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I. THE MANNER OF HIS DEATH, its violence and painfulness. The first promise spoke of a bruised Saviour. The patriarchal and Levitical sacrifices represented Him as a slain victim; and the prophets described Him in a similar way. And if we look into heaven, it is the same. He is adored there as one who has been slain. So we rightly regard this ordinance as setting forth, not Christ's death only, but His violent death on the Cross.

II. ITS EFFICACY. The institution of this ordinance by Christ is a declaration by Christ that He has removed the Divine displeasure from His people, and brought them within the full sunshine of the Divine favour. He would not call on us to celebrate continually a work which is not accomplished, or only half accomplished. This would be like a vaunting general ordering a column to be raised for a victory that was never won. It is like a continual echo of His own dying cry, "It is finished." And our celebrating this sacrament becomes in consequence a repetition on our part of this cry, a declaration that we believe in the full sufficiency of His atonement.

III. THE NECESSITY OF ITS PARTICULAR APPLICATION TO OURSELVES. We do not merely look at the sacred elements of the Lord's Supper, we eat and drink them. Without eating and drinking we might show the manner and efficacy of Christ's death; but this partaking becomes an emblem of that faith which applies the sacrifice of Christ to the soul. In His own strong language, it "eats the flesh of the Son of Man and it drinks His blood." Conclusion: Learn —

1. That a knowledge of the gospel itself is needful for a right understanding of this sacrament. It is a picture of the gospel: an embodying of its great truths in visible things. If we understand the gospel, we find no difficulty in understanding this sacrament. And then in its turn it illustrates the gospel, enabling us to understand it better. But unless we understand the gospel, we shall be in the same situation with many of the ignorant Jews under the law. The shadows of "good things" will take the place of those "good things" themselves, "carnal ordinances" will be confounded with spiritual blessings, and the emblems of a dying Saviour will be more to us than that dying Saviour Himself. Go through Roman Catholic countries — there is the crucifix, the elevated host, adored; the great Saviour Himself practically despised, and His gospel scarcely heard of or known.

2. That Christ's gospel must be highly valued and loved by us before we can rightly attend to His holy Supper.

3. That the Lord's Supper should be celebrated by us frequently. Is it a showing of His death? Then the more frequently His death is shown forth in this world of sinners the better.

4. That this sacrament is to be celebrated perpetually. It is to be a standing ordinance in the Church, unlike circumcision or the Jewish sacrifices and feasts which have passed away. It is to be celebrated till the heavens are opened and the Son of Man is revealed. Then the sacrament will have done its work. We see now a picture only; but when Christ comes, we shall see the original.

(C. Bradley, M.A.)

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KJV: For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come.

WEB: For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes.