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Why
in I Corinthians?
There is another difficulty. One may agree that the first Epistle to the Corinthians
concerns another sphere of blessing than that of the great mystery, but may think that all
believers, including the Gentiles, of that sphere had to keep the Lord's Super because this
epistle is addressed to all. Our answer is that at that time there was a separation, a middle
wall, according to the flesh (not "in Christ"), between the Jews and the Gentiles. The
first company did observe the law, the other did not. When we try to place ourselves in
these circumstances, it will be seen that if in an epistle something is said about a Jewish
feast, it applies only to those who keep the feasts. For them this must have been a matter
of course. But this sounds too much like mere reasoning, and it is always necessary to
refer to the Word. That chapters 10: and 11: especially concern the Jews is clear from the
way they commence:--
"Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that ALL OUR
FATHERS were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized
UNTO MOSES in the cloud and in the sea . . . . ." (I Cor. 10: 1, 2).
We know from Heb. 1: 1 and Rom. 9: 3-5 that these fathers belonged to Israel only.
When Paul comes to chapter 12: of I Corinthians, which concerns both Jews and
Gentiles, he specially mentions the latter (I Cor. 12: 1-3).
Did the believers of the nations lose anything because they had not the ceremonies of
their Jewish brethren? No. The spiritual significance of the Lord's Supper applied also
to them: salvation through His blood and unity in Christ. Those who followed Paul in
his later ministry came into a still higher sphere of blessing in the on-heavenlies, far
above all. There indeed was a unity, a joint-body, where a covenant had no longer any
place, and where a ceremony referring to the earthly sphere could only hinder a clear
view of the high position given through grace.
Conclusion.
While the Passover has received a deeper significance by what our Lord did and said
when He kept it before His death, it was not a new institution for Christians which
replaced the Passover of the Jews, but the Supper was part of the Jewish Passover, to be
held once a year on the 14th Nisan. By keeping this Jewish feast, the Christians of the
first century confirm that it was not replaced by any other ceremony. Such was
introduced later without any foundation in the Scriptures.
The spiritual significance of the Passover is for all believers, but the ceremony is for
Israel only. They alone were allowed to observe the feasts of the Lord. When it is seen
that the Gospel according to Matthew in no way concerns the church of the mystery, it
follows that Matt. 26: 26-28 does not abruptly introduce a new institution for a church
which then had no existence. The Lord was addressing only the twelve apostles of Israel.