The Lord's Supper and Ordinance of Humility

Notes

1. "There was a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. This contention, carried on in the presence of Christ, grieved and wounded Him. . . . The request of James and John to sit on the right and left of Christ's throne had excited the indignation of the others. That the two brothers should presume to ask for the highest position, so stirred the ten that alienation threatened. . . . When the disciples entered the supper room, their hearts were full of resentful feelings. Judas pressed next to Christ on the left side; John was on the right. If there was a higher place, Judas was determined to have it, and that place was thought to be next to Christ. And Judas was a traitor."—Desire of Ages, pages 643, 644.

2. "When the Saviour's hands were bathing those [Judas'] soiled feet, and wiping them with the towel, the heart of Judas thrilled through and through with the impulse then and there to confess his sin."—Id., page 645.

3. "This ordinance is Christ's appointed preparation for the sacramental service. While pride, variance, and strife for supremacy are cherished, the heart can not enter into fellowship with Christ. We are not prepared to receive the communion of His body and His blood. Therefore it was that Jesus appointed the memorial of His humiliation to be first observed."—Id., page 650.

4. Note the solemn import of the words, "I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom." The Saviour has not tasted the wine since that sad hour in the upper chamber. Neither will He, until at the marriage supper when He has His redeemed family all home. Then, seated at that table which is "miles in length," He will gird Himself and serve them, and drink with them the new wine of the kingdom. Jesus is looking forward to this time with joyful anticipation, and when He sees His ransomed ones all safe from the power of sin, then will He indeed "see of the travail of His soul, and shall be satisfied." Isa. 53:11.

5. "Nothing corrupted by fermentation, the symbol of sin and death, could represent the Lamb without blemish and without spot!"—Desire of Ages, page 653.