Matthew 26:29

“But I say to you, I will not from now on drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingly rule.”

Here we have the fourth aspect of Jesus' words that is emphasised by Matthew in his summary of the Last Supper. First there was the betrayal, then the broken body, then the poured out blood, and now He guarantees through it the establishment of His Father's Kingly Rule. All these previous processes are seen as necessary in order that His Father's Kingly Rule might be established. So He now declares that this wine that He is drinking at the Passover will be the last wine that He will drink before the Kingly Rule of His Father is established and He is able to drink it new with them within that Kingly Rule.

But the question this raises is as to what exactly this means, for it is a heavily debated question. We must ask:

* Is He referring to their entering within His Father's Kingly Rule immediately after His resurrection as a result of His enthronement, so that, as those who are ‘sitting on twelve thrones' (representing the Greater David) and overseeing the new Israel, they establish His Father's Kingly Rule in Jerusalem (Acts 1-8) and then carry forward news of it outwards (Acts 9 onwards), successfully establishing His Kingly Rule over believers elsewhere on earth,

* Or is He referring to the final consummation when all their troubles will be over and they share His glory with Him?

If we see ‘I will not from now on drink of this fruit of the vine, until that day' as an indication of how quickly that day will come (like a general receiving news from his spies and turning to his officers and saying, ‘the enemy are so close that this will be my last drink until the battle is over'), we will see it as referring to His shortly to be revealed enthronement and subsequent sending out of His disciples to proclaim the Kingly Rule of His Father, the Kingly Rule of Heaven (Matthew 28:18) when He ‘goes before them into Galilee' (Matthew 26:32). That was probably how the disciples would originally see the words. Alternatively it could be seen as a vow of abstinence in view of the serious nature of what was coming, in which case it might be seen as referring to the final consummation of His Father's Kingly Rule. But this founders on Peter's words, taken at their face value in Acts 10:41. In our view therefore the first interpretation, that He will ‘eat and drink with them' after the resurrection in the newly confirmed Kingly Rule of His Father is the correct one.

Excursus. A Consideration in Depth of the Two Alternatives.

The first impression that would come over to the disciples concerning the commonplace idea of drinking wine would be that it indicated that the Kingly Rule of His Father was shortly to be established, for they would at this stage be expecting that Jesus would drink wine again shortly. Indeed Acts 10:41 suggests that He did. To alter the above illustration slightly it would have seemed to them (especially in the light of what had been said on the Mount of Olives in Chapter s 24-25), as being very similar to a general standing before his troops prior to the decisive battle and saying, ‘Fight hard, for before we have another drink together the battle will be won'. Thus there is good reason for thinking that they would see Him as indicating here the soon establishment of His Father's Kingly Rule (which was in line with their expectations, even if wrongly conceived) through some decisive activity of God.

(There is incidentally no reason why it should suggest that Jesus ceased drinking wine at a particular stage during the meal, for whatever else is meant by ‘from now on, henceforth', it does not necessarily mean ‘from this very moment' as is apparent from Matthew 26:64. It may simply mean ‘from now on once this meal is over' as in Matthew 26:64 it means ‘from now on once I have been crucified and God then acts'. Thus we cannot build up theories on that basis).

But why else should Jesus emphasise that He will not again drink wine? It cannot simply mean because where He is going there will be no wine for He gives the impression that He does anticipate once again drinking wine with them in the future. ‘I will not -- until --.' Thus some have suggested a High Priestly abstention on the basis of Leviticus 10:9, or a Nazirite abstention on the basis of Numbers 6:3. The problem with the former is that watered down wine was probably not meant there, the idea in Leviticus being rather on abstention from heady wine and other intoxicating liquors. The problem with both is that there is no indication as to why He should engage in such an abstention. It is true that the latter case could be supported on the basis of the phrase ‘the fruit of the vine'. For the Nazirite was forbidden to participate in anything connected with the vine. However, ‘fruit of the vine' is used in other Jewish literature simply to signify wine, which weakens that case. But even more against it is the fact that in Luke this abstention from wine is connected with abstention from the Passover (Luke 22:15), something which never indicates dedication, only, if applied strictly, uncleanness (or, of course, in this case absence from earth). What abstention from the Passover certainly does not indicate is dedication. For a Jew to abstain from observing the Passover was considered reprehensible, not holy.

