Matthew 26:26-28
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Jesus isn't just pointing to the bread and saying it is his body, but rather that this bread, in the context of their Passover meal, represents his body, which is about to be broken. This language aligns with how the Old Testament itself used "is" to show representation, as seen with the Passover lamb being called "the Passover."
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Jesus is sharing his final Passover meal with his disciples, knowing his betrayal and crucifixion are imminent. As they are eating, he takes the bread, blesses it, and breaks it, instituting a new ordinance. This act signifies his body, which is about to be given for them, and it's meant to be a lasting memorial of his sacrifice.
Jesus holds up a piece of bread and says, 'This is my body.' What did He mean by that? Was He literally his own body, or something else?
Jesus' words here are profound, but not meant to be taken as a literal, physical transformation of bread into His body. Instead, He's using a common way of speaking in Jewish tradition where a symbol is the thing it represents.
A Symbol of the Covenant
The commentators highlight that in Jewish idiom, saying 'this is...' often means 'this represents...' or 'this signifies...'. Think about how the Passover lamb was called 'the Passover' itself—it represented the angel of death passing over.
Echoes of the Passover
Jesus was celebrating the Passover meal, a feast rich with symbolism. By taking the bread, breaking it, and giving it to His disciples, He was giving them a new symbol. This bread, like the unleavened bread of Passover, was meant to be pure and without 'leaven' – representing the purity and sinlessness required for God's people.
'My Body Broken for You'
When Jesus said 'this is my body,' He was pointing to the bread as a symbol of His own body, which would soon be 'broken'—crucified—for them. It was a powerful reminder of His sacrifice, not a magical change of substance.
Jesus 'blessed' the bread before breaking it. What was the significance of this action, and why is the 'breaking' so crucial?
The simple actions of blessing and breaking the bread are packed with meaning. They weren't just casual gestures; they were integral to the institution of the Lord's Supper.
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Giving Thanks to God
The word used for 'blessed' often means 'gave thanks.' Jesus, in line with Jewish custom, was first acknowledging God as the Giver of all good things, including the bread itself and the spiritual sustenance His sacrifice would provide. This act of thanksgiving sets the tone for the entire meal.
A Visible Sacrifice
The 'breaking' of the bread is key. It’s not just about dividing it up. This act visually represented the suffering and death Jesus was about to endure. His body would be wounded, pierced, and broken on the cross to atone for sin.
A Divine Command, A Human Response
Jesus didn't just perform these actions; He commanded His disciples to 'Take, eat' and later, 'Do this in remembrance of Me.' This shows that the Lord's Supper is both a divine institution and a participatory act. We receive the symbol (bread) and remember the reality (Christ's sacrifice) through obedience.
Understand the original words
sōma · Greek Noun
The physical or spiritual substance of a person; in a sacrificial context, it signifies the personal presence and offering of one's self.
diathēkē · Greek Noun
A solemn agreement or relationship between God and humanity, often ratified by a sacrifice, defining the terms of God's interaction with His people.
haima · Greek Noun
The life force of a living being; in a sacrificial and covenantal context, it signifies the offering of life to atone for sin.
aphesis · Greek Noun
The act of releasing a debt, transgression, or offense, restoring a relationship between the offender and the offended.
hamartia · Greek Noun
The state of moral failure or falling short of God's perfect standard, necessitating atonement and reconciliation.
c. AD 30— this verse
The Last Supper
Jesus and his disciples gathered for their final Passover meal, during which Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper, using bread and wine to symbolize his body and blood.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Arrest and Crucifixion
Following the Last Supper, Jesus was betrayed, arrested, and crucified, fulfilling the prophetic symbolism of the bread broken and wine shed for the sins of humanity.
c. AD 33
The Day of Pentecost
The Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, empowering them to spread the message of Jesus' sacrifice and the new covenant established through his death and resurrection.
c. AD 55
Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians
The Apostle Paul addressed issues within the Corinthian church regarding their celebration of the Lord's Supper, reaffirming its institution and proper observance based on Jesus' words and actions.
This passage speaks of the cup of blessing being a sharing in the blood of Christ and the bread broken being a sharing in his body, directly paralleling Jesus' words in Matthew 26:26 about the bread representing his body.
Luke 22:19Luke's account adds the crucial phrase 'which is given for you,' emphasizing the sacrificial nature of Christ's body, which is directly implied in Jesus' action of breaking the bread in Matthew 26:26.
Genesis 40:12This Old Testament example shows the symbolic language of 'is' representing something else, similar to how Jesus uses 'this is my body' to signify the bread represents his body, not literally IS his body.
Exodus 12:11This verse describes the Passover lamb as 'the Lord's Passover,' establishing a precedent for using 'is' to signify representation, which Jesus draws upon in Matthew 26:26 when identifying the bread with his body.
John 6:53-56Jesus' earlier discourse about eating his flesh and drinking his blood, which caused many disciples to leave, sets the context for understanding the Lord's Supper as a spiritual participation in his atoning sacrifice, not literal consumption of his physical body as stated in Matthew 26:26.
henryMatthew 26:26-30: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body."
26:26-30 This ordinance of the Lord's supper is to us the passover supper, by which we commemorate a much greater deliverance than that of Israel out of Egypt. Take, eat; accept of Christ as he is offered to you; receive the atonement, approve of it, submit to his grace and his government. Meat looked upon, be the dish ever so well garn…
clarkeMatthew 26:26: "And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body."
Jesus took bread - This is the first institution of what is termed the Lord's Supper. To every part of this ceremony, as here mentioned, the utmost attention should be paid. To do this, in the most effectual manner, I think it necessary to set down the text of the three evangelists who have transmitted the whole account, collated with that…
Jesus isn't just pointing to the bread and saying it is his body, but rather that this bread, in the context of their Passover meal, represents his body, which is about to be broken. This language aligns with how the Old Testament itself used "is" to show representation, as seen with the Passover lamb being called "the Passover."
Jesus is sharing his final Passover meal with his disciples, knowing his betrayal and crucifixion are imminent. As they are eating, he takes the bread, blesses it, and breaks it, instituting a new ordinance. This act signifies his body, which is about to be given for them, and it's meant to be a lasting memorial of his sacrifice.
Jesus is sharing his final Passover meal with his disciples, knowing his betrayal and crucifixion are imminent. As they are eating, he takes the bread, blesses it, and breaks it, instituting a new ordinance. This act signifies his body, which is about to be given for them, and it's meant to be a lasting memorial of his sacrifice.
"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all o…" — Jesus isn't just pointing to the bread and saying it is his body, but rather that this bread, in the context of their Passover meal, represents his body, which is about to be broken. This langu…
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Last reviewed October 2026
