:17>; where each is greedily intent on "HIS OWN SUPPER," and some are excluded altogether, not having been waited for <1 Cor. 11:33>; where some are "drunken," others "hungry" <1 Cor. 11:21>. The love-feast preceded the Lords supper (as eating the Passover came before the Lords supper at the first institution of the latter). They ate and drank together earthly, then heavenly food, in token of their unity for time and eternity. It was a club-feast, where each brought his portion, and the rich extra portions for the poor. From it the bread and wine were taken for the Eucharist. It was at it that the excesses took place which made a true celebration of the Lords supper, during or after it, with due discernment of its solemnity, out of the question. Hence, the love feasts were afterward disjoined from the Lords supper, and in the fourth century forbidden by a council."

Alfred Edersheims book The Temple (Reprinted 1979 Wm. B. Eerdmans pub. Co.) has an article entitled "Did the Lord Institute His Supper on the Paschal Night?" by Dr. Farrar. Now Dr. Farrar concludes that the Messiah institutes a quasi-Passover, a new type of Christian Passover." He goes to say that the Messiah did not eat the actual Passover meal.

Clearly, all these commentaries believe that the Messiah instituted some type of Lord's Supper. Now it may be unclear in this letter what issues Paul is addressing concerning the Lords Supper. However, there is one thing we know for sure--he is not instituting another physical supper that we all must eat in order to receive eternal life, for this would violate the Grace of the New Testament. Let us now examine Paul's own writings about the Lord's Supper.

What is the Apostle Pauls view concerning the Lords Supper?

Paul repeats the conversation Yahshua had with his disciples, during the night of the Passover, as stated in the Gospels before his crucifixion. He states the following "For I have received of the Messiah (not from Ecumenical Councils) that which also I delivered unto you, that the Saviour Yahshua the same night in which He was betrayed took bread, and when He had given thanks He brake it, and said, Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; this do in remembrance of Me. 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 (1 Cor. 11:23-25)." Now we will discuss the meaning of "this cup is the New Testament" later.

Paul goes on to explain to the Corinthians that Yahshua was showing forth His death when He took the bread and cup and gave it to His disciples. Paul said: "For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lords death till he come (1 Cor 11:26)." Thus, Paul cautioned them that as long as they were performing this, they were showing forth the Messiahs death and not His resurrection.

Here Paul points out and all Christians agree that the words "this cup" and "this bread"--which indeed is the Passover meal--reflects the Messiahs death. This is what Paul meant when he said: "&, ye do shew the Lords death till he come." Now the problem arises when they believe the Messiah instituted another meal after the Passover meal to show forth his resurrection, which the scriptures do not support. Now it is quite apparent to anyone that reads the Bible that the Messiah did come and reveal Himself to His followers on the Day of Pentecost.

Paul cautioned the Corinthians about eating from that bread and that cup thusly. He wrote the following."But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Yahshuas (Lords) body (1 Cor. 11:28-29)." If one discerns that the Messiahs body is now spiritual, then how can one eat it spiritually.

Is the Messiahs body spiritual?

Paul writes: "The first man Adam was made a living soul, the last Adam (Yahshua) was made a Life Giving Spirit. The first man is of the earth, earthy; the second man is the Messiah from Heaven (1 Cor. 15:45-46)." Believing the words of the Holy Spirit, not keeping physical laws and ordinances, quickens ones heart and mind. The Apostle Peter said the following to the Messiah: "& thou hast the words of eternal life (Jn. 6:68; see Rev. 3:20)." Now those who eat crackers and drink grape juice in the so-called churches are not discerning the Messiahs spiritual body.

The Roman Catholics attest that through Transubstantiation they change the bread and wine into the actual body of the Messiah. They are ignorantly showing everyone that they do not discern that the body of the Messiah is spiritual and that one cannot eat it in a physical sense.

Now by teaching the teeming millions of their followers this perversity, they (the Roman Catholics and Protestants too) are condemning a lot of people to eternal damnation. Let us use Pauls words again: "For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep (1 Cor. 11:30)."

