Matthew 26:28Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Through this, Christ indicates that He is destined to endure death; thus, He speaks of the covenant and recalls the first covenant, which was rejuvenated through His blood. Again, He articulates the reason for His death—His blood was shed for many to provide the forgiveness of sins—and He adds, "This do in remembrance of Me."

Do you observe how Christ distances Himself from Jewish traditions? He states, "As you celebrated the Passover in remembrance of the miracles in Egypt, likewise, observe this sacrament in remembrance of Me." The blood of the old covenant was shed for the deliverance of the firstborn, whereas this blood is poured out for the forgiveness of humanity’s sins throughout the world: "This is My blood," He declares, "poured out for the forgiveness of sins." He spoke this to illustrate that suffering and the cross serve as a sacred sign, thereby reassuring the disciples. Just as Moses proclaimed, "This shall be a memorial to you forever" (Exodus 3:15), so too does Christ affirm, "In My remembrance, until I return." For this reason, He states, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you" (Luke 22:15), which signifies that He offers new commandments and the Passover itself, aiming to transform you spiritually. He also partook of the cup so that the disciples would not feel bewildered by the notion of drinking blood and consuming flesh, avoiding any confusion about these profound words. To prevent the disciples from being unsettled at that moment, He Himself led the way in partaking of these sacred mysteries.

What of it? Should both the old and the new sacraments be followed? Certainly not. That is precisely why Christ asserted, "This do in remembrance of Me," encouraging a departure from the old ways. If the new sacrament indeed provides forgiveness of sins, and it does, then the old one is unnecessary. Therefore, as Christ did with the Jews, He has incorporated the remembrance of His goodness into the sacrament, simultaneously silencing those who oppose the truth. When they ask, "How can it be known that Christ offered Himself?" we can, along with other evidences, refute their claims with the very sacraments. If Jesus had not died, what purpose would the sacraments serve?

And since Adam did not bless God when he disobeyed and took the fruit, ‘the Lord blessed and broke it’ (Matthew 26:26). This bread entered, as stated in Romans 5:12, erasing the condemnation from the desires that led Adam to transgress God’s command. Alternatively, three days can be counted from His descent to His ascent, specifically Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Because Adam faced death because of sin, it was fitting for Him who eliminates sin to conquer death. While it was declared to Adam, “In the day that thou eatest, thou shalt die by death” (Genesis 2:17), he did not die physically on that day but instead received the burden of death, resulting in his shame and the loss of his glory, leading him to fear death (Genesis 3:6-7). Likewise, we have been granted life through Christ; we have partaken of His body in place of the forbidden fruit, His meal has transformed the paradise of desire, and by His righteous blood, our sins have been cleansed from us. Through the assurance of the resurrection, we anticipate a hopeful future, and we already live by His life, which serves as our guarantee.

Therefore, when the Jewish people receive the kingdom of the Father—notice He refers to Him as ‘Father,’ not merely ‘God,’ for every father implies a son—when they believe in God the Father and He guides them to the Son, then the Lord will partake of this fruit of the vine, and, reminiscent of Joseph reigning in Egypt, will be filled with joy among His brethren.

The old covenant involved sacrifices and blood, whereas the new covenant is established through the body and blood of the Lord. Jesus did not declare these to be mere symbols of His body and blood; rather, He affirmed, this is My body and this is My blood. Therefore, our focus should not be on the offering's earthly nature but rather on its divine power. Just as Jesus Christ mysteriously deified the flesh He assumed, so too does He invisibly transform it into His life-giving Body and His most Honorable Blood. There is a correlation between bread and body, as well as between wine and blood. Bread and body possess earthly qualities, while wine and blood carry warmth. Just as bread nourishes, so does the Body of Christ, and even more so sanctifies both body and spirit; similarly, while wine brings joy, the Blood of Christ does even more, offering protection. Since all believers share in the same Body and Blood, our participation in these Mysteries unites us as one—all are in Christ and Christ in all: He who eats My Flesh, and he who drinks My Blood abides in Me, and I in him (John 6:56). The Word became one with the flesh through perception, and through communion, this flesh is united with us. By referring to the blood and covenant, He once again drew attention to His impending death, so that the frequent reminder might help the disciples bear it more easily. Yet, if they were troubled by this repetition, they would have faced far greater distress during His actual suffering had they known nothing beforehand. Luke (Luke 22:19) notes that Jesus Christ instructed, ‘This do in remembrance of Me,’ establishing a new sacrament distinct from the old. The former sacrifice commemorated the deliverance of the Hebrew firstborn in Egypt and the liberation of the Israelites, while this one commemorates the Lord Himself. Through this sacrament, we remember that He surrendered His body to death for us and poured out His blood, thus continuously renewing our recollection of it. Observe how He redirects the disciples from the former sacrifice to the new. Of what value are foreshadowings to those already in possession of the true essence? Chrysostom notes that Jesus Christ was the first to partake in this sacrament, ensuring the disciples would not be bewildered by the command to receive His body and blood; His words provide confirmation of this truth.

