“This is my body.”

“Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26 ESV)

In reading an article of ancient architecture, I was taken by the authors revelations.1 There is a difference between eastern Christianity and western Christianity that is not based on interpretation, but on focus.

If one were to look at the basilicas of eastern worship, one would find the pictures of Christ are of Him reigning after the resurrection, while those in the cathedrals of the baroque period are of Christ suffering. This also carries over into our presentation and preaching of the gospel.

In the United States, there are so many churches that are focused on the suffering of Christ, minimizing the resurrection of Christ. These unbalance presentations can weigh heavy on guilt and that guilt is counterproductive in the life of a Christian.  Protestantism and Catholicism both focus on the suffering, especially Catholicism which places a lot of guilt on the person leaving works as their only hope to receive salvation.

There should be an equal focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ. Matthew’s Gospel is very well balanced in this area. The key to reading all scripture especially the full account of Jesus' life, found in the gospels, is to look to the ending. The gospels are written melodically. There is the introduction which leads to the problem, leading to the peak of tension, then God’s intervention which resolves the tension permanently. God’s intervention is key.

Christ came in the incarnation, in human form, “She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21) Christ came to preach the gospel of forgiveness of human sin through faith in Him. This is found in His words in every gospel. The problem is that this presentation of the gospel is contrary to Jewish tradition. The tension comes from the , (the Pharisees and Sadducees) who persecute Christ . And whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:32) Because they could not believe, they committed the greatest blaspheme of all. When so many works of Christ had been displayed their blindness was truly on display.

The cross is God’s intervention given to us through the sacrifice of Christ on the cross in which He bore the sin of all humanity, for which today’s scripture brings forward. But it does not stop there. It is the resurrection that is the victory over that very sin and death that is celebrated in every gospel, especially Matthews. “Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.”(Matthew 28:1-4) This is the victory of the cross.

Matthews gospel may not be very explicit in the direct forgiveness of sins, but it is there. We see it throughout the gospel in Christ’s words, both warning those who will not believe, and comforting those who come to believe. Yes there is no salvation without the cross, but the cross should not be the primary focus of the death of Christ. In reading Matthews gospel, like all of the gospels, it is not until the end where the entirety of Christ’s glory is displayed in the resurrection.

If you are blessed to be part of a church where there is a balanced focus on the life, death, and resurrection of Christ you are experiencing a balanced blend of eastern, and western theology. I am that blessed and the full life, death, and resurrection of Christ are celebrated with great regularity.

So, what is the purpose of the message? It is to remind us that Christ came and bore our sins on the cross. He died a human death, a propitiation (and act that satisfied God’s wrath against human sin) for all who come to believe in Him. He rose again fulfilling the Scriptures, defeating sin and death. He ascended into heaven where he is seated at the right hand of the Father to rule over creation. There is no guilt, although we may feel it when we come to terms with our depravity. There is only hope. Hope came when Christ came. Hope when Christ lived, Hope when Christ died, and the assurance of the resurrection and salvation when Christ rose from the dead. This is the full glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have you been forgiven for your sins? Have you placed your faith in the finished work of the risen Son of God? If you do not know Christ as your Savior, seek Him today. We have no guarantees of a tomorrow. If you have questions about salvation by grace through faith in Christ contact us here at In Messiah Ministries where we can show you the scriptures that tell of the saving grace of Jesus Christ.

Grace and Peace.

1. Jonathan T. Pennington, Matthew’s Unique Approach to Forgiveness, Crossway, June 24, 2026.