Example for Us

1 Corinthians 10

I would have you know, my Brothers, that our fathers were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were immersed by Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual rock that attended them, and that Rock was the Mashiyach. Nevertheless, with most of them Elohim was not pleased, for they fell in the wilderness.

Now these things were an example for us, that we might not desire evil things as they did. Neither should we serve idols as some of them did; as it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play.”  We must not indulge in sexual immorality as some of them did, and twenty-three thousand fell in a single day. Neither let us tempt the Mashiyach, as some of them tempted and were destroyed by serpents. Neither should you complain, as some of them did and they perished by the Destroyer. 

All these things happened to them as an example, but they were written down for our instruction, on whom the end of the ages has come. Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall. No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. Elohim is faithful, and he will not let you be tried beyond your ability, but will make an issue of your trial, that you may be able to sustain it.

Wherefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry. I speak as to the wise; judge for yourselves what I say. The cup of thanksgiving that we bless, is it not fellowship of the blood of Yahshua? The bread that we break, is it not fellowship of the body of Yahshua? Because there is one bread, so we are all one body, for we all partake of the one bread. Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? No, I imply that what the Gentiles sacrifice they offer to demons and not to Yahweh Elohim. I do not want you to be associates of demons. You cannot drink the cup of Yahweh and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. Shall we provoke Yah to jealousy? Are we stronger than He?

Everything is in my power; but everything is not profitable. Everything is in my power, but everything does not build up. Let no one seek his own things but also the things of his fellow man.

Eat (according to Instructions about clean foods found in Leviticus) what is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. For “the earth is Yahweh's, and the fullness thereof.” If one of the pagans invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if they tell you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of Elohim. Give no offense to Jew or Gentile nor to the assembly of Elohim; even as I also, in everything, please everyone, I do not seek my own advantage, but what is profitable to many, that they may live.

Three Days and Three Nights

When was the resurrection of Y'shua? 

Since the timing of Y'shua's death coincides with the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which began with a 'passover' offering, this study includes the time-line in regards to what the Creator said about His fixed times, and what is recorded in the Renewed Covenant. 

There is also the general mind-set that he is 'our Passover Lamb' and the 'First Fruits of the Harvest', (these original moedim are considered 'types and shadows' of thing to come).

The original passover did include the sacrifice of a lamb, and its blood, which being painted on the door posts and lintels, was the sign that saved the inhabitants from death.

Y'shua is referred to as the Lamb of Elohim and it is his shed blood that atones for our sins and saves us from eternal death.  Y'shua is referred to as the first fruits of the dead.  ("First-fruits" are the best of the best offered up to YHWH).

John 1:29 - And on the day that followed, John saw Y'shua who was coming towards him, and said, "Behold the Lamb of Elohim"

First Corinthians 15:20 - But now the Mashiyach has risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

Let us now recognize Yah's calendar:

Exodus 12: "This month shall mark for you the beginning of the months; it shall be the first of the months of the year for you."

YHWH's counting of months begin with the sighting of the new moon. The first month of the year coincides with the time of year the barley ripens. 

Exodus 19: "On the third new moon after the Israelites had gone forth from the land of Egypt, on that very day, they entered the wilderness of Sinai." (the first day of the third month)

As a reminder, a day is from sunset to sunset according to the Creator's Calendar. And when He says the '1st month of the year', it is not according to the modern day Gregorian calendar. With that in mind, lets review Yah's instructions for keeping the passover offering which is the start of the days of Unleavened Bread.

Exodus 12:15 - Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread... on the very 1st day (of the 7 days) you shall remove leaven from your houses... The first day and the seventh day are sacred occasions and no work is to be done, only whatever is to be eaten may be prepared. 

Exodus 12:17 - You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread for on this very day (the 15th day of the 1st month) I brought you out of Egypt, to be observed throughout the ages as an institution for all time. 

