Matthew 26:26

As they were eating. [The Lord’s Supper, Matt. 26:26-29=Mark 14:22-25=Luke 22:17-20. Major comment: Matthew. See Betrayal, Trial and Crucifixion of Jesus; the Crucifixion In Relation To Passover, Passion Week, Resurrection to Ascension.] That is, the Passover supper.

Jesus took bread. Evidently, some of the unleavened Passover bread.

Blessed it. Some have suggested that Jesus may have spoken the Jewish blessing, “Blessed art thou, O Lord our God, king of the world, who dost bring forth bread from the earth.”

Take, eat. As the body finds nourishment in literal bread, so the soul is to find spiritual nourishment in the truths Christ uttered.

This is my body. Some have interpreted literally this figurative statement of Jesus, forgetful, apparently, that He often spoke figuratively regarding Himself. For example: Jesus said, “I am the door” (John 10:7), and the “way” (John 14:6). But all agree He was not thereby transforming Himself into a door or a highway. That Jesus spoke figuratively regarding the “bread” becomes transparently evident from Luke 22:20 (cf. 1 Cor. 11:25), “This cup is the new testament in my blood.” If the bread actually became His very body, by the same process the “cup” must literally have become the “new testament.” The verb “is” in the phrase “this is my body” is used in the sense of “represents,” as it is in Mark 4:15-18; Luke 12:1; Gal. 4:24.