merely by an abundance of grace as seen in the other sacraments, nor through a singular naïveté as some Church Fathers have described regarding Baptism, nor by the infusion of the bread, but truly and innately. When the bread and wine are consecrated, the bread is transformed into the genuine body of the Lord, who was born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem, baptized in the Jordan, endured suffering, was buried, resurrected, ascended, and now sits at the right hand of God the Father, awaiting His revelation in the clouds of heaven; while the wine is genuinely transubstantiated into the true blood of the Lord, which was shed for the life of the world during His Passion on the cross.

We further hold that once the bread and wine have been consecrated, they cease to be mere bread and wine, but become the true body and blood of the Lord under the appearances of bread and wine. It is our belief that the pure body and blood of the Lord are offered and received in the mouths and hearts of all who partake, both the righteous and the unworthy. To the devout and worthy recipients, they grant forgiveness of sins and eternal life; conversely, to the unholy and unworthy, they bring judgement and eternal anguish. We also understand that the body and blood of the Lord, though they appear separated during communion, remain whole and undivided in essence. This profound mystery is articulated in the words of the Universal Church: “He that is broken and divided is broken and divided, but undivided, always whole and never consumed, sanctifying those who receive communion worthily.” We believe that in every fragment of the consecrated bread and wine, there is not a partition of the Lord’s body and blood; rather, it is the body of Christ present in its entirety and unity, with His divine essence, including both soul and divinity, or perfect God and perfect man.

Thus, although there are many priestly ministries throughout the world, there is but one body of Christ—one and the same Lord present truly and fully, as one body and one blood, in each congregation of believers. This is not due to the descent of the heavenly body of the Lord upon the altars, but because the bread offered—prepared in various churches—when consecrated, becomes one and the same with the heavenly body. For the Lord has one body, not multiple in different locations. Consequently, this sacrament is regarded, according to consensus, as immensely magnificent, comprehensible only by faith, not by human reasoning, which is dismissed by the sacred offerings instituted for us from above.

We also affirm that the body and blood of the Lord within the Eucharist deserve our profound respect and divine reverence; for as we owe worship to our Lord Jesus Christ, we likewise honor His body and blood. We believe this is the true, atoning sacrifice, offered for all the faithful, both living and deceased, as expressed in the prayers associated with this sacrament, and as delivered by the Apostles according to the will of the Lord, “for the salvation of all.”

Moreover, we believe that this sacrifice remains the true body of the Lord not merely before, immediately after consecration, and after communion but is consistently identified as the true body of the Lord across all times. We further note that the term ‘transubstantiation’ does not fully capture how the bread and wine become the body and blood of the Lord; this mystery is beyond human comprehension, understood only by God alone. Attempts to grasp this concept may lead to confusion and heresy; rather, it is clear that the bread and wine, upon consecration, are genuinely transformed into the body and blood of the Lord—not in a symbolic, figurative, or through an abundance of grace, nor through the merging of the Divine nature of the Only Begotten, nor does any accidental attribute of the bread and wine transform into an attribute of the body and blood of Christ through change or mixture. Thus, as previously stated, the bread becomes the true body of the Lord, and the wine becomes His very blood.

We affirm that this sacred sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is administered solely by a single worthy priest who has received the Priesthood from a legitimate Bishop, in alignment with the teachings of the Eastern Church. This encapsulates the doctrine of the Universal Church regarding the Eucharist; it is the authentic confession and ancient tradition that those seeking salvation must uphold, rejecting any new falsehoods propagated by heretics. It is imperative that the lawful tradition be maintained in its entirety and purity. Those who attempt to alter it are condemned and rejected by the Church of Christ.