Furthermore there is a strong case in Matthew for suggesting that a reference to the drinking of wine in this present context is to be seen as indicating participation in the cup that points to His death, in His case by His drinking the cup that His Father will give Him to drink, and in their case by their identification with Him in His death as they drink of the cup, for it immediately follows His reference to their drinking wine with precisely that idea in mind. And this is backed up in Luke's Gospel, for although Luke puts these words concerning abstention from wine (or similar words then to be repeated later) prior to the significant participation in the wine, they are there paralleled with the idea of abstention from eating the Passover, which would suggest that what is being abstained from is Passover wine, which once more brings us back to the significance of the wine in the Lord's Supper.

In Luke Jesus says that He will not again eat the Passover with them ‘until it is fulfilled in the Kingly Rule of God', and continues on to say that He will not drink wine until He drinks it ‘within the Kingly Rule of God' (Luke 22:16). What He may thus be seen as by the disciples as emphasising in both cases is that the crisis moment is at hand which will take place within a year (‘I will not again eat of the Passover'), nay even within a much shorter time (not again even drink of the fruit of the vine), which will bring about God's triumph and victory, after which the Kingly Rule of God will be established.

If ‘eating Passover' is to be taken even partially literally then this (‘until I drink it new with you') clearly indicates that Jesus anticipates sharing a Passover with His disciples on earth once more (‘I will not again -- until'), and that could well be seen as signifying His participation with them in the following years by His spiritual presence among them, as they look back on the fulfilment of Passover in His death. (It is difficult to see how else He could eat Passover amongst them. After His death a literal Passover would be redundant). That being so it would indicate the soon coming establishment of His Father's Kingly Rule. If, however, this is to be seen as referring to keeping some kind of heavenly Passover, as a kind of spiritual celebration thought of in terms of the previous physical earthly feast (seen, say, as a celebratory feast along with the Lamb Who was slain - Revelation 5:6), with the drinking of the fruit of the vine being a similar spiritual celebration, any length of time is possible, but it does raise the question as to why Jesus laid such an emphasis on a future abstaining from Passover at this stage when the symbolic meaning could not have been apparent. Abstinence from Passover might indicate ‘uncleanness', or might indicate ‘absence, but it never indicated dedication. Certainly the best interpretation of the idea would be to see it as indicating how quickly the time would pass prior to the coming of the Kingly Rule. So we must ask, was this only with the purpose of indicating urgency? Or was it in order to emphasise ‘the good time coming' when all will be finally over, when ‘we shall eat the bread of Passover and drink together'? But this last would be to radically change the meaning of both the bread and the wine in context, unless we see it as signifying continuing enjoyment of the benefits of His death, in which case why see it as put off until His coming? For they certainly will sit in His presence enjoying the benefits of His death very shortly when they continually celebrate the Lord's Table, paralleling what happened after the old covenant had been given (Exodus 24:9).

It is not enough to say, ‘Oh, this is speaking of the Messianic Banquet', as though that settled the matter as to its eschatological nature, for Jesus sees the Messianic Banquet in terms of their future evangelistic ministry. He decidedly gives the impression that the Messianic Banquet will be enjoyed by some on earth who are within the Kingly Rule of Heaven (Matthew 22:2; Luke 14:21).

Furthermore, if the phrase is taken in this way it would appear to be emphasising Jesus' absence. ‘You will not see Me again until --.' But that is patently untrue for ‘He will go before them into Galilee' and they will see Him again after His resurrection, and will partake of food with Him (and drink - Acts 10:41), and Matthew takes great pains to indicate that He will be very much ‘with them' (Matthew 18:20; Matthew 28:20) as they go out proclaiming the Kingly Rule of God. It is difficult to see Jesus as both emphasising His absence and His presence at the same time, and there is indeed a strong emphasis in Matthew on His continuing presence.

But there is also another difficulty with seeing it as referring to a fairly long absence during which they would not have meal fellowship with Him, and that is that if that is its meaning then there is no reference anywhere at the Last Supper to the future task that lies immediately before them, something which seems frankly incredible when Jesus certainly and emphatically brings the imminent coming of His Kingly Rule in power to the attention of the Chief Priests (Matthew 26:64 - ‘from now on') and in Acts 1:3 tells His disciples not to be taken up with the eschatological future but to concentrate on the establishing of His Kingly Rule throughout the world (see Acts 8:12; Acts 13:22; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:23; Acts 28:31).

And we might finally add to these arguments that it is doubtful if it would appear to disciples who would be thrilled with partaking of the bread and wine in future in the consciousness of His presence, that they were not actually ‘eating and drinking with Him'. They would see themselves as very much eating and drinking with Him.

