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The Conservative Reformation and Its Theology - Saint Mary ...

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xxii. 17, the word "cup" is used in the third of these senses--He took the<br />

cup containing, <strong>and</strong> through it the contents. In the words: "Divide it among<br />

yourselves," the cup is conceived of in the second sense--divide the<br />

contained cup, by passing from one to the other the containing cup, with<br />

its contents. In the words of the institution: "This cup is the New<br />

Testament," the contained cup, in the second sense, is understood--the<br />

contained as mediated through the containing--that which this cup<br />

contains is the New Testament in my blood. In such a use of the word<br />

"cup" there is no metaphor, no rhetorical figure whatever. It is a<br />

grammatical form of speech; <strong>and</strong> if it is called a "figure," the word "figure"<br />

is used in a sense different from that which it has when it is denied that<br />

there is a "figure" in the first words of the Supper. We deny that there is a<br />

rhetorical figure in any part of the words of the Institution.<br />

While in the history of the second part of the Supper, Matthew <strong>and</strong><br />

Mark upon the one side, <strong>and</strong> Luke <strong>and</strong> St. Paul upon the other, are<br />

perfectly coincident in meaning, that is a radically false exegesis which<br />

attempts to force the language of either so as to produce a specific<br />

parallelism of phraseology. According to Matthew <strong>and</strong> Mark, Jesus took<br />

the cup, <strong>and</strong>, having given thanks, gave it to His disciples, saying, “Drink<br />

ye all of it; for this is that blood of mine, the (blood) of the New Covenant,<br />

the (blood) shed for many for the remission of sins." <strong>The</strong>se words<br />

grammatically mean: "Literally drink, all of you, of it. For it; this which I<br />

tell you all to drink, is that blood of wine, the blood of the New Covenant;<br />

the blood shed for many for the remission of sins." So far as Matthew <strong>and</strong><br />

Mark are concerned, the exegetical parallel in the Lutheran interpretation<br />

of both parts is perfect. <strong>The</strong>ir meaning is clear <strong>and</strong> unmistakable. Luke<br />

<strong>and</strong> Paul state the same thought in its Hebraizing form, which is less<br />

conformed than the Greek to our English idiom. "In the same manner also,<br />

(taking, giving thanks, blessing,) He gave them the cup after they had<br />

supped, saying: This the cup (is) the New Covenant in my blood, which<br />

(cup) is poured out for you."<br />

<strong>The</strong> grammatical differences between the two accounts are

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