Within the blood of Christ resides His very soul. In the Eucharist, the sacred mysteries evoke a profound connection between the soul of Christ and the soul of the believer, establishing a beautiful unity. This communion fosters an experience where the soul instinctively begins to recognize serenity, gentleness, humility, love for all, detachment from material and fleeting concerns, and a longing for the eternal, all of which are foreign to its fallen state. These sensations are imparted to the soul from Christ's own essence, as He proclaimed, "Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls" (Matthew 11:29).

From the very beginning of the Christian faith, this meal has been recognized as the Eucharist, or thanksgiving. Church leaders describe the Supper of Christ as the Eucharistic meal, emphasizing that praise and gratitude to the Lord are essential parts of it. This illustrates that offering thanks to the Heavenly Father for His wondrous deeds is a fundamental aspect of the new service instituted by Christ.

The Evangelist Luke notes that the Supper of Christ was observed after the Paschal meal, highlighting the last ritual of the Passover before the new Supper—the sharing of the cup. From this, we understand that the references made by Matthew and Mark indicate that, on the evening of Easter, while still dining, the Savior performed a sacred rite. Since the Old Testament Passover was to be fulfilled and replaced, the Gospel writers focus only on what is pertinent to the Christian community. Therefore, the Supper of Christ was not merely a continuation of the old Passover rites but a new act filled with meaning and significance for the Church. The Savior proclaimed, through the Apostle and all three Evangelists, that the cup of the Eucharist represents the blood of the new covenant, evoking the historical and prophetic moment of the Sinai covenant when Moses declared, "This is the blood of the covenant, which the Lord has commanded you" (Ex. 24:8). The blood of the new covenant signifies a shift from the old covenant, which is fading away, to the purification provided by the blood of Christ, the Lamb of God, which cleanses the sins of the world.

This establishes a new foundation for the Church of tomorrow. The command, "Do this in remembrance of Me," illustrates the Lord's intention. The Apostle Paul reiterates this by teaching that believers are to commemorate the bread and the cup in remembrance of Christ. Believers are instructed to partake of the Supper in the light of faith, thus reviving their belief in the Redeemer. This reflects the explicit will of the Son of God that His Supper not be seen as a mere ritual but as a sacramental institution meant to endure in His Church until the end of time. Paul emphasized that partaking in this feast proclaims the Lord's death until He returns (1 Cor. 11:26). Therefore, the Apostle understood that this Supper must be celebrated continually in remembrance of Christ’s sacrifice until His second coming. The Church's strength will not falter against any evil, ensuring that the Supper can be faithfully observed until the Lord's return.

The invitation to "Receive, eat; drink from it all," shows the Lord’s desire for all to partake. Even the Apostle Mark affirms that all the apostles shared in this meal, including Judas, who was not denied access due to his betrayal. The assertion that Judas could not partake because of his unworthiness overlooks the Savior’s love and the opportunity He extended to him even during the supper. The Lord’s grace remained available to Judas, preventing him from committing a grave sin—such is the wondrous kindness of God.

"Drink from it, all of you," signals the Lord’s invitation to every person across generations, regardless of status or age. While He invites children to the cup, He notes that they may not partake of the bread due to their vulnerability. Thus, to restrict the laity from the cup contradicts the Lord's command. Those who refuse the bread and cup out of willful obstinance also challenge the directives of the Son of God. Central to the Supper is its extraordinary mystery. The Lord says, "Take, eat, this is My body; drink of it all, this is My blood." His words require attentive reverence towards what is presented. He affirms, "This is My body, this is My blood," indicating that while the elements may seem to the senses as mere bread and wine, they are, in essence, the true body and blood of Christ. Luke emphasizes, "This is the cup of the new covenant in My blood, which is poured out for you." This signifies the reality contained in the cup—the blood of Christ poured out for humanity, affirming the new covenant.

In comparison to the old covenant, where the covenant foods were actual provisions, the new covenant offers true sustenance and atonement for sin—Christ Himself. This invitation to partake in the Supper expresses the solemn legacy that fulfills the promise made earlier when the Lord stated, "The bread that I will give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world" (John 6:51). The extraordinary promise of this food, given at the hour of Christ’s impending sacrifice, is explicitly His very flesh.