Exodus 12:18 - In the first month from the 14th day at evening you shall eat unleavened bread until the 21st day of the month at evening. No leaven is to be found in your houses - whether one is a stranger or a citizen of the country you shall eat nothing leavened. 

Exodus 12:24 - You shall observe this as an institution for all time, for you and for your descendants. :25 And when you enter the land that I will give you, as I promised, you shall observe this rite... And when your children ask why and what does it mean, you shall say, 'It is the passover sacrifice to YHWH Elohim because He passed over the houses of the Israelites in Egypt when He smote the Egyptians, but saved our houses'.

In Leviticus the instructions are repeated:

Leviticus 23:4  - These are the set times of YHWH, the sacred occasions, which you shall celebrate each at its appointed time: In the first month, on the 14th day of the month, at twilight, there shall be a passover offering to YHWH and on the 15th day of that month YHWH's Feast of Unleavened Bread... for seven days.  

And again in Deuteronomy 16 we are given the details for keeping the feast in the years to come.  It reads that a passover offering is made to YHWH and slaughtered in the place Elohim will choose to establish His Name - For 7 days no leaven shall be found among you. You cannot slaughter the sacrifice wherever you choose but at the place YHWH chooses to establish His Name. In the morning you may start back home - on the 7th day of Unleavened Bread hold a solemn gathering, do no work.  

His people are instructed to do this so they remember the day of their departure from the land of Egypt as long as they live.  The blood of the lamb was a sign to YHWH and saved them from death - they were set free from being slaves to Pharaoh. Our acceptance of the shed blood of His Son is also a sign to YHWH, and sets us free from our old sin-nature.

These quotes from Scripture establish the fixed time of when we are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which begins immediately after the the twilight meal of the roasted lamb- the passover offering.  It was eaten as the daylight dwindled into twilight of the 14th day, which became the 15th day after the sun went down. 

Lets fast forward now to the final days of Y'shua as they are written in Matthew 26:17, Mark 14:12, Luke 22:7 and John 13:1.  The time frame is the beginning of the Seven Days of Unleavened Bread.  The event is Y'shua gathered together with his disciples to eat the passover meal, observing the fixed time of YHWH as previously described. 

In the course of this study, I have learned that it was customary back in the day to interchange the words 'passover' and 'feast of Unleavened Bread' because the passover offering kicked off the feast of Unleavened Bread.  There was only one offering followed by the 7 days of Unleavened Bread. Passover was not really a feast day unto itself but the lead-in, the actions taken just before the Seven days of Unleavened Bread.  It is mentioned in Mark 14:12 as the 'first day of Unleavened Bread was when the lambs were slaughtered'. They were slaughtered on the 14th day, eaten at sunset, according to what YHWH said about this fixed time.

• Matthew 26:17 - Now on the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples asked Y'shua where he wanted them to prepare the meal
• Mark 14:12 - And in the first day of the Unleavened Bread in which the Yehudeans slay the (passover offering lamb) the disciples were asking Y'shua where to go to prepare to eat.
• Luke 22:7 - And the day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread arrived... Y'shua sent Peter and John to make preparations.
• John 13:1 - Now before the feast of the (passover) Y'shua had known that the time that he would depart this world to his Father had arrived.  He loved his own who were in this world and he loved them up until the end. :2 And when supper was done, Satan put in the heart of Judas to betray Y'shua...

Note it is written, 'when supper was done', referring to the passover meal just eaten.  It has been established that they are keeping the set time of YHWH, in the first month of the year and eat the passover meal together, at twilight, on the 14th day of the month, which has been the practice of the Israelites ever since they were set free from Egypt.

The lamb offerings for each household have been slaughtered, roasted and are eaten that evening.  John adds that Y'shua knew his time had come, knew it even before the feast of Unleavened Bread was to take place.

Moving along, after this passover meal was eaten, Y'shua and his disciples took a walk to the Mount of Olives. The sun has already gone down, so according to Yah's perfect timing, it is now the 15th day of this month (still dark), this also being the 1st day of Unleavened Bread.

