Because broken is the past tense of a break, hopefully, I will be able to explain how JESUS was broken and the benefit HIS brokenness gave to us. All things broken are done so violently by piercing, striking or tearing. The flesh is broken when it has been broken open and separated by an object.
JESUS side was pierced because to the soldiers HE appeared to already be dead, however, to make sure that HE was dead and did not just pass out the soldiers pierced HIS side and witnessed blood and water leave the area of HIS body which had been broken by the spear of the soldier. Did or do you miss the point that the Jews did not want the bodies to remain on their crosses? I know that I did for decades but it was not only the precious body of JESUS that they wanted down it was anyone who had been crucified. So, what made that Sabbath-seventh day more important than the others? It’s because the Passover fell on the Sabbath-seventh day. In the Jewish calendar according to the book of Exodus the Passover was first instituted in this manner.
- The month of beginnings/first month of the year; March-April.
- The preparation began on the tenth day of the month which was to get an unblemished lamb and keep it until the fourteenth day of the first month.
- At the end of the day which is sunset [Now considered the fifteenth day of the month] the lamb was to be killed. Then the blood of the lamb was to be smeared on the door post/door frame as well as the headpiece of the door frame.
- On that same night, they were to consume the flesh of the lamb which had to be cooked in an open fire as cooking meat on a spit when cooking outdoors. The flesh had to be consumed with unleavened bread/bread without yeast and bitter herbs.
- The entire lamb had to be consumed and nothing of it left over.
- The head of each family/tribe was to wear a belt around their waist, sandals on their feet and their staff in their hand. They had to eat quickly and this was the first Passover.
- The LORD HIMSELF came through Egypt during the night and killed all the firstborn be they human or animal; HE executed judgment on all the false gods/idols/icons. But when HE saw the blood on the frames of the doors HE Passed Over that house.
- For seven days the memorial of Passover is to be observed.
So, during the time JESUS had been crucified this ritual which we find in the twelfth chapter in the book of Exodus was still being observed. Now, back to the topic; JESUS did not have any of HIS bones broken as any of those who were crucified. But HIS flesh indeed was broken by the beatings HE endured and the spear which had been used to pierce HIS side. JESUS is our true Passover lamb and just as required during the time of Moses that the bones of the lamb were not to be broken neither were the bones of JESUS.
Why is the Communion so very important to us? Because we are to bring to remembrance what JESUS did for each and every one of us. We are to take Communion not only on the first Sunday of every month but it should be a daily habit of ours.
- Give thanks to the LORD.
- Break the bread which you plan to eat in the remembrance. The bread is broken because the body of JESUS, HIS flesh was broken for all of us and it is in HIS broken body that we obtain deliverance and healing.
- Take a preferably non-carbonated beverage and drink it recognizing that the blood of JESUS provided us with a new and everlasting covenant with HIM through HIM. As often as we drink we are acknowledging that it is HIS blood alone that washes us completely clean from sin.
Communion is often done with white crackers, wafers or white bread. I’m not against any of these, however, what if you don’t have that but what you do have which is considered in the bread family and you want to take communion? Do we have to wait until we get what is ceremonial correct? No, don’t make the remembrance of JESUS broken body legalistic. And what if you don’t have any grape or cranberry juice or unfermented wine. Are we to not drink what we have on hand in remembrance of the blood that was shed for us all to cleanse us from sin? No-take water if we need to and thank the LORD for the shed blood of JESUS that was spilled on your behalf. It is in the honoring that we take communion by recalling to mind just what it took to snatch us from the hands of satan and the eternal death of hell. To deliver and make us whole in CHRIST JESUS.
CHRIST JESUS HIMSELF is the one who broke down totally destroying and abolished the hostility of the law which kept and keeps us divided by a wall. In CHRIST JESUS we have eternal peace something we never had before through the work we thought we had to perform to obtain favor in the LORD GOD. This is why the law was given to show us that we can’t perform perfectly to obtain favor from GOD. But in CHRIST JESUS we have been reconciled through the complete works that HE has done, in the breaking of HIS flesh through the crown of thorns which were pushed onto HIS head, the beatings HE endured, the snatching out of HIS beard on HIS face, through the piercing of HIS side and through the spilling of HIS blood.
So when we think that we have been broken by the pressures of life, remember how JESUS was broken in HIS body for you and put to shame for you and that each and every drop of HIS precious blood which flowed from HIS body was spilled for you.
John 19:31, 36; Exod. 12:46; Num. 9:12; Ps. 34:20; 1 Corinthians 11:24-26; Ephesians 2:14-16
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