This means that the people are ignorant of the fact that they are following the way to destruction by supporting the dictates of Ecumenical Councils and National Councils of Churches who rule that their members MUST take Holy Communion, etc., which is the doctrines of men. Yahshua said: "Broad is the way that leadeth to destruction and many (not a few) there be which go in thereat (Mt. 7:13)."

What is the cup of the New Testament?

Yahweh sealed the Old Covenant at Mt. Sinai with the blood of sacrifices. So for it to be removed, only the blood of the Messiah, the atoning sacrifice, is sufficient (Heb. 10:1-17).

Now Yahshua died to move the Law out of the way. "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to His cross (Col. 2:14)." This is why the Messiah at the so-called Lord's Supper said: "This cup is the New Testament in My blood, this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me." Simply put, the Messiah was telling His disciples that this meal is pointing to His death that will begin the New Testament.

One can readily see that this physical eating of bread and drinking from the cup took place UNDER THE LAW or the Old Covenant. Paul said the Messiah was the end of the law to those that believe (Rom. 10:4). Since Yahshua had not yet been crucified, the New Testament or New Covenant was not yet in force. "For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the Testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead; otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth (Heb. 9:16-17)." Because Yahshua was alive when He ministered the supper and it necessitated His death to bring about the New Covenant, then it is clear that this Last Supper was under the Law.

It is characteristic of Satan to deny that Yahshua died for our sins, so he persists in carrying on these carnal ordinances which were under the Law and the ministration of death. These carnal ordinances or rituals were against the Jews and did not make them perfect as pertaining to their conscience (Heb. 9:9-10). Satan is compelling us to eat and drink of physical things as Satan persuaded Eve to eat of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 3:4-6).

In addition, the New Testament, that Yahshua referred to when He took the cup (which is just a vessel) and gave thanks, was not the contents of the cup, (neither is it the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, the Acts and Pauline Epistles, etc.). Jeremiah prophesied of the Messiah: "Behold the days come, saith Yah-Yahweh that I will make a NEW COVENANT with the House of Israel and with the house of Judah. Not according to the (old) Covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt; which my covenant they brake, although I was an husband unto them, saith Yah-Yahweh. But this shall be the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel: After those days (the death, burial and resurrection of Yahshua the Messiah) I will put my law in their inward parts, and write it in their hearts, and will be their Elohim, and they shall be my people (Jer. 31:31-34)." [For more details see the article "What is the New Testament?" in the January/February 1997 issue of the "PLIM REPORT"]

Paul also attests to this in Hebrews 8:10-13 and 2 Corinthians 3:2-3. Seeing that the New Testament came into effect after Yahshua had been crucified and resurrected, one can understand that Yahshua was NOT referring to the CONTENTS of the cup as the New Covenant.

Did the disciples understand what the Messiah was doing?

Yahshua knew that His disciples did not discern what He was doing when He took the cup, nor later when He washed the disciples feet, for He said to them: "What I do thou knowest not now; but shall know hereafter (Jn. 13:7)."

Yahshua told His disciples that He had not come to destroy the Law or the Prophets, but to FULFILL them (Matt. 5:17), and that is exactly what He was doing. In washing the disciples feet, He was fulfilling the Law where Moses told Aaron to wash his sons hands and feet (also his own) before they ministered in the Tabernacle (Ex. 30:19-21; Ex.40:30-32). Since Aaron was the High Priest after the Levitical or Aaronite order and he washed his sons feet before they ministered in the Tabernacle, it was necessary that Yahshua the Messiah do the same. He is the High Priest after the order of Melchisedec (Heb. 7:17) who washed His disciples feet before they could become true ministers of the gospel and spread it to the world. They were to minister in the earthly sanctuary or tabernacle.

So when Peter (not knowing what Yahshua was doing) objected to having his feet washed, Yahshua replied: "If I wash thee not, thou has no part with me (John 13:8)." In other words, if Peter did not let Yahshua wash his feet, then he could not minister in the worldly sanctuary, for this washing was a type of the washing of regeneration. It signified a Spiritual rebirth.

