xjwsforChrist

ATALOA SAID

In some of the accounts (such as Matthew 26) of the Lord's evening meal, he blesses the bread, but I never read an account that says he blessed the wine.

What exactly is a blessing? And what did it mean, as opposed to giving thanks, in this instance?

AGUEST SAID


Good question, dear Ataloa (peace to you!)... and I was actually quite surprised to hear the answer! My first inclination was that they were kind of the same, since Luke's account says my Lord gave thanks for both... and since most today believe they are "asking a blessing" when they give thanks, and vice versa. Here, though, my Lord GAVE the blessing, not asked for it. And so, although I started to respond that perhaps they were the same, my Lord wouldn't allow it. Because it wasn't the TRUTH. And then, praise JAH, my dear Lord gave me the truth to share with you due to YOUR sincerity in wanting to know.

The truth he gave me is this:

Per my Lord, a requirement of the Passover and "communion" offerings observance, both of which were obligatory observances, was that none of the food involved was to be left over to the next day. Everything was to be eaten on that day/evening, or burned in the fire (except where the sacrifice was related to a vow or was voluntary). - Exodus 12:8-10; Levitcus 7:11-17

On the night you're asking about it was the last time my Lord would share this kind of meal with his disciples. Also, it was prepared by him: he handled the preparations, including the location and so it was HIS meal that he invited THEM to share with HIM. As such, HE hosted the event this time and because of this, just enough food was provided. This was so that (1) there would be no waste, and (2) he would get to perform one more small miracle in front of them to bolster they faith.

In Lazarus' ("John") account, before eating the part of the meal you're asking about, my Lord got up, girded himself, and washed the feet of our dear brothers. BEFORE this they had FINISHED eating the Passover meal. Since THAT meal was done... there wasn't much left over from it at all. Because, again, what WAS left over would have had to have been burned... and there would be NO opportunity to do that after this... because it was right after this that they went out... and soon after that that my Lord was arrested... the disciples scattered. And so, HE knew they HAD to eat ALL of it then and there!

BUT... after the Passover, he had another "meal" to give them, a TRULY "last" one and this time a very small one: just a bite of bread and sip of wine, each. But how, if there was little or no food left? Well, there was a BIT of food left: a small amount of bread. But not enough so as to create leftovers that would have required burning.

So... how to feed everyone but have NO leftovers from either meal, the Passover OR "communion"? The same way he fed the crowds! After the Passover meal there was ONLY a small piece of bread. My Lord TOOK that small piece... and BLESSED it... in the same way as he blessed the loaves and fishes that fed the crowds! (Mark 6:38-44; John 6:5-13; Luke 9:16, 17). And by means of this... he was able to feed all 12 disciples one last time... and leave nothing over for the fire!.

And so he was able to give them just a morsel each, but what he gave them included the "polluted" morsel he gave to Judas. That one's morsel was first dipped by my Lord into the meat/bitter greens juices, so that it would not be "clean"... signifying the "uncleanness" of the one to whom it was given.

I, SA, have shared with you, dear Ataloa, just what my Lord, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah) gave to me on this matter as to what occurred that evening and why... and I have shared it with you just as I received it from him.

I hope it helps and, again, peace to you!

YOUR servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellama

ATALOA SAID


Wow! me too.

I never thought anything like that ever!

So, Shelby, do you think that is why it says he blessed it and broke it, just like the loaves and fishes? Of course, I guess they always broke bread at their meals.

LOZ SAID

Wow from me too!

I could be wrong here, but I understand that the breaking of the bread signified the 'breaking' of His body when He was put to death?

Loz x
_________________
Don't let anyone put you down, and don't do it to yourself.

AGUEST SAID



Never crossed MY mind, dear Ataloa (again, peace to you!). Indeed, I had never given the details of the event that much thought! So I was quite surprised... but totally REJOICED... at what my Lord explained. I was like "Well, of COURSE, Lord! Of COURSE!"



That is my understanding, yes. Exactly. Just as his blessing turned water into wine, and a little bread and a few fishes into enough sufficient to feed several thousands with bushels left over, yes.


