10 Key Bible Verses about the Lord’s Supper

This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series.

All commentary notes adapted from the ESV Study Bible.

1. Matthew 26:26–28

Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Read More

bread . . . this is my body. Jesus’s body will be the once-and-for-all fulfillment of the ceremonies surrounding the Passover lamb and other OT sacrifices, as he will become the sacrificial atonement for the sins of the people.

cup. Most likely the third of four cups at the Passover—the cup of blessing, or the cup of redemption—corresponding to God’s third promise in Ex. 6:6: “I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great acts of judgment.”

blood of the covenant. The cup foreshadows the shedding of Jesus’s blood and the absorbing of God’s wrath, which opens the way for the redemption of all peoples through the new covenant relationship with God that was promised to the people of Israel (cf. Jer. 31:31, 34).

2. 1 Corinthians 11:23–26

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” Read More

The expression This is my body has been subject to widely varying interpretations throughout the history of the church. Roman Catholics understand it literally, and claim that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. Lutherans hold that the literal body and blood of Christ are present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine (something like the way water is present in a sponge). Some Anglicans refer to the “real presence” of Christ in the bread and wine. Most other Protestants have argued that the body and blood of Christ are not literally, physically, or “really” present, but that Christ is present “symbolically”; most would also add that Christ is present spiritually, with and in the believing recipients of the bread and wine, strengthening their faith and fellowship in him, and thereby feeding their souls. Christ’s spiritual presence can be supported from Matt. 18:20; 28:20. Do this in remembrance of me. Remembering the significance of Jesus’s death is an important component of observing the Lord’s Supper and of obedience (“do this”) to Christ’s command. Evangelical Protestant Christians have consistently been united on the importance of limiting participation in the Lord’s Supper to those who have made a personal commitment to follow Jesus. Jesus’s emphasis on remembering the significance of his death when observing the Lord’s Supper, and his warnings to those who partake of the bread and the cup in an unworthy manner, both reveal the wisdom of this limitation (cf. notes on 1 Cor. 11:27; 11:28; 11:29).

3. 1 Corinthians 11:27–29

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body eats and drinks judgment on himself. Read More

Unworthy manner probably refers to the incompatibility of the Corinthians’ divisive arrogance as compared to the sacrificial, others-oriented nature of Jesus’s death. A broader application of this principle would encourage believers to examine their own lives (see 1 Cor. 11:28) and to repent and ask forgiveness for any unconfessed sin before partaking in the Lord’s Supper. guilty concerning the body and blood. Jesus’s body was broken and his blood shed for others. Thus the selfish behavior of the Corinthians is a sin against others, but it also represents a profaning disrespect for Jesus himself.

Whoever partakes of the Lord’s Supper must examine himself to see whether he has properly understood the unselfish, atoning nature of Jesus’s death “for” others, and how that should be imitated in his own life.

Without discerning the body is usually understood in one of two ways. Some hold that it means “not understanding that the bread represents the body of Christ that was sacrificed for us,” with the result that such people do not act in a Christlike, self-sacrificial way. Others note that Paul does not mention the blood, and because of this they conclude that Paul has moved beyond the meaning of the bread to the idea of the church as a gathering of the body of Christ (see 1 Cor. 12:12–27; cf. 1 Cor. 10:16–17). According to this second view, “without discerning the body” would mean “not understanding that Christians, since they are the body of Christ, should act like Christ when they assemble.” On either view, these people do not recognize the spiritual reality of what is happening at the Lord’s Supper, and therefore they are acting in a way that dishonors Christ. Eats and drinks judgment on himself is a sober warning that the Lord will discipline those who dishonor the Lord’s Supper (see 1 Cor. 11:30), and therefore it should not be entered into lightly.

