What did Jesus say the cup and bread were in Matthew's account?
In Matthew’s account, Jesus called the cup the cup of the New Testament, or something to that effect, and the bread His body, which is broken. He offered no explanation, and no criteria for practicing it until Paul later explains it for the local church.
Les teaches that in the upper room Jesus said, “Take this cup and this is my blood which will be shed for you,” and “this is my body which is broken.” Yet in the Matthew account, Jesus merely said, “This is the cup of the New Testament,” or something to that effect, and “This is my body which is broken,” with no explanation and no criteria for how to practice it. Les stresses that no criteria existed until Paul, who tells us what it is all about and how it is to be practiced in the local church. He also notes that the first instance was Abraham and Melchizedek, who brought bread and wine, already a picture of the Lord’s table. In Jesus’ earthly ministry, He said unless you eat His flesh and drink His blood you cannot partake with Him; many followers left because they could not comprehend it, but that is not what Jesus meant.