While they are at the Mount of Olives, Y'shua tells them things that will happen soon according to what has been prophesied and they can't believe they could ever be offended by their Master Y'shua. He tells them there is sadness in his soul. They continue walking to the place called Gethsemane. The Apostles eventually fall asleep during the hour Y'shua is praying to his Father.

This record of events makes it possible to conclude that Y'shua was not killed during the time that the passover offering lambs were being slaughtered. Otherwise he could not have eaten with his beloved twelve.

It is still that same night, after they had arrived at Gethsemane, when Judas came back and betrayed Y'shua to the chief priests and elders. After a scuffle all the disciples left their Teacher - they ran away. Those who seized Y'shua wanted to take him to Caiaphas (Matthew 26:50-59) but they could not find him. So they take him to Pilate. This event is recorded by Matthew, Mark, Luke and John:

Matthew 27 - And when it was morning the chief priests and elders took Y'shua to Pilate, who tries to argue for his life as he finds no guilt with him. Pilate realizes the accusers of Y'shua do so out of envy.  The angry mob wins.  Y'shua is scourged with whips and delivered to be put to death on a stake. He dies around the 9th hour.

Mark 14:53 - Then they took Y'shua to Caiaphas the high priest (but they could not find him) and the chief priests and scribes and elders were all gathered with him. 55 The chief priests and all their assembly were seeking testimony against Y'shua so that they might kill him.

Mark 15 - And immediately in the morning the chief priests with the elders and with the scribes, all of the assembly took counsel and they bound Y'shua and led him away and delivered him to Pilate.

Mark 15:15 - And Pilate desired to do the will of the crowds and released Bar Abba to them. Then after Y'shua was scourged, he delivered him to be executed on a stake.

Luke 22:54 - Then they seized him and brought him to the house of the high priest. 66 When the day dawned, the elders and the chief priests and scribes gathered and took him to their council chambers (and questioned him).

In Luke 23:6 he reports that Pilate sent Y'shua to Herod because Y'shua was from Galilee.  Herod was in Jerusalem in those days.  Herod questions Y'shua but gets no answers, gives him back to Pilate to deal with.

Luke 23:13 - Pilate calls to the chief priests and rulers of the people and says to them: You brought me this man as a deceiver of your people - I have examined him and have not found any fault with him 15 nor has Herod... nothing that is worthy of death has been committed by him.

Pilate desired to let Y'shua go but the people were crying out and saying 'Nail him to the stake!' 

In John 18:28 the account is about the same, although some details are added that are not reported by the other three.  Pilate tells the mob to take Y'shua and judge him according to 'their own' Torah and the Yehudeans reply, 'it is not lawful for us to kill a man'.

In John 19 Y'shua is scourged and mocked. At about the 6th hour Pilate turned him over to be executed.  Matthew says Y'shua died about the 9th hour. (The 6th hour is equivalent to mid-day).

Note: The passover meal was eaten at twilight of of the 14th day. After the sun went down it became the 15th day. The 9th hour is of that 15th day.

If we can agree that the capture, persecution and death of Y'shua occurred during the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which is the 15th day of the month), then following is the account of what happened before that day ended, after he died. You will see that we run into statements that just don't jive with the above established scenario.  If we could just stick with Matthew, all would be well. Let's carry on...

Matthew 27:57 - Now when it became evening, a rich man from Ramtha whose name was Joseph, who had been taught by Y'shua, asked Pilate for the body of Y'shua.  And he wrapped it in a shroud of fine linen and laid it in his new tomb.

Mark 15:37 - Y'shua cried out in a loud voice, and he died. 42 And when it became evening which is before the annual Shabbat, Joseph from Ramtha requested the body of Y'shua. He wrapped the body in linen cloth and placed him in a grave hewn out of the rock... and he rolled a stone upon the door of the grave.

