NOVEMBER 19TH, 1921

NOVEMBER 19TH, 1921

MY DEAR BROTHER, — ... Your letter was with reference to a statement “that the Supper sets forth the Lord’s death for His friends, and it is not His death sacrificially that is in view”. I should have been glad if you had added a few words that would have made clear what was in the speaker’s mind with regard to “His death sacrificially”.

I should suppose that it was intended to convey that the predominant suggestion in the Supper is the Lord’s death as the witness of His love. It is for the calling of Himself to mind. In instituting it the Lord had in view the making present to the affections of His own during His absence — all that He had been as amongst them in the service of love,

^[p. 114] all that He was as devoted to them even to death. He had told out all His heart, and He would have this to be cherished in the hearts of His own.

There is sometimes a tendency to dwell much on His death as the removal of what was offensive to God, or as a righteous ground of blessing and acceptance for man. But the Lord would have it to be treasured as the full disclosure of all the love of His heart — and His love is Himself — and of all the love of God. But I think the fact that all this was expressed in death gives it a sacrificial character, and that this character is peculiarly touching to the hearts of those who love Him.

The ram of burnt-offering for Aaron and his sons goes beyond the burnt-offering of Leviticus 1. The latter is for acceptance, but the former brings into view all that is in the will of God. Christ’s body has been given for the saints that that blessed will might take effect. Then the ram of consecration would speak of Christ as giving Himself so that the consecrated company might be brought under the influence of His devoted love, and nourished in their affections on all that He is. One would not care to exclude all this from any connection with the Supper.

With love in the Lord Jesus,

Yours affectionately in Him,

November 19th, 1921.