Paul wrote to Titus thusly: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Spirit (Titus 3:5)." And he wrote to the Ephesians: "Husbands, love your wives even as the Messiah also loved the Church, and gave Himself for it; that He might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the Word (Ephes. 5:25-26)."

After His death did the Messiah reveal His Spirit in the Hearts and Minds of His disciples?

Yahshua had previously told His disciples that He must go away or else the Comforter would not come unto them (John 16:7). "But the Comforter which is the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send IN MY NAME, He shall teach you ALL THINGS, and bring ALL things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26)." So one can see that the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, and Yahshua the Messiah are the self-same Spirit. (The Messiah was made a quickening spirit after His resurrection, 1 Cor. 15:45-47). He now does not dwell in temples made with hands, but in the temple of mans body (1 Cor. 6:19; Jer. 31:31-34).

Hence, Yahshua knew that He was not going off somewhere beyond the sun, moon and stars and the boundless reaches of space, but that after He took off the flesh, He would be right back into the disciples hearts and minds. He would be in the form of a quickening spirit and would teach them all things whatsoever He had said unto them. And everyone of the Apostles understood the things whereof we are writing for they were filled with the Holy Spirit which was poured out on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2:1-4). However, one who is not filled with the Holy Spirit cannot understand these things. Paul states it thusly: "But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of Yahweh, for they are foolishness unto him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned (1 Cor. 2:14)."

Conclusion

Therefore one who is possessed of the Holy Spirit discerns that the Kingdom of Yahweh is not MEAT and DRINK: but righteousness and peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit (Rom. 14:17). He does not partake of crackers (or bread) and grape juice (or wine) thinking that he is partaking of the Messiahs body and blood by a fools stunt of TRANSUBSTANTIATION. (Remember Jannes and Jambres in Pharaohs court TRANSUBSTANTIATED their rods into serpents, Ex. 7:10-12). But rather he realizes as Paul says: "The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of the Messiah? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of the Messiah? For we being many are ONE BREAD and ONE BODY, for we are all partakers of that ONE BREAD (l Cor. 10: 16-17)."

Paul understood that preaching the Messiah and receiving Him in ones heart and mind were the true communion of the body of the Messiah. The words which are spoken by one possessed of the Holy Spirit ARE Spirit and life. Yahshua had told the Jews: "Verily verily, I say unto you, except you eat the flesh of the Son of Man, and drink His blood, ye have no life in you (John 6:53)." And many of His disciples when they heard this said the following. "This is a hard saying; who can hear it." Yahshua straightened out their carnal thinking by telling them: "It is the SPIRIT that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit and they are life (Jn. 6:60-63)."

We are no longer under the types and shadows of the Law, which ministered unto death, but are now in the Spirit which ministers unto life. We no longer partake of physical things as crackers and grape juice or do any of the things that were under the Law. Therefore, let us: "Purge out the old leaven, and let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth (1 Cor. 5:7-8)."

However, Satan will have his way and will continue to fool the people until he is taken out of the way. He subtly does this by masquerading as an angel of light: "For such are FALSE Apostles (the Popes are supposedly successors of the Apostles) deceitful workers, transforming themselves into Apostles (or successors) of the Messiah. And no marvel, for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light, therefore it is no great thing if his ministers (priests) also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works (2 Cor. 11:13-15)." In this transformed state, Satan is able to deceive millions of people (five million in the Roman Catholic Church) by his lies (as he deceived Eve) for he is a great liar. Witness his lie of Transubstantiation. Yahshua told those unbelieving Jews: "Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because their is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is A LIAR, and the father of it (John 8:44)."

Biblography

Revised Edition by Rev. John A. O'Brien Ph.D. L.L.D., under the Imprimatur of Edwin V. O'Hara, Archbishop of Kansas City, pages 204-210 Baltimore Catechism No. 3,

Matthew Henrys Commentary (Biblesoft)

Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary (Biblesoft)

Edersheim, Alfred The Temple (Reprinted 1979 Wm. B. Eerdmans pub. Co.)