Luke 23:50 - Joseph the counselor from Ramtha asks Pilate for the body of Y'shua, took it down and wrapped it in a shroud of linen and laid it in a hewn tomb.  And the day was setting and the Shabbat was approaching.

John 19:14 - And it was the eve of the paskha (translated 'passover' in most bibles, others read 'day of preparation') and it was about the sixth hour and he said to the Yehudeans: Behold, your King!"  (Matthew 27 says Y'shua died around the 9th hour.)

How can it be the 'eve of the passover' or even the day of preparation when Matthew, Mark and Luke claim they prepared and ate it already?  They ate, walked to the Mount of Olives, then on to Gethsemane where Y'shua spends time in the garden before he is betrayed by Judas.  He is taken captive and by the following daylight, taken before Pilate.  Pilate takes him before Herod.  Herod turns the matter back to Pilate.  Y'shua is sentenced to death. The 15th Day of the 1st month is a 'sacred occasion' according to YHWH, the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, a Shabbat. Both the 1st and 7th days of the days of Unleavened Bread are considered Annual Shabbats. 

What on earth am I missing? Could it be 'terminology'? Could it mean I need to learn the ways of the Pharisees of Y'shua's day in order to figure this out and make all pieces fit?  Were they referring to the 15th day as a day of preparation or the 20th day?  My brain in hurting...

Quote from Andrew Gabriel Roth: Technically speaking a "day of preparation" is normally supposed to be the daylight period before a weekly sabbath.  However, when Annual and Weekly Shabbats hit as close together as they do here, this kind of distinction can easily go right out the proverbial window along with any clarity it might have also had. The fact of the matter is, we are not dealing with one preparation day in a week here, but three.

Y'shua ate with his disciples and their fellowship lasted well into the night - which became the 15th day which is when Y'shua was charged and sentenced to death (when day broke) according to Scripture.  This 15th day is the 1st day of Unleavened Bread - a Sabbath, which falls after the regular weekly Sabbath.  So this Sabbath on the 15th is one of the Annual Sabbaths referred to in Mark 15:42 as mentioned by Andrew G. Roth.

Taking all that into consideration, Y'shua was placed in the tomb before sunset- but when?  Can nobody know the day and the hour?

IF he was placed in the tomb before sunset on the 15th day (the day was setting), he was resurrected on the completion of the 18th day, which is 2 days before the next Annual Sabbath, the last day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread (which also falls on the regular sabbath day of rest). This can account for the tomb being empty when the ladies arrived with spices to tend to his body.

The next Set Apart time is Shavuot.

Acts 1:3 - With numerous signs for 40 days he was seen by them, and he spoke concerning the Kingdom of Elohim... 4 And while he ate with them, he commanded that "You should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, He whom you have heard about from me. 5 John immersed with water, and you will be immersed by the Ruach haKodesh 8 When the Ruach haKodesh comes upon you you will receive power and you will be witnesses for me in Jerusalem and in all Yehuda and also among the Samaritan and to the ends of the earth."  After these things he was taken up and a cloud received him and he was hidden from their eyes.  

Ten days later was Shavuot (the 50th day) - all were assembled as one and the Twelve did receive power and understanding by the Spirit of Elohim = the Ruach haKodesh.  

Shavuot is the when the grain offering of the wheat harvest is made and also the date when the Ruach haKodesh immersed the disciples, as Y'shua told them he would.  AGAIN, Shavuot depends on the barley being ripe for harvest - which can be a day or two off each year -- and not pre-printed on any calendar.

I feel there is more to be revealed in the study, but I shall publish it for now. Please feel free to add your comments.

The short story is this:

• On the 14th day at twilight, they ate the passover meal together.
• They walked to the Mount of Olives together and then on to Gesthsemane.
• The disciples fell asleep while Y'shua was praying.
• Judas led the crowd to find Y'shua and he is taken captive.
• This is now the 15th day which is the 1st day of Unleavened Bread. Later this day Y'shua is sentenced to death.

