[Uniqueness of Christ] Jesus’ Unique RequestНамуна

The Body of Christ: His Physical Body

There are many things for which Jesus is unique. One of them is the unique request He made of His followers. To grasp it, we need to understand what the body of Christ means physically.

He made this unique request during the Last Supper more than two thousand years ago. He said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” It was a very specific request for a very specific time.

In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we find a description of what would happen to Jesus’ body long before it did. Jesus’ appearance would be marred more than that of any man—He would be pierced, crushed, afflicted, scourged, and, finally, killed.

During His journey to the cross, the Bible mentions that this prophecy was fulfilled. Isaiah prophesied that no one would want to look at Him.

But what was the purpose of all this physical suffering?

In the same passage of the book of Isaiah, we find that God would see the result of Jesus’ affliction and that many would be justified through it. Through that suffering, you and I can be justified before God. When God looks at us, He sees His beloved Child—He does not see you and me. Our standing before God through Jesus is as if we had never sinned. Through Jesus, we were made perfect before God.

All our sins were laid on Jesus’ shoulders. In fact, He was treated as a sinner so that we now can have direct access to the Father. The moment Jesus died, the barrier that prevented us from approaching God was destroyed.

At the Last Supper, Jesus asked us to remember Him by eating His body (the bread) and drinking His blood (the wine). He wanted us to remember Him as our Savior, the One who gave us His power, a place in heaven, the privilege of kingship, His compassion, and His forgiveness.

Jesus gave and gave and gave until there was no more to give except Himself.