1. The action, eating, drinking.
leave the authors of it without excuse. The most lively representation of his death, the comfort and end of it would be lost, which is signified by his blood.
Καταγγέλλετε, shew. Some take it in the indicative mood, as our translators, ye shew. It notes to us that by this ceremony the death of Christ is represented. Some take it in the imperative mood, and then the words are to be read thus, 'Shew you the death of Christ;' intimating that it is an indispensable duty, that as often as we eat this bread, and drink of this cup, we should have our thoughts and hearts full of the sufferings of Christ, meditations of him, and thanksgivings for him. It is not only a bare declaration of Christ's death, but of the benefits of it.
Till he come. It is a perpetual ordinance in the church. 'Till he come;' till he shew himself in his perfect majesty, that we may enjoy perfect glory with him. Till he come to judgment, when he 'shall come in that manner as he was taken up into heaven,' Acts 1:11. When remembrance of his death shall be swallowed up in the vision of his person, and fruition of the highest fruits of his sufferings, when remembrance shall be removed by sense. In the meantime, it is a standing monument and memorial of the sufferings of our Saviour.
And by the way, we may observe, that the church shall continue to the end of the world, because these mysteries are to be kept up till
Christ put a period to this form of the creation. And the church only is the seat and subject of these institutions; they were appointed for the church, not for the world, i.e. the unbelieving world.
In the verse observe:
1. The action, eating, drinking.
2. The object, bread, this bread, this cup.
3. The end of the action, expressed by a command, shewing the Lord's death.