If we ignore the supposed discrepancies in the above mentioned accounts, then "Three days and three nights" buried would mean being resurrected by the 4th day, after the completion of the 3rd night.  If we adhere to Yah's calendar, Y'shua is 'buried' before sunset on the 15th day. Resurrection would be after sunset on the 18th day of this first month, the beginning of the 19th day... two days before the last day of the feast of Unleavened Bread, which falls on the weekly sabbath, the 21st day of this month.

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In everything we discuss and study we must remain
firmly footed in His Word and Truth will be revealed.

YHWH set forth His Instructions for His Creation, which includes us.  We can read all about it in Genesis through Deuteronomy where He establishes Himself as the One True Living God. If we continue reading Scriptures we learn about what happens if we choose to do as He says.  He gives examples of what happens to people who turn their backs on Him.  In reading His Instruction Manual we either choose to have Faith or make excuses not to believe. In choosing Faith and having Trust in our Creator we naturally desire to obey and show our love and gain acceptance.  His Will Be Done - not ours.

Life is in the Blood

We are instructed not to eat flesh with its life-blood in it (Genesis 9:4); not to partake of the blood of any flesh, for the life of all flesh is its blood (Leviticus 17:14); and a third time we are told: the blood is the life, and you must not consume the life with the flesh (Deuteronomy 12:23) pour it on the ground like water.

And in reading the following we discover Yah's Covenant truly is Everlasting.

Blood of the Covenant: 

Exodus 24:8 Moses took the blood and dashed it on the people and said, "This is the blood of the covenant that Yahweh now makes with you concerning all these commands." 

Blood of the Renewed Covenant: 

Luke 22:20 And likewise also concerning the cup, after they had eaten supper, he said, "This is the cup of the renewed covenant in my blood which is shed for your sake."

Life is in the blood.
Life is the Blessing and Death is the Curse.

Deuteronomy 30:19- I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life if you and your offspring would live by loving Yahweh Elohim, heeding His commands, and holding fast to Him. For thereby you shall have life and long endure.

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We read beginning in John 6:48 that Y'shua says- I am the Bread of Life. This is the Bread that has descended from heaven that a man may eat from it and he will not die! I am the Living Bread who has descended from Heaven. And if a man should eat from this Bread, he will live forever. And the Bread that I give is my body which I give for the sake of the life of the world. 

Matthew 26:26- while they were dining, Y'shua took bread and blessed it, broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, "Take, eat. This is my body." And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them and said, "Take, drink from it, all of you (his 12 disciples). This is my blood of the renewed covenant, which for the sake of many is shed for the forgiveness of sins."

In John 10:11 Yahshua says he is the Good Shepherd.  The Good Shepherd lays down his life for the flock.  Then, in John 15:13 he says, "There is no love that is greater than this, that a man lay down his life for the sake of his friends. You are my friends if you do all that I commanded you - everything that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you."

And what did Y'shua the Anointed One eventually do? He willingly fulfilled his part in the divine plan and was led to his death, without argument, without resistance. He laid down his life for his friends, those who abide by the Father's Instructions. His blood was shed for our sake, for atonement.

Revelation 12:11- And they overcame (Satan, the Accuser), because of the blood of the Lamb, (Yahshua, whom they acknowledge openly); and they loved not their own lives, even to death.  Leviticus 17:11 Yah says- "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have assigned it to you for making atonement for your lives. It is the blood, as life, that effects atonement."

In Deuteronomy 8:3, Moses speaks to the people and tells them that Yahweh, "subjected you to the hardship of hunger and then gave you manna to eat, which neither you nor your fathers had ever known, in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but may live on anything that Yahweh decrees". 

Matthew 4:4- Y'shua replies to the Accuser: It is written that the Son of man does not live by bread alone, but by all the Words that proceed from the mouth of Elohim.

