The Invitation and the Response

  “Drink ye all of it” (Matthew 26:27).
  “They all drank of it” (Mark 12:22).

Many have been the attempts to harmonize the four gospels but it is well to see that each evangelist writes from a particular standpoint, and not with the idea of harmonizing with the other writers, nor even of supplementing what they wrote.

At the same time there is no contradiction in any of their records, and each is intended to fill out our knowledge of the life and death and resurrection of the Lord.

The texts which we quote at the head of this article afford a case of point.

The Lord is instituting the supper, the memorial feast of His death, that is intended to gather His own together as nothing else will.

In Matthew’s Gospel He is recorded as saying to His disciples, “Drink ye all of it.” Imagine the scene. A world of sin and darkness outside. The power of Satan concentrated on the destruction of the Lord. Man’s greatest crime is about to be perpetrated. He is everything to His own, and dimly do they realise what that death, the fulfilment of this passover type, and which was to be remembered in the supper, would effect for them.

But the invitation goes forth from His sacred lips, “Drink ye all of it.” Can you imagine our failing to respond to such an invitation, based on such love, love that expressed itself, even in death?

Is it any wonder that in Mark’s Gospel we read, “They all drank of it”? The response was full and complete.

But is the Lord’s invitation confined to that one occasion and to those few who heard it then? Surely not! Is it not as insistent an invitation today and should not the response be as complete now as then?

May I ask the reader, Has the invitation had a response with you?

When King George issues an invitation it is a common saying that it is equal to a command; everything that would hinder the acceptance of it is to be put aside, if possible, and the invitation responded to.

Shall our Lord’s invitation be less honoured? Surely not! May I ask the reader once more, Has the invitation had a response with you?”