This past Maundy Thursday, our 8th grade confirmands celebrated their first communion. And what a gift that is to them to be able to partake in the body and blood and to receive that means of grace. But also, to do that together, as friends and classmates to do this in common faith and fellowship with one another.
I can imagine that’s how the disciples felt celebrating the Passover meal that Thursday. It was a celebratory occasion, as they shared this meal together, they looked back on God’s saving act in the Exodus. And what a gift that was to them, to be able to have this fellowship with one another, giving thanks and glory to God.
What they didn’t know was that their teacher, their friend, was going to take this meal up a notch. Jesus took the unleavened bread and broke it and gave it to them. Then he took the cup of wine and said, “This cup that’s for you, is a new covenant.”
To our English ears, that’s strange language. But to first century Jews—body and blood aside—this action is actually very familiar. And I’m assuming for the first time, Peter might be the disciple that understands this the most. See, this image of giving a cup of wine as a covenant was the first century equivalent of getting down on one knee and asking for someone’s hand in marriage.
If someone gave you a covenantal cup of wine and you drank from it, that was accepting the proposal. Before this, the man would have had to go the woman’s father and negotiate a bride price, negotiate how much this man was willing to spend to be in relationship with this woman. So, after that happens and after she drinks this cup of wine, the engaged woman wouldn’t be called her own name anymore, but called “one who was bought for a price.”
When Jesus gives this covenant to the Disciples, he’s proposing to his church. Paul uses that language throughout his letters that the church is the bride of Christ. This proposal isn’t for marriage, but to be in relationship with God. And what better name could we be called, as followers of Christ than “Ones who were bought for a price?”
See, Jesus negotiates with the Father and buys us back. The price? His precious body and blood. Jesus pays with his life in order to buy us back. Jesus tells his disciples this price when he institutes communion. This is my body, which will be broken for you. This is my blood, which will be shed for you. All of this, I give to you, to be in union, to be in relationship.
This is such a powerful image to me, because from the very beginning, God created us to be in relationship with him and we ruined that. We threw that away and we tried to live without him for thousands of years, we forged false gods, we turned away again and again. Yet God was always striving after us, always trying to get us back. God displays miracles and awesome power to be signs that He was God, but ultimately, God steps into his creation and in the most intimate way, asks us to be His again. Take this cup, my covenant. Know that I bought you back. Know that I did everything for you. God asks us on that Last Supper, would you be mine again?
And then Jesus goes out and his betrayed, left, beaten, scourged, and crucified. And even on the cross, he’s assuring us that we’re forgiven, that all of this was done to buy us back.
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