For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you; that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which he was betrayed took bread, (24) and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.”  (25) In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”  (26) For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes. 

The first letter to the Corinthians was written by the apostle Paul.  Historically with covenants between men and between men and God there was blood to ratify the covenant; the substitute sacrifice of animals was allowed and partaking of a blood sacrifice  indicated the vow to keep the covenant. A feast was common to be added to sacrificial rites for both Jew and Gentiles. However in Corinth when celebrating the memory of Christ’s redemptive act, the Christians there converted the sacred assembly to other purposes and the feasts added were not shared equally and some were drunken and some were left hungry.  So Paul is now exposing the abuse and showing the proper method for the Lord’s supper.  The Lord’s supper was a “pure rule” with no deviation from the direction of Christ.

Paul begins by saying that his authority and source is from the Lord and there is nothing higher  – there is no human law here.  We are told that Jesus acted on the night He was betrayed; Jesus waited until this time so the apostles would see in reality in His body what He represented to them in the bread and the cup.  Jesus began by giving thanks –  for every gift we receive is from God – He is also giving thanks to the Father for His mercy to humans and the immanent redemptive act.  We should do likewise.  With the words  “Take; eat” Jesus tells us there is equal participation.  (We are all equal in the eyes of God.)  Christ Jesus held out a symbol while He at the same time gave His own body – this was not an empty representation and was reality joined with symbol.  No one can receive the Lords supper advantageously who does not embrace Christ crucified.

With the words “do this in remembrance of Me” the Lord’s supper is declared a memorial. Paul tells us that we have in the solemn rites of the supper both a covenant and a confirming pledge of the covenant  and communion teaches us that we are partakers, in Christ, of redemption