Systematic Theology, by Louis Berkhof - New Leaven

V. The Lord’s Supper
A. ANALOGIES OF THE LORD’S SUPPER AMONG ISRAEL.
Just as there were analogies to Christian baptism among Israel, there were also
analogies of the Lord’s Supper. Not only among the Gentiles, but also among Israel, the
sacrifices that were brought were often accompanied with sacrificial meals. This was
particularly a characteristic feature of the peace-offerings. Of these sacrifices only the fat
adhering to the inwards was consumed on the altar; the wave-breast was given to the
priesthood, and the heave-shoulder to the officiating priest, Lev. 7:28-34, while the rest
constituted a sacrificial meal for the offerer and his friends, provided they were
levitically clean, Lev. 7:19-21; Deut. 12:7,12. These meals taught in a symbolic way that
“being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” They
were expressive of the fact that, on the basis of the offered and accepted sacrifice, God
receives His people as guests in His house and unites with them in joyful communion,
the communal life of the covenant. Israel was forbidden to take part in the sacrificial
meals of the Gentiles exactly because it would express their allegiance to other gods, Ex.
34:15; Num. 25:3,5; Ps. 106:28. The sacrificial meals, which testified to the union of
Jehovah with His people, were seasons of joy and gladness, and as such were
sometimes abused and gave occasion for revelry and drunkenness, I Sam. 1:13; Prov.
7:14; Isa. 28:8. The sacrifice of the Passover was also accompanied with such a sacrificial
meal. Over against the Roman Catholics, Protestants sometimes sought to defend the
position that this meal constituted the whole of the Passover, but this is an untenable
position. The Passover was first of all a sacrifice of atonement, Ex. 12:27; 34:25. Not only
is it called a sacrifice, but in the Mosaic period it was also connected with the sanctuary,
Deut. 16:2. The lamb was slain by the Levites, and the blood was manipulated by the
priests, II Chron. 30:16; 35:11; Ezra 6:19. But though it is first of all a sacrifice, that is not
all; it is also a meal, in which the roasted lamb is eaten with unleavened bread and bitter
herbs, Ex. 12:8-10. The sacrifice passed right into a meal, which in later times became far
more elaborate than it originally was. The New Testament ascribes to the Passover a
typical significance, I Cor. 5:7, and thus saw in it not only a reminder of the deliverance
from Egypt, but also a sign and seal of the deliverance from the bondage of sin and of
communion with God in the promised Messiah. It was in connection with the paschal
meal that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. By using the elements present in the
former He effected a very natural transition to the latter. Of late some critics sought to
cast doubt on the institution of the Lord’s Supper by Jesus, but there is no good reason
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