However, we would fail in our duty as commentators if we did not draw attention to both main views taken of these words, both of which have strong support. The first is that Jesus was indicating, in line with some of the above suggestions, how soon, in spite of what was to follow, the Kingly Rule of His Father would begin to be established on earth, that is that the Kingly Rule of His Father would begin to come ‘on earth as it is in Heaven', commencing from Pentecost onwards. And the other is that it is simply thinking of the consummation with His eye firmly fixed on ‘the end'.

It is true, of course, that Jesus had already to some extent been establishing that Kingly Rule while He was on earth, for those Who followed Him were to be those who ‘did the will of His Father' (Matthew 7:21; Matthew 12:50), and the presence of God's Kingly Rule had been evidenced by the defeat of the forces of evil (Matthew 12:28) and the healing of all who sought Jesus (Matthew 11:5). It was, however, at that stage local. But now (on the first view) He is speaking of the momentous events that will cause it to flourish and expand in an unprecedented way  as a result of His coming enthronement  (Matthew 28:18; Acts 2:36). The Kingly Rule of Heaven will come with power ‘from now on' - Matthew 26:64; while ‘some standing here' are still alive - Mark 9:1. Power is very much an aspect of the forward movement of the people of God (Acts 1:8; Acts 4:33; Romans 1:4; Romans 1:16; 1 Corinthians 1:17; 1Co 1:24; 1 Corinthians 2:4; etc). For ‘the Kingly Rule of God is not in word but in power' (1 Corinthians 4:20). It will begin first by His breathing on them in the Upper Room and imparting to them the special unction for their own unique tasks (John 20:22), and would continue when God Himself descended to earth in wind and fire and took possession of His people so that the Holy Spirit spoke through them (Acts 2:1) and they proclaimed the wonderful works of God (Acts 2:11). This especially would be the fulfilment of God's promises through the prophets (Acts 2:16). And from these beginnings it would spread first to Jerusalem, then to Judaea and Samaria, and then to the uttermost parts of the earth (Acts 1:8; Acts 28:31).

Others, however, as we have seen, see this promise as simply indicating to His disciples the certainty that one day at some time in the immeasurable future they will be with Him within His Kingly Rule, as in John 14:1. Their view is that Jesus is looking ahead to the consummation and deliberately ignoring all that lies between.

(Many ‘ordinary Christians' in the modern day like this last idea, for they have a fixation with the idea of ‘being saved so that we will go to Heaven'. But we need to remember that we are not saved so that we will go to Heaven, but that that is simply a wonderful by-product of what Jesus has done. We are saved so that God might be glorified by our transformed lives, see for example Matthew 5:16; 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Ephesians 5:26; Colossians 1:22; 1 John 3:2), and so that we might do His will (Matthew 6:10; Matthew 7:21; Matthew 12:50) and so that God might in the end be all in all (1 Corinthians 15:28)).

The real problem with this second view is that it gives the impression that the first three Gospel writers suggest that at the Last Supper Jesus totally overlooks the near future for the disciples, and concentrates only on the final triumph, as though what lay between was simply something to be endured, not gloried in. It gives the impression that in their view, according to the first three Gospels, and especially Matthew, Jesus gave no encouragement to His disciples at this time concerning what the near future now held for them, something totally contrary to the impression that we find in the fourth Gospel. Can it really be conceivable that the writers would want or intend to give that impression?

But it may then be asked, why should we see Jesus as here referring to ‘the coming of His Father's Kingly Rule' as something that had in mind the events that were soon to follow after the resurrection, rather than as something awaiting the consummation?

* The first reason is because that is the natural significance of Jesus taking a commonplace, everyday event like the drinking of the fruit of the vine, and indicating abstinence from it for a while. The natural thing that would strike His disciples would be that He was indicating that what He was describing would happen shortly ‘before He drank again'. And this is especially so as He does later drink some kind of wine in Matthew 27:48 (and that only once His offering of Himself is complete - compare Matthew 27:48 with 34 and see Luke 23:43 which indicate His sense of the nearness of His Kingly Rule).

* The second reason is because this would fit in with the whole message that has been on His mind, the declaration that the Gospel was to go out to all the nations (Matthew 13:3; Matthew 24:14), a message which will be reiterated in Matthew 28:18. He would be saying, ‘this work will shortly be beginning'. And this is especially so as it is certainly the focus of His thinking at His trial, where the message that was clearly foremost in His mind is found in His words to the chief priests and elders, which were, ‘From now on you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power' (Matthew 26:64). It would seem strange if something so clearly on His mind there was not introduced into the selection of His words at the Last Supper recorded by the first three Gospels.