The Jews grasped this and questioned, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?" (John 6:52). The Savior affirmed this reality even more strongly, asserting that without partaking of His flesh and blood, one lacks spiritual life. Whoever eats His flesh and drinks His blood abides in Him, and He in them (John 6:53, 56). Thus, the miraculous nourishment represents both the body and blood of the Lord; it sustains spiritual life and unites believers with their Savior.

Paul cautions those participating in the Supper to examine themselves, for partaking in an unworthy manner incurs guilt concerning the body and blood of Christ (1 Cor. 11:27). This indicates that disregard for this body and blood results in grave responsibility. At the Lord's Supper, the body and blood of Christ are indeed offered, and the Apostle warns that failure to recognize the Lord's body while partaking leads to judgment (1 Cor. 11:29).

The Apostle teaches that the blessings we receive are truly a communion with the body and blood of Christ, and we are many yet one body as we partake of one bread (1 Cor. 10:16, 17). This understanding emphasizes that in the sacramental meal, we receive the actual body and blood of Jesus, not mere symbols. The significance of this communion does not diminish due to the faith of those partaking; even those considered feeble-minded or young are called to receive.

As believers, we must trust in the genuine presence of Christ’s body and blood in the Lord's Supper. Can the Almighty Son of God not transform bread and wine into His body and blood by His will? He encompasses all divinity, calming storms and healing the sick by His word. His infinite power reassures us of His ability to perform this miracle. His love endures eternally. In leaving His followers amidst life's trials, He bequeathed a sign of His power that will sustain the Church through the ages, through which believers will experience divine consolation, strength, and protection against all adversities.

Such is the consistent manifestation of the boundless love of the Son of God. Let praise and glory be offered to You, O boundless Love. Amen.

The mystery surrounding the body and blood of Christ is so profound and beyond human comprehension that our wise forebears, seemingly concerned for the integrity of our faith, sought to bolster it with their own sage reflections. "For since," as St. John Damascene reasoned, "this Adam," referring to the second Adam, Jesus Christ, "is spiritual; it is fitting that the birth should also be spiritual, as should the food. Yet, as we are frail and complex, it is proper that the birth be of earthly means, and the food intricate. Thus, we are to be born of water and the Spirit, which is holy baptism, and the food is the very bread of life, our Lord Jesus Christ, who descended from heaven." Furthermore, when the Holy Virgin questioned, "How shall this be for I know not a man?" the Archangel Gabriel responded, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you."

Now you may also wonder: How can bread be the body of Christ and wine and water His blood? I affirm: The Holy Spirit descends and accomplishes these mysteries, which surpass mere words and reason. Likewise, St. John Chrysostom instructs us: "Let us obey God in all matters, and refrain from speaking inconsistently with our declarations, even if our perceptions contradict them; let our thoughts and senses align with His most true word. In our understanding of mysteries, we must not focus solely on the visible but on His words: His declarations are infallible, while our senses can easily mislead us. When He states, 'This is My body,' let us heed and believe, seeing it with the eyes of our hearts." Yet, Christ did not impart to us merely through sensory experiences, but rather through divine understanding.

Given that the purpose of our earthly existence, as the Apostle notes, is to "walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Cor. 5:7), the precious gifts received through the Lord's Supper—nourishment, healing, strength, enlightenment, freedom from evil, and incorruption—are best grasped through faith and enveloped by trust, transcending sight and sensation. However, they are understood in various ways according to the capacity of faith, need, focus, dignity, purity, and experience. The manifold grace of divine sustenance reveals itself to believers—whether as unutterable joy in the heart, sweet serenity in the soul, buoyancy of spirit, profound peace of conscience, alleviation of trials, relief from suffering, or at times even complete restoration, and a fervent love for the Lord, or a renewed vigor for spiritual endeavors.

Nevertheless, regardless of our individual experiences of this sacred mystery, I reiterate with St. Chrysostom: "Let the true word of our Lord shape our thoughts and perceptions." After He declared: "He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood dwells in Me, and I in him; he who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life" (John 6:56, 54), how can we, albeit unworthy recipients of His flesh and blood, deny that He abides in us, and we in Him, and that in Him we possess eternal life—unless we choose to turn away from Him, falling into spiritual death?

