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enabled Christ to give a vivid representation of the idea that His body was broken, that flesh
and blood were separated, and that the sacrament both nourishes and quickens the soul.
c. Words of explanation.
The word of command in connection with the bread is immediately
followed by a word of explanation, which has given rise to sharp disputes, namely, “This is my
body.” These words have been interpreted in various ways.
(1) The Church of Rome makes the copula “is” emphatic. Jesus meant to say that what He held
in His hand was really His body, though it looked and tasted like bread. But this is a thoroughly
untenable position. In all probability Jesus spoke Aramaic and used no copula at all. And while
He stood before the disciples in the body, He could not very well say to His disciples in all
seriousness that He held His body in His hand. Moreover, even on the Roman Catholic view, He
could not truthfully say, “This is my body,” but could only say, “This is now becoming my body.”
(2) Carlstadt held the novel view that Jesus, when He spoke these words, pointed to His body.
He argued that the neuter touto could not refer to artos, which is masculine. But bread can very
well be conceived of as a thing and thus referred to as neuter. Moreover, such a statement
would have been rather inane under the circumstances.
(3) Luther and the Lutherans also stress the word “is,” though they admit that Jesus was
speaking figuratively. According to them the figure was not a metaphor, but a synecdoche. The
Lord simply meant to say to His disciples: Where you have the bread, you have my body in,
under, and along with it, though the substance of both remains distinct. This view is burdened
with the impossible doctrine of the omnipresence of the Lord’s physical body.
(4) Calvin and the Reformed Churches understand the words of Jesus metaphorically: “This is
(that is, signifies) my body.” Such a statement would be just as intelligible to the disciples as
other similar statements, such as, “I am the bread of life,” John 6:35, and, “I am the true vine,”
John 15:1. At the same time they reject the view, generally ascribed to Zwingli, that the bread
merely signifies the body of Christ, and stress the fact that it also serves to seal the covenant
mercies of God and to convey spiritual nourishment. To these words Jesus adds the further
statement, “which is given for you.” These words in all probability express the idea that the
body of Jesus is given for the benefit, or in the interest, of the disciples. It is given by the Lord to
secure their redemption. Naturally, it is a sacrifice not only for the immediate disciples of the
Lord, but also for all those who believe.
There is also a word of explanation in connection with the cup. The Lord makes the significant
statement: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, even that which is poured out for you.”
Luke 22:20. These words convey an implied contrast between the blood of the Saviour, as the
blood of the new covenant, and the blood of the old covenant mentioned in Ex. 24:8. The latter