* The third reason is because these words, if they were intended to indicate a long absence, would seem even more strange coming from Someone Who will shortly send them out into the world, while at the same time emphasising that in going out they will be  accompanied by His own presence. His purpose in sending them out is in order to disciple all nations, precisely because He has received His Kingly Rule from His Father (Matthew 28:18). The impression given there is that rather than being aware of His absence, they are to be very much aware of His presence as they go to proclaim His Kingly Rule (see also Matthew 18:20, and note Matthew 26:32 where after He is risen He will precede them to Galilee. No thought of absence there). And the fact is that there is no other place in the Gospels (outside the parables which are emphasising a particular point) where Jesus gives the impression that they must expect to be without Him. This is even true when He speaks of sending them another Helper (John 14:16), for He immediately promises that He also will come to them (John 14:18). Indeed they will be aware of being in Him (John 14:20. It is true that some parables do refer to His absence, but not in the sense described here as though it was some required necessity. There the purpose is simply in order to indicate the possibility of service. Furthermore, when Paul persecutes the people of God Christ is seen as so near to them that he is persecuting Christ Himself (Acts 9:4). None of this sees Him as being emphasised as absent.

* The fourth reason is because Jesus' emphasis in Acts 1 is on the fact that His disciples are to consider their present responsibility, the establishing of His Kingly Rule (something regularly mentioned in Acts; see Acts 8:12; Acts 13:22; Acts 19:8; Acts 20:25; Acts 28:23; Acts 28:31 and see Romans 14:17; 1 Corinthians 4:20), and are therefore not to start thinking of what is to happen in the eschatological future. It is not theirs to look so far ahead. Rather they are to get on with the task in hand of taking His Kingly Rule to the world (Acts 1:3; Acts 1:6; Acts 1:8).

* The fifth reason is because in the light of their joyful awareness of His continual presence with them, and especially during the Lord's Supper and (for Jewish Christians) during Passover, it is difficult to see how they could avoid seeing themselves as eating and drinking with Him, especially as they have already ‘eaten' with Him on earth after His resurrection (Luke 24:30; Luke 24:41; John 21:13; and compare Acts 10:41). Indeed, we consider that this is precisely what Jesus means when in vivid language He says, ‘I appoint to you a Kingly Rule, even as My Father appointed to Me, that you may eat and drink at My table in My Kingly Rule, and you will sit on thrones overseeing (judging) the twelve tribes of Israel' (Luke 22:29). See Matthew 19:28 and our commentary on Luke 22. His Kingly Rule was appointed at His resurrection (Matthew 28:18).

* The sixth reason is that treating it simply as referring to a far future Messianic Banquet gives a totally different significance to the drinking of wine than that found at the Lord's Supper, a significance which is inconsistent with the context.

* The seventh reason is because, in the verses that follow, Matthew may again be seen as following the pattern he has established based on the Passover basics (betrayal, cross, coming Kingly Rule) when he tells us that Jesus subsequently said, ‘all of you will be offended in Me this night (betrayal) --- it is written I will smite the Shepherd and the sheep will be scattered (cross) -- after I am raised up I will go before you into Galilee (coming Kingly Rule)' (Matthew 26:31). In other words it would seem that in Matthew's view Jesus is summing up in these words what He has said during the Passover feast, including reference to the soon coming of His Father's Kingly rule, for Galilee is the very place where, in Matthew, they will learn that Jesus is enthroned and His Father's Kingly Rule is established (Matthew 28:16). His Kingly Rule will have come.

* But there is an eighth, and we consider a final clinching reason. And that is because of the way in which Luke paraphrases these words (assuming the words he cites to be parallel with those in Matthew. It is, however, possible that Jesus said them once (Luke 22:18) and then repeated them in a slightly different way (Matthew 26:29)). Luke cites these words as, ‘for I say to you, I will not drink henceforth of the fruit of the vine until the Kingly Rule of God shall come (elthe)'. (Luke possibly makes the slight change in order to make all clear to his Gentile readers in the light of the fact that they were not used to apocalyptic ideas). But what does Luke mean by ‘the Kingly Rule of God coming?' Fortunately he makes that quite clear elsewhere, for there are five other verses in which he speaks of the idea of the Kingly Rule of God as ‘coming' or ‘drawing near' or ‘approaching', and they all indicate the Kingly Rule of God present among them. These are:

* ‘And heal the sick who are in it, and say to them, The Kingly Rule of God is come near (eggiken) to you' (Luke 10:9).

