“And He took the bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood.’”

Luke 22:19-20 (ESV)

This passage gives us a glimpse into the final hours of Jesus’ life. Within this passage, we see Jesus setting up what we now know as the Lord’s Supper or Communion. The symbolism within this passage not only foreshadows what will happen to Jesus in the coming hours, but also links Jesus’ suffering to the original Passover in Exodus.

In the final plague against the Egyptians, God tells Moses to have the Israelites prepare themselves for the night. They were to slaughter a lamb and place the blood on the doorframes of their houses. This would be a sign for the Angel of Death to pass their houses and prevent the firstborn from being killed.

Jesus takes the symbol of the lamb that was slain to save the Israelites from death and applies it to Himself. He is the Lamb that was slain. His body was broken as the lamb’s body was broken. His blood will cover His people as the lamb’s blood covered the doorpost. However, instead of being a temporary salvation from a single night of death, His blood and His body cover the sins of all His people and offer salvation and eternal life with Him.

Today, Christians celebrate Communion as a way of remembering Jesus’ death on the cross. For on that cross, the wrath of God was satisfied as all of the punishment we deserved for our sins was placed upon Him instead of being placed on us. Jesus suffered and died so that we would live. He took the penalty for our sin, so we can be free. 

This week, if you have never experienced the salvation that Jesus provides through His death on the cross, submit yourselves to Him and He will bring you life and freedom from sin and death.