The original Bread from heaven was 'manna'. This was a lesson being taught: Deuteronomy 8:3- He subjected you to the hardship of hunger and then gave you manna to eat in order to teach you that man does not live on bread alone, but may live on anything that Yahweh decrees.

Who is the Word made Flesh? Who is the Living Bread from heaven? Who shed his blood for the sake of renewing the covenant and to save us from death?

As in the various types and shadows throughout the (OT), we are shown the physical events which point towards the spiritual applications for our lives in today's world. For example, there was the physical bread, the manna, which sustained His People in the wilderness and now, by means of the Renewed Covenant, we have the spiritual Bread of Life through Yahshua, which sustains us by Faith.

I'm seeing a harmonious cycle formed by having Faith in the One who created us as we abide by His plan to save us from death and adversity.  He had to do all of this because Satan became a thorn in His Side which will be removed. And Doubt is a thorn Satan tries to stick into our thoughts continually.  As you know, Satan caused Eve to Doubt the Instructions of Yahweh way back when, and paradise was placed just out of reach.  If we want to get back to the Garden we must choose Life and all the rules and regulations that go with it according to the Creator who had it all written down in His Owner's Manual = Scriptures.

Spiritual Metaphors

A metaphor is a figure of speech in which a word or phrase is applied to an object or action to which it is not literally applicable; a thing regarded as representative or symbolic of something else. A parable is a short fictitious story that illustrates a moral attitude or biblical principal.

Y'shua spoke in parables many times, telling stories to illustrate spiritual lessons; stories that are to be interpreted in order to reveal the hidden meaning of what he was teaching.  There is no real mystery. He was teaching us to use our 'brain', to think and reason - not just follow what was fashionable at the time.

Matthew 13:34
All these things Y'shua spoke in parables to the crowd, and he would not speak to them without a parable, so might be fulfilled the things which was spoken through the prophet who said, "I will open my mouth with parables and will bring out secrets that were from before the foundation of the world." (Psalms 78:2)  

Mark 4:2
And he would teach them by parables, and would say many in his teaching.

Y'shua told his disciples that they were given to understand the mystery of the Kingdom of Elohim, but to others everything is in parables.  This can be gleaned from the parable of the sower of seeds. (Mark 4:3)

Mark 4:34
And he would not speak to them (the crowds) without parables but to his disciples he would explain everything. 

If we read and study Scriptures, we too may gain understanding.

Lets take what we know about Y'shua teaching technique and apply it to the following:

John 6:48
I am the Bread of Life. :50 this is the Bread that has descended from heaven that  a man may eat from it and he will not die! :51 I am the Living Bread who has descended from Heaven. And if a man should eat from this Bread, he will live forever. And the Bread that I give is my body which I give for the sake of the life of the world. 

He has caused quite a stir among the Yehudeans saying such things, and they couldn't understand, 'how can he give us his body to eat?' They were thinking in the physical not the spiritual realm.

John 6:53
I say to you, that unless you eat the body of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in Qnoma (underlying substance/self).  :54 And he who eats from my body and drinks from my blood has life that is everlasting, and I will raise him up on the last day. :55 for truly my body is food and truly my blood is drink.

I quote Andrew Gabriel Roth of One Faith One People Ministries --

"The body/blood imagery is metaphoric. Y'shua of course knows very well  that it is an abomination to drink any kind of blood, let alone human blood (Leviticus 17:11). Consuming human flesh is also an abomination that is strictly prohibited. There are two underlying parts: Part 1 recalls the imagery of Ezekiel 3:1-15 where the prophet ate a Torah scroll, the imagery symbolizing the prophet being sustained by and proclaiming Torah, which is the essence of what Y'shua is teaching.  Y'shua's example and teaching are to be part of our innermost being, literally taken... into our hearts.  This imagery is also seen in Mark 7:19 which distinguishes between physical food and spiritual food, and Jeremiah 31:33 which speaks of writing Torah upon the heart. Part 2 is the life which Y'shua refers to, it is not physical as in one's self, but the core essence of being, the spirit of man." end quote


John 6:63 
It is the Spirit that makes alive; the body does not profit anything. The words that I speak with you are spirit and are life.  But there are some of you who do not believe.

