1 Corinthians 11:25

ὡσαύτως καὶ τὸ πατήριον : “In the same fashion also (He gave) the cup”. The two ritual actions correspond, and form one covenant. μετὰ τὸ δειπνῆσαι (as in Luke) “postquam cœnaverunt” (Cv [1756]), or better “cœnatum est” (Rom. Liturgy) is studiously added to “emphasise the distinction between the Lord's Supper and an ordinary evening meal; cf. 1 Corinthians 11:20 f. The eating of the bread originally formed part of the common meal (consider Matthew 26:26; Mark 14:22, ἐσθιόντων αὐτῶν), and may still have so continued, but the cup was certainly afterwards” (El [1757]) a solemn close to the κυριακὸν δεῖπνον. “This cup is (see note 24: ἐστὶν wanting in Luke) the new covenant, in my blood”; cf. notes on 1 Corinthians 10:16 f. for τὸ ποτ., and the relation of διαθήκη to κοινωνία. The cup, given by the Lord's hand and tasted by each disciple in turn, is a virtual covenant for all concerned; in His blood it becomes so (ἐν τ. αἴμ. is made by its position a further predicate, not a mere adjunct of διαθ.: cf. Romans 3:25), since that is the ground on which God grants and man accepts the covenant. For διαθήκη, see Cr [1758], s.v.; this term, in distinction from συνθήκη, indicates the initiative of God as Disposer in the great agreement. For P.'s interpretation of ἐν τ. αἴματι, see Romans 3:23 ff., Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13 ff., Colossians 1:20; also parls. in Ep. to Heb., Revelation 1:5; 1 John 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18 f. For “ new covenant,” see parls.: καινός, new in nature, contents, as securing complete forgiveness and spiritual renovation (Jer [1759] 31:31 ff., etc.).“This do … for the commemoration of Me”: see 1 Corinthians 11:24 b; τοῦτο includes, beside the act, the accompanying words, without which the ἀνάμνησις is imperfect. ὁσάκις ἐὰν (late Gr [1760] for ἄν) πίνητε : “so many times as (quotiescunque) you drink (it)” the cup of the context; not “so often as you drink ” (Hf [1761]), sc. at any table where Christians meet. Our Lord prescribed no set times; P. assumes that celebration will be frequent, for he directs that, however frequent, it must be guided by the Lord's instructions, so as to keep the remembrance of Him unimpaired.

[1756] Calvin's In Nov. Testamentum Commentarii.

[1757] C. J. Ellicott's St. Paul's First Epistle to the Corinthians.

[1758] Cremer's Biblico-Theological Lexicon of N.T. Greek (Eng. Trans.).

[1759] Jerome, Hieronymus.

[1760] Greek, or Grotius' Annotationes in N.T.

[1761] J. C. K. von Hofmann's Die heilige Schrift N.T. untersucht, ii. 2 (2te Auflage, 1874).