* ‘Even the dust of your city, which adheres to our feet, we wipe off against you. Notwithstanding be you sure of this, that the Kingly Rule of God is come near (eggiken)' (Luke 10:11).

* ‘Your kingly rule come (elthatow) ' (Luke 11:2).

* ‘But if I by the finger of God cast out demons, no doubt the Kingly Rule of God is come upon (ephthasen) you' (Luke 11:20).

* ‘And being asked by the Pharisees, when the Kingly Rule of God comes (erchetai), He answered them and said, “The Kingly Rule of God does not come with observation, neither will they say, Lo here, or Lo there, for the Kingly Rule of God is within (or ‘among') you” (Luke 17:20).

It will be noted that in every case of the expression of the idea of ‘the coming of the Kingly Rule of God' (whichever verb is used) it was seen as present among them or as ‘near' so that they could come in contact with it for themselves. Furthermore it did not come in openly outward form, but was within or among them in a way evidenced by His power. It is quite clear therefore that in all these cases the idea of the coming of the Kingly Rule of God (or the drawing near of the Kingly Rule of God) is of the presence of the Kingly Rule of God among them, and not (except as a continuation of the process) of the coming of the everlasting Kingly Rule. The only exception in Luke might be, ‘Your Kingly Rule come'. But there the phrase is equivalent to Matthew 6:10 where ‘your Kingly Rule come' parallels ‘your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven', thus indicating that what is in mind is the present situation. The coming of the Kingly Rule there is the same as the establishing of the Father's will on earth, looked at from a different point of view, and of the hallowing of His name among the nations by His divine activity. The Kingly Rule of God is coming to earth.

On the other hand, in the case where the Kingly Rule of God is spoken of as in the future it is  never  spoken of as ‘coming'. In that case it is  men who come to the Kingly Rule of God, and not the Kingly Rule of God that comes to them. “And they will come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and will sit down in the Kingly Rule of God” (Luke 13:29, compare Matthew 8:11).

Similar usage to Luke can also be found in both Matthew and Mark although the only two directly relevant verses (apart from Matthew 6:10 mentioned above) are:

o “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the Kingly Rule of God is come upon (ephthasen) you” (Matthew 12:28).

o ‘And He said to them, “Truly I say to you, That there are some of those who stand here, who will not taste of death, until they have seen the Kingly Rule of God come (eleluthuian) with power” (Mark 9:1).

In the first case the Kingly Rule of God has already ‘come upon' them (ephthasen). In the second the Kingly Rule of God will come (eleluthuian) with power within the lifetime of some of those present. In both cases the words have in mind participation now, or definitely in the very near future, in the Kingly Rule of God, and in both cases that Kingly Rule is revealed in terms of power.

Thus our conclusion must be that when Luke speaks of the ‘coming of the Kingly Rule of God' in one form or another he has in mind its present manifestation. Indeed in the light of his previous words his readers could hardly have seen it in any other way. This being so it would suggest that it is the present Kingly Rule of God among them which is in Jesus' mind when He speaks of ‘not drinking of the fruit of the vine until the Kingly Rule of God comes' or of ‘not drinking of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's Kingly Rule'.

All these facts suggest that having announced the rejection of the Scribes and Pharisees in chapter 23, and having announced God's coming judgment on the priesthood and the Temple, together with its destruction, in chapter 24, and having prepared for the last Judgment in chapter 25, Jesus is now concerned to emphasise the soon-coming establishment of His Kingly Rule in the world as a result of His death and resurrection, an event which is almost upon them.

End of Excursus.

‘Drink of the fruit of the vine.' That is, joyously and triumphantly in participation with Him in His death. As Matthew will make clear Jesus will in fact drink of some kind of wine on the cross once His agony is mainly over and the battle has been won (Matthew 27:48), but the next celebratory drink will be with His Apostles within the new Kingly Rule as they gather at His table to eat and drink with Him (as in Acts 2:42, which would include wine; 1 Corinthians 10:16 where there is the communion of the body with His body, and a communion with His blood in the drinking of wine; Acts 10:41). In these words therefore He proclaims the certainty of His victory, the fruits of which will be enjoyed shortly. They have nothing to fear. The next stage is already certain. Indeed, as we have seen, if Acts 1:3 tells us anything it is that His Apostles are not to be looking to the eschatological future, but to the conquest of the nations in His Name, (although always in readiness for His coming). That being so, that perspective is surely what He points them to here.