Here I find it useful to quote Mr. Roth again:

"As the body does not profit anything, then neither can ingesting a wafer that symbolizes the body! Sin is a violation of Torah.  The absolution of sin begins with Teshuva (turning to YHWH). Faith in Mashiyach is evidence that the Ruach haKodesh has begun to write Torah upon the heart. Obedience to Torah as the Word of YHWH is the process of Sanctification which is the setting apart of YHWH's people unto Himself, from all manner of worldliness and false religion. No volume of wafer-ism or canned prayer... will provide an acceptable substitute to being born into the Image of Elohim." end quote

John 6:58
This is the Bread that has descended from heaven. It is not as manna (physical) your forefathers ate and died. He who eats this Bread (spiritual) will live forever!

"Nothing is being eaten while Y'shua is making this statement; he had just levied a rebuke for their desire of physical rather than spiritual 'bread'.  It is Faith in Y'shua as Mashiyach which causes a person to (be sustained by him).  The 'wafer' is a pagan adulteration against Y'shua's teaching. Y'shua  observed Torah to perfection, his perfect atoning sacrifice would be remembered specifically on the Moedim (feast of Unleavened Bread) as the Word of YHWH instructs." -- Andrew Gabriel Roth

John 6:35

Y'shua said to them, I am the Bread of Life. Whoever comes to me will not hunger. And whoever believes in me will not ever thirst.

He calls himself the Bread of Life: whoever comes to him will not hunger! whoever believes in him will never be thirsty! All who believe and follow his teaching will be sustained spiritually.

The following accounts are from the time of the Feast of Unleavened Bread and Y'shua knows his time has come, and it is the last time he will dine with his beloved disciples.  He hasn't instituted anything new or added to the Instructions of the Father in regards to keeping this fixed time. He came to do the will of the Father. He has always maintained that he is the True Bread from Heaven.

Matthew 26:26

And while they were dining, Y'shua took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to his disciples and said, "Take, eat. This is my body." And he took the cup and gave thanks and gave it to them and said, "Take, drink from it, all of you (his 12 disciples). This is my blood of the renewed covenant, which for the sake of many is shed for the forgiveness of sins."

Mark 14:22

Then while they were eating, Y'shua took bread and blessed it and broke it and gave it to them and said to them, "Take it. This is my body."  And he took a cup and gave thanks and blessed it and gave it to them and all of them drank from it.  And he said to them, "This is my blood of the renewed covenant, shed for the sake of many".

Luke 22:19

And he took bread and gave thanks and broke it and gave it to them and said, "This is my body, which for your sake is given.  Do this for my memorial." And likewise also concerning the cup, after they had eaten supper, he said, "This is the cup of the renewed covenant in my blood, which is shed for your sake."

It is during this set time of YHWH that the bread Y'shua is breaking is unleavened and he tells his disciples that it represents his body, as he is the true Bread from Heaven.  The cup represents his shed blood for the forgiveness of sins.  Leaven is a metaphor for sin and Y'shua was sinless - there was no leaven to be found in him. So, to do this in remembrance of him would be to break the unleavened bread at the passover meal -- not every weekend at 'church'.  It is appropriate to remember him during the feast of Unleavened Bread, as YHWH's reason for this time is to remember how powerful and awesome He Himself is by recounting all He did prior to Pharaoh setting His people free -- a foreshadow to remembering His Son whose shed blood has set us free from guilt of past sins.  This is not the 'lord's supper' or the 'last supper' but it is where the church spun their doctrine for the ritual of a weekly communion.