Well, yes. Bread was baked in loaves, just as it is today. We can buy it sliced, yes, but not all bread comes sliced. Some we either cut... or break... ourselves, yes? The "thing" here... as to how much bread was left after the Passover meal (very little, because it was ALL to be eaten or have to be burned... and he knew there would be no opportunity for ANY of them to see to the burning of any leftovers)... and so what needed to be done to provide enough bread for a "voluntary communion" meal is what blew ME away. I had just never even THOUGHT of it before!

Peace!

Your servant and a slave of Christ,

Shellama

ATALOA SAID



Yeah, yeah. Me too.


I know! You have made me very happy, dear.

GLTIREBITER SAID

I learned an fascinating thing about wine and Passover tonight, and how it leads into Christianity. This was at a Seder meal at our parish hall, held to teach us how our Christian heritage is rooted in Judaism.

Four ritual cups are poured and drunk during the Seder, corresponding to four blessings God gave to the Israelites: "I will take you out…", "I will save you…", "I will redeem you…", and "I will take you as a nation…". But there is also the fifth, ultimate blessing for which a ritual cup was not drunk:"I will bring you to the land which I promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and I will give it to you as an inheritance". The fifth ritual cup is called Elijah's cup, which is poured but not to be drunk, in anticipation of the fulfillment of that final blessing.

In Luke's gospel (Matthew and Mark do not offer this detail), Jesus takes the cup after supper--after they had already drunk the Seder's four ritual cups of blessing. So according to Luke, the Eucharistic cup would have been the fifth ritual cup, Elijah's cup. The Apostles, as observant Jews, knew the significance of Jesus taking up and sharing that cup. He used the ritual to declare the blessing fulfilled: the establishment of His new, everlasting covenant.

How many times have I read that passage, not knowing the significance of the cup being drunk after the supper had ended?

JUSTMOM SAID

Wow, great understanding . I never gave this much thought although I had noticed one says blessing and one says thanks. Just thought it was the same thing all this time.

Thank you my sister for sharing this
Love Justmom.

YPPUPLLEH SAID

An interesting read
_________________
Love is a warm rubber puppy...

CHARIKLO SAID

That's really interesting, GL! I have Jewish friends, but never thought to ask them to explain their practices.

Thank you!

AGUEST SAID



Yes, and hence, my Lord's words, dear GLT (peace to you!), when asked as to Elijah's needing to come first:

"The disciples asked him, “Why then do the teachers of the law say that Elijah must come first?” [Jesus] replied, “To be sure, Elijah comes and will restore all things. But I tell you, Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but have done to him everything they wished. In the same way the Son of Man is going to suffer at their hands.” Then the disciples understood that he was talking to them about John the Baptist." Matthew 17:10-13

[The disciples knew what he meant because they knew had Elijah HAD come, THROUGH John:

"Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of JAHVEH. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. He will bring back many of the people of Israel to JAHVEH their God. And he will go on before JAHVEH, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for JAHVEH.” Luke 1:11-17]

And so my Lord is recorded to have said:

"But the witness that I have is greater than that of John. For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me." John 5:36

So, while John's witness by means of the spirit of ELIJAH was GREAT, my LORD'S witness, by means of the spirit of JAH... was even greater.

And so he, the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One... of JAH (MischaJah)... could say, to HIS disciples..

"This cup means the NEW Covenant by virtue of MY blood, which is to be poured out in YOUR behalf." Luke 22:20

"Elijah's cup," therefore, was replaced... by my Lord... with HIS CUP... that cup being the vessel of his BODY... from which was poured out HIS blood. Poured out for ANYONE who wishes to "drink" it:

“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty." John 6:35

Unlike Elijah's cup which was NOT to be drank from, my LORD'S cup MUST be drank from, if one believes in HIM... and wishes to receive the blessing of the NEW Covenant: life, everlasting, either by resurrection or changing:

“Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. John 6:53-57

As dear GLT shared:

Elijah's cup... is poured but not to be drunk, in anticipation of the fulfillment of that final blessing.

Christ is the fulfillment of that final blessing and so the "contents" of HIS cup... you DO drink of it.

And that is why I will be attending the Memorial of Jehovah's Witnesses this year... and every year until my Lord himself tells me not to:

To publicly declare to THEM... by MY example... that a witness GREATER than John has arrived... and given the "wine" of HIS cup, a cup GREATER than Elijah's cup... so that ANYONE may drink of it... indeed MUST... so as NOT to die... but live forever... by means of the SPIRIT of that one.