One of the most comforting affirmations of both our need and the redemptive power of the Lord’s Supper lies in His own profound desire for it. What do His words to the Apostles, "I have longed to eat this Passover with you," signify? Does He crave the Passover of the Old Covenant? That event had merely been a yearly observance and is now to be superseded by the reality that has arrived. There is no doubt then, that He yearns for the Passover of the New Covenant—where He offers Himself as both sacrifice and sustenance. "With desire," He asserts, "I have eagerness to partake of this Passover with you, before I endure the sufferings"—a true Passover that is not just tangible, but also spiritual and Divine, not only sacrificed but also alive and life-giving, established before the passion, serving as an eternal testament to His foreknowledge and voluntary acceptance of suffering, encompassing the saving grace of the cross throughout time, vital to the eternal beginning. Through the "desire" of love and compassion, "I wish to partake of this Pascha with you," for within it lies all My love for you and the essence of your true life and happiness.

The blood of the Old Testament was offered for the salvation of the firstborn (as in the case of Israel’s firstborns saved from the destroying angel), whereas this Blood is poured out for the forgiveness of the sins of the entire world, serving as a propitiatory sacrifice for humanity's transgressions. As Moses commanded to “Keep all My commandments all the days” (Deuteronomy 5:29), so Christ instructs: “in My remembrance” until I return (St. John Chrysostom).

This testament, given its profound importance and emotional depth, was firmly impressed upon the memories of the disciples and quickly disseminated throughout the early Christian Church. The book of the Acts of the Holy Apostles illustrates that the celebration of the Eucharist in memory of our beloved Savior became the central focus of all Christian gatherings. Although the Apostle Paul was not among the twelve and was not present at the Last Supper, in one of his epistles—surely inspired from above—he articulates a detailed teaching on the sacramental Body and Blood of the Lord, affirming the continuity of this Sacrament until the day of the Lord’s future coming (Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson).

St. Philaret of Moscow emphasizes the significance of the Lord's founding words about the holy cup: “drink from it all.” We must not overlook the small word: all, for within every part of God's Word is hidden light, and in every sound lies wisdom. The Lord did not instruct regarding the sacramental bread to “take, eat all of it” because some, like infants, cannot partake. However, concerning the sacramental cup, He said: “drink of it all,” thereby removing any exceptions for those who share in the faith and unity of the Church. Therefore, those who deny infants and young children access to the Holy Mysteries until they reach a certain age stray from the precision of the Lord's command. In contrast, the Orthodox Church faithfully adheres to His directive by allowing even infants to partake of the holy cup so that all may drink, even if they can only sip rather than consume.

It is even more noteworthy that when the Lord first presented the holy cup, He simultaneously condemned the later practice of withholding it from the faithful. Which is more astonishing: the profound wisdom of God's Word or the presumptuousness of human wisdom that contradicts clear divine instructions? The Lord is aware that the cup of life He provides may be seized by the willful, prompting Him to establish a barrier against such insolence with the explicit command: “Drink of it all.” Yet, the pretenders persist; they proclaim, “not all,” asserting that the common people should not partake of the cup. We give thanks to God, dear brethren, that we belong to the Orthodox Church, which does not conform to this arbitrary understanding but remains obedient to the words of Christ, offering the holy cup to all: “drink of it all.”

His declaration, "This is My Body and this is My Blood," was sufficient for them to trust in the reality of a sacrament that transcended human understanding. This sacrament, known as the Eucharist—meaning thanksgiving in Greek—has continually served as a memorial of the sacrificial atonement made by Jesus Christ for humanity's sins. The Book of Acts and the letters of the Apostle Paul provide numerous references indicating that every gathering of early Christians included the reception of the Body and Blood of Christ in the forms of bread and wine. In the early centuries of Christianity, all who attended church on Sundays and holy days received the Holy Mysteries.

Consequently, forgiveness is granted to all who place their faith in Christ, allowing them to partake in His holy body and blood (cf. Jn. 1:29, Eph. 5:2, Heb. 7:27, 1 Jn. 2:2, 1 Jn. 4:10, Rom. 8:32, 2 Cor. 5:15).