4. Mark 14:22–25

And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. And he said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” Read More

Jesus declares this is my body while he is still in his body, thus establishing a particular connection with bread as representing his own, once-and-for-all sacrifice. On the differing views regarding the significance of the communion elements.

he took a cup. The communion wine corresponds to the covenant-establishing, once-and-for-all shed blood of Jesus as atonement for many (Mark 10:45; cf. Ex. 24:8; Isa. 53:12; Jer. 31:31–34).

that day when I drink it new. Jesus is confident that his impending death does not jeopardize his celebration (as exalted Lord of David; cf. Mark 12:35–37; Ps. 110:1, 5) in the future kingdom of God.

5. John 6:35

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.” Read More

Jesus’s claim, “I am the bread of life,” constitutes the first of seven “I am” sayings recorded in this Gospel. Apart from these sayings there are also several absolute statements where Jesus refers to himself as “I am” (e.g., John 6:20; John 8:24, 28, 58; John 18:5), in keeping with the reference to God as “I AM” in Ex. 3:14 and the book of Isaiah (e.g., Isa. 41:4; 43:10, 25). Jesus is the “bread of life” in the sense that he nourishes people spiritually and satisfies the deep spiritual longings of their souls. In that sense, those who trust in him shall not hunger; that is, their spiritual longing to know God will be satisfied (cf. John 4:14 for a similar discussion of satisfying people’s spiritual thirst).

6. Luke 22:14–20

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took 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.” Read More

The Passover Meal and the Institution of the Lord’s Supper. Luke’s version of Jesus’s final Passover meal with his disciples differs in two ways from Matthew and Mark: he places Jesus’s statement about his betrayal after the meal rather than before (probably an arrangement by topic), and he refers to two cups (Mark 16:17–18, 20) rather than one.

when the hour came. The “hour” to celebrate the Passover (Luke 22:15) and, in a broader sense, the “hour” of Jesus’s suffering and death (Luke 22:53; John 13:1; 17:1). he reclined at table. The Passover was eaten in a reclining position, as were other festive meals (Luke 11:37; 14:10; 17:7; cf. note on Matt. 26:20).

Jesus earnestly desired to eat this meal with his disciples for several reasons: (1) it represented the founding of the nation of Israel (see note on Mark 14:17); (2) Jesus himself was now about to become the true Passover Lamb who would be sacrificed for the sins of his people, and thus this Passover meal was the last in long centuries of celebrating it while looking forward to the Messiah; (3) Jesus knew the meal would richly symbolize the giving of his body and blood for the disciples to earn salvation for them; and (4) this Passover meal itself looked forward to the “marriage supper of the Lamb” in heaven (see note on Rev. 19:9–10).

I will not eat it implies “I will not eat it again” (some manuscripts make this more explicit).

Until it is fulfilled refers to the future messianic banquet.

had given thanks. Greek eucharisteō, from which comes “Eucharist.”

took bread. For parallels with the feeding of the 5,000. The expression This is my body has been subject to widely varying interpretations throughout the history of the church. Roman Catholics understand it literally, and claim that the bread and wine actually become the body and blood of Christ. Lutherans hold that the literal body and blood of Christ are present “in, with, and under” the bread and wine (something like the way water is present in a sponge). Some Anglicans refer to the “real presence” of Christ in the bread and wine. Most other Protestants have argued that the body and blood of Christ are not literally, physically, or “really” present, but that Christ is present “symbolically”; most would also add that Christ is present spiritually, with and in the believing recipients of the bread and wine, strengthening their faith and fellowship in him and thereby feeding their souls. Christ’s spiritual presence can be supported from Matt. 18:20; 28:20. given for you. This same verb (Gk. didōmi, “give”) is used with respect to sacrifice in Mark 10:45; Luke 2:24; Gal. 1:4. The Greek construction translated “for you” (Gk. hyper plus genitive) often has a vicarious sense, where one person does something in place of someone else. As represented and predicted in this celebration of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus’s body will be the once-and-for-all fulfillment of the ceremonies surrounding the Passover lamb, as he will become the sacrificial atonement on the basis of which God will “pass over” the sins of the people. Do this in remembrance of me. Cf. note on 1 Cor. 11:24.