We have the testimony of the Son and obey the Instructions of the Father, both of which are required to become Set Apart, to become part of the commonwealth of Israel - His Chosen people.  We do remember that Y'shua died for our sake - we accept his shed blood as atonement for our sins - spiritually symbolic, a one time sacrifice but a forever covenant.

Here is more concerning the bread/wine analogy:

1 Corinthians 11:27- "He, therefore, who eats of the bread of Master Y'shua and drinks of his cup AND is not worthy of it, is guilty of the blood of Y'shua and of his body. :28 For this reason, a man should examine himself... :29  For whoever eats and drinks of it while he is unworthy... brings condemnation upon himself by not discerning the 'body of Master YHWH'. :30 For this cause, many among you are diseased and sickly and many sleep.  For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. (meaning if we hold ourselves up to God's Standard, in obedience to His Instructions in Righteousness, we shall not bring condemnation upon ourselves) :32 But when we are judged by our Master Y'shua we are really disciplined, that we many not be condemned with the world."

1 Corinthians 11:33- Wherefore, my Brothers, when you assemble to eat, wait for one another. And let him who is hungry eat at home, that you may assemble and not for condemnation.

1 Corinthians 10 - the entire chapter is a good teaching.  Paul points out examples from Torah so that we do not covet after the evil things  as they did - those who died in the wilderness who did not enter the promised land.  They were all immersed by Moses, under the same cloud, all passed through the same sea... they all ate the same spiritual food (provided by YHWH) and drank the same spiritual drink (water from the rock at Horeb)... yet there was a multitude of them that God was not pleased.  All the things that befell them were for an example to us and they are written for our instruction, on whom the end of the world has come. (10:11)

He is referring to idolatry, and not to eat foods sacrificed to idols.

1 Corinthians 10:16- The cup of thanksgiving which we bless, is it not the fellowship of the blood of the Messiah? And the bread which we break is it not the fellowship of the body of Messiah?  As therefore that bread is One so we are all one body.

We come to understand the we are all one in the Messiah by accepting the 'bread and the wine' of eternal life in the renewed covenant. In Deuteronomy 8 we are taught that man does not live by bread alone but he may live on anything decreed by YHWH. Therefore keep the commandments of YHWH your Elohim: walk in His ways and revere Him.

The common belief in performing 'communion' rituals is what spurred this study.  Folks think that the above mentioned Scriptures mean we should be eating the wafer and drinking the wine every weekend to remember the suffering 'Jesus' went through. Some denominations believe the wafer and wine actually become the body and blood of Messiah. 'Communion' carries way too much traditional religious baggage from the Catholic realm and distorts the original meaning of the Hebrew word for 'fellowship'. 

What is taught and believed in the Catholic Church:

Quote: Our Catholic teaching that the Eucharist is the Body and Blood of Jesus, not bread and wine, is clearly taught in the Bible and throughout the 2,000-year tradition of the Church.  The early Church took this teaching seriously. In his first letter to the Corinthians, Saint Paul says, "Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the Body and Blood of the Lord... for anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself." (1 Corinthians 11:27,29) Paul's statement makes sense only if the bread and wine have become the real Body and Blood of Christ.  How does this change take place? It happens during the eucharistic prayer of the Mass. At that time, the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, as the Church has always taught. Although they still look like bread and wine, they have, by divine power, actually changed into His Body and Blood. How can we know this? It requires faith. It is a mystery which, like love, we will never fully understand. The Trinity, the divinity of Jesus, His death and Resurrection are other mysteries which, along with the Eucharist, we will never fully comprehend in this life." end quote

It is appropriate to ceremoniously remember Y'shua during the time of the feast of Unleavened Bread.  He did not replace the Father's plans and instructions for us, nor did he add anything new - but he is very much a part of all of it!  Messiah is prophesied throughout the 'old testament' and the 'new testament' is an account of those prophecies fulfilled and those yet to occur. All of Scripture is to help us Remember who we are, Whom we came from and where we are going.