To publicly declare to THEM... by MY example... that even though one's FLESH may die, one CAN live... FOREVER... just as they teach... starting with the life of the SPIRIT... but ONLY by means of the blood of Christ, the HOLY One of Israel, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH (MischaJah)... which blood is the blood of His FATHER, the MOST HOLY One of Israel, JAH of Armies... HOLY SPIRIT... which, as the SON... he received directly FROM the Father.

To publicly declare to them... by MY example... that while the flesh may die, the SPIRIT is life... and so it is the SPIRIT that is resurrected to life, so as to give life TO the body (of flesh)... because WITHOUT spirit... life... the body is nothing more than a DEAD soul, not a LIVING soul.

To publicly declare to THEM... by MY example... that the invitation TO drink of my Lord's cup... is open to ALL of mankind... and not just a sundry few whom THEY choose and "approve."

To publicly demonstrate the love of my Lord for them, still... and so mine... until he, the Door, has been closed. For now, that Door is standing open and so the call STILL goes out, to ALL those who are wishing and THIRSTING, particularly in her, the harlot and her paramours that make up the WTBTS.

May any there... and here... then, who ARE wishing and thirsting be given ears to hear, when the Spirit and Bride says to them/YOU:

"Come! Take 'life's water'... the BLOOD of Christ, which 'water' is HOLY SPIRIT... and is dispensed from the INNERMOST parts of the Son of God, the HOLY One of Israel and Holy Spirit, JAHESHUA, the Chosen One of JAH... FREE!" Revelation 22:17

Again, peace to you ALL!

Servant to the Household of God, Israel, and ALL those who go with, and a slave of Christ,

SA

JUSTMOM SAID

My spirit is in full agreement with this...



Thank you for the lovely encouragement. May Jah continue to bless you and your household and give you the continued strength and love to accomplish HIS ministry ......

We will be attending again this year as well for all the same reasons.
How can we know what WE KNOW about our lords love and mercy and knowing who and what they demonstrate themselves to be.....
And not at least TRY to show and offer this wonderful gift to them as well.

Love to you my sister in CHRIST
Justmom

GLTIREBITER SAID


Justmom: Soy un hombre, su hermano! [I am a man, your brother!]

All: thank you for the comments, especially to Shelby for further expanding on that theme.

And yes, everybody at our Seder partakes of the unleavened bread (matzohs) and wine (or grape juice, for the younger attendees, and those adults who gave up alcohol for Lent).

I hope everyone had a good Palm Sunday today!

TEC SAID


That was a wonderful thing to share. Helps me see such a full picture of that night.

Shows also with the final passing of the bit of bread and wine between them, that Judas partook with them... how else would he have been given the unclean morsel?

First (and only) time that I went to a kingdom hall was on the memorial night. It had been hyped up to me by my study conductor, about how much love I would feel there and really it was also the beginning of the end for me I think, because I felt nothing. No spirit. No love. I did feel as though I was being shown as a 'prize', though. One woman looked at me with so much judgment and contempt - as though I had no right to be there and as though she was trying to find fault with me... which I always thought was about me... but my Lord tells me now was actually about a rivalry/contention/jealousy of my study conductor.

Mostly I just observed others, and concentrated on quickly finding bible passages, to show that I knew them. But I think I must have been very detached, because the moment that I heard 'eleven' apostles, because Judas was not there... It was like my head shot up, and I bolted straight awake. That was wrong. So wrong it had never even occurred to me to think about it before.

At the end of the memorial, my friend asked me what I thought... and I searched for something positive and told her I found it very 'humble'. I couldn't say anything other than that. Her husband stopped going to meetings shortly after that, and after I stopped studying I learned that they separated. After that meeting though, I guess she asked him what he thought of me, and he said I was quick looking up scriptures. Sounded like a pretty safe answer to me, lol. Since knowing he had stopped going to meetings and such, I kind of felt he might have just been searching for something -anything- positive to say too.

Sorry for being off-topic. Just been on my mind lately.


Peace to you,

JUSTMOM SAID

Good morning my sister Tec.....

Wow! That was not a good experience.
I did not realize you only went to one memorial.

Thank you for sharing this.
It is truly " dead" inside. I feel it now EVERYTIME I go. My boys when they have gone say, " MOM, how did you sit through this for soooo many years? "
This stuff is ridiculous!


Love Justmom