New covenant in my blood (cf. “blood of the covenant,” Ex. 24:8; see also Lev. 17:11–14) indicates that Jesus’s blood is sacrificial blood, sealing a new covenant. Poured out, i.e., in death. For you (cf. Luke 22:19) makes explicit the “for many” of Mark 14:24.

7. John 6:52–58

The Jews then disputed among themselves, saying, “How can this man give us his flesh to eat?” So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.” Read More

Another example of misunderstanding in which Jesus’s hearers take him literally (cf. John 3:4; John 4:15). Jesus teaches spiritual truths by referring to physical objects, and people frequently misunderstand.

Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood cannot be intended literally, for no one ever did that. As Jesus has done frequently in this Gospel, he is speaking in terms of physical items in this world to teach about spiritual realities. Here, to “eat” Jesus’s flesh has the spiritual meaning of trusting or believing in him, especially in his death for the sins of mankind. (See also John 6:35, where Jesus speaks of coming to him as satisfying “hunger” and believing in him as satisfying “thirst.”) Similarly, to “drink his blood” means to trust in his atoning death, which is represented by the shedding of his blood. Although Jesus is not speaking specifically about the Lord’s Supper here, there is a parallel theme, because the receiving of eternal life through being united with “the Son of Man” is represented in the Lord’s Supper (where Jesus’sfollowers symbolically eat his flesh and drink his blood; cf. 1 Cor. 11:23–32). This is anticipated in OT feasts (see 1 Cor. 5:7) and consummated in the marriage supper of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9).

8. 1 Corinthians 10:16–17

The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Read More

cup of blessing . . . we bless. (See 1 Cor. 11:23–26 ) Paul refers to the cup in the Lord’s Supper. Jesus gave thanks for the cup (Matt. 26:27; Mark 14:23; Luke 22:17); the earliest Christian observance of the Lord’s Supper imitated this custom. Participation (Gk. koinōnia) sometimes refers to fellowship with Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 1:9) or the Holy Spirit (2 Cor. 13:14; Phil. 2:1); sometimes it means aligning oneself with someone else’s plight or cause (Rom. 15:26; 2 Cor. 8:4; 9:13; Gal. 2:9; Phil. 1:5; Phil. 3:10). Since this context emphasizes the incompatibility of participating in meals in pagan temples and participating in the Lord’s Supper (1 Cor. 10:21), Paul probably means that those who eat the Lord’s Supper align themselves with Jesus, share his sufferings (see Phil. 3:10), and benefit from his death.

one bread . . . one body. After Jesus gave thanks for and broke the bread, he said, “This is my body, which is for you” (1 Cor. 11:24). The church is also Christ’s body (see also 1 Cor. 12:12, 27; Eph. 1:22–23; Eph. 4:15–16; Eph. 5:23, 29–30). The Lord’s Supper, therefore, is an occasion when members of the church declare their unity with each other because of their common unity with Christ.

9. Acts 2:42

And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Read More

The early church was devoted to the apostles’ teaching, which would have included Jesus’s earthly teaching plus what he taught the apostles in his 40 days of resurrection appearances.

Fellowship (Gk. koinōnia, “participation, sharing”) included the sharing of material goods (Acts 2:44), the breaking of bread (Acts 2:42, 46), which likely covers both the Lord’s Supper and a larger fellowship meal, and prayers in house meetings and likely also in the temple (Acts 2:42, 46).

10. Revelation 19:9

And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.” Read More

Blessed. Revelation’s fourth of seven benedictions. Those invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb are believers who belong to his beloved bride, the church, who have been called through the gospel of grace (Isa. 25:6–9; Luke 14:15–24). This “marriage supper of the Lamb” was anticipated in the predictions of a messianic banquet in Isa. 25:6–8; Matt. 22:1–14; 25:10; 26:29. John is twice reprimanded (“You must not do that!”) for attempting to worship the angel (cf. Rev. 22:8–9). Instead, John is commanded to worship God alone, in dramatic confirmation of the deity of Jesus, the Lamb who is rightly worshiped (cf. Rev. 5:8–14).