I feel that Jesus words "Keep doing this in remembrance of me" were particularly aimed at those present on that night, but if we do apply them ourselves how could we go to a KH and REJECT Jesus by not partaking?
Wobble,
As were many of our Lord’s teachings that would eventually be passed on to all His disciples since so many of them were given privately by Him. What our Lord did not do is to teach them or anyone else that such symbols would be publicly rejected by such disciples. You know the texts in John chapter 6 about eating His flesh and drinking His blood. And this one: Mt 10:33: But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. It was Paul that was critical of some that were observing, not because they were partaking but because they were abusing this observance. 1 cor 11:21 For in eating every one taketh before other his own supper: and one is hungry, and another is drunken. 22 What? have ye not houses to eat and to drink in? or despise ye the church of God, and shame them that have not? What shall I say to you? shall I praise you in this? I praise you not. So the problem was not that some should abstain. The problem was that they were abusing the true intent of this remembrance.
Passwordprotected said: You have to remember that the observance does not need to be once a year on Nisan 14. It can be done any time, surely.
Passwordprotected,
Many think the way you do today, but would the apostles think that way or would any Jew for that matter take it the way you do? The Passover was an annual event and this difference would not change that. Thousands of Christian Jews afterwards would continued to observe the Law and circumcision in fact including some Apostles for a time so even the literal Passover would not go away. And what about the Apostle Paul? Was he teaching anything like your view? Just what did he teach to the Corinthians? 1 Cor 11:23 For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: 24 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. 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. 26 For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord’s death till he come. Paul pointed to a precise time during the week in which our Lord died and in another verse the precise cup, the cup of blessing that was used by our Lord during this observance. 1 Cor 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? Does a word like often change any of that? No since this would be an observance for the rest of their lives. But to the abusers, those still keeping the Law a problem that Paul fought against for over 40 years, and their making a Passover out of it or those making it a main meal instead of a remembrance of that event we learn. 27 Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29 For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord’s body. 30 For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. You see this observance is not a guarantee of acceptance into this Kingdom. 31 For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. Our Lord reserves the right to reject such unworthy ones and cast them out. How easily we fail to apply our Lord’s words where He said: Matt 24:48 But and if that evil servant shall say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; 49 And shall begin to smite his fellowservants, and to eat and drink with the drunken; 50 The lord of that servant shall come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an hour that he is not aware of, 51 And shall cut him asunder, and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites: there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. Losing our discipleship and finding ourselves on the outside with the rest of the world would result in weeping and gnashing of teeth indeed.
Joseph
