It is one cup, though it be the juice of many grapes, even as it is one loaf, though it be from many grains. The grains cannot maintain their individuality and their own life, if they would become bread for others; the grapes cannot maintain themselves as grapes, if they would constitute the life-giving spirit; and thus we see the beauty of the Apostle's statement that the Lord's people are participants in the one loaf and cup. There is no other way that we can attain the new nature than by accepting the Lord's invitation to drink of His cup, and be broken with Him as members of the one loaf, and to be buried with Him in baptism into His death, and thus to attain with Him resurrection glory, honor and immortality.
While the primary thought symbolized in the Memorial Supper is that of justification, its secondary thought is consecration. From this standpoint the cup symbolizes the sufferings incident to the sacrificial dying process, poured out by the Father for us to endure, and the bread represents the humanity of the Church given over unto death sacrificially. Thus in the Memorial the death of the Church as well as that of Jesus is pictured forth.
Ex. 12:3-14, 18, 21-28; Matt. 26:26-28; Mark 14:22-25; 10:35-39; Luke 12:50; John 18:11; 1 Cor. 11:23-34; Luke 22:19, 20; Rom. 6:1-11; 8:10, 17; 12:1; 1 Cor. 15:29-34; 2 Cor. 1:5; 4:8; Gal. 2:20; Phil. 3:10; Col. 1:24; 2 Tim. 2:10-12; 1 Pet. 2:19-24; 3:17, 18; 4:13-19; Col. 1:27; 1 Cor. 12:12, 13; Heb. 3:1; 7:26, 27; 1 Pet. 2:5, 9; Heb. 10:4-10; 13:10-14; 9:13-23.
