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NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: Mat_26:26-29
26While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." 27And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; 28for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. 29But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."
Mat_26:26 "While they were eating" The focus of the seder meal, to which this alludes, was the third cup of blessing after the meal itself. Jesus wanted to identify with the deliverance of the Exodus. He was the lamb of God, but He chose the bread and wine, not the Passover lamb, as the symbol for the new covenant.
Matthew often depicts Jesus as the second Moses, the new law-giver. Jesus brings the new exodus from sin.
▣ "bread" This referred to flat, unleavened bread cakes used in the Passover meal (cf. Exodus 12).
Mat_26:26-28 "this is My body. . .this is My blood" The first recorded Lord's supper is Paul's account in 1Co_11:17-34.
The Synoptic Gospels were written after some of the NT letters. The exact date is uncertain but they were not the first church writings (cf. William L. Blevins'book Birth of a New Testament, personal publication, Carson-Newman College).
Mat_26:28 "this is My blood of the covenant" This may be an allusion to Exo_24:8. Some ancient uncial Greek manuscripts add "new" before covenant: MSS A, C, D, and W. This would reflect Jer_31:31-34. However, many other good ancient manuscripts (MSS P37, à , B, and L) do not make this addition. It may have been assimilated from Luk_22:20. It is absent in Mar_14:24. The UBS4 gives the shorter reading a "B" rating (almost certain).
▣ "poured out for many" This is an allusion to Isa_53:11-12. See hyperlink at Mat_23:35. There has been much discussion about the relationship between "the many" of Isa_53:11-12 and "us all" of Isa_53:6. The parallelism of Rom_5:17-19 may answer this question. The "all men" of Mat_5:18 is the same as "the many" of Mat_5:19. Jesus died for all humans (cf. Joh_3:16); all are potentially saved in Him!
▣ "for forgiveness of sins" This is the thrust of the New Covenant (cf. Jer_31:31-34) and the significance of Jesus' name (" YHWH saves," cf. Mat_1:21).
Mat_26:29 "I will not drink. . .until. . .My Father's Kingdom" This was a reference to the Messianic end-time banquet (cf. Mat_8:11; Luk_13:28-30; note Mal_1:11). This was often connected to the Wedding Feast of Jesus and the Church (cf. Eph_5:23-29; Rev_19:7). See hyperlink at Mat_4:17.
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