The charge to eat and drink "in remembrance of me" was evidently given with the third cup or "The Cup of Redemption," the one which is drunk after the Afikomen which is taken after the meal. The New Testament explicitly states that Jesus took the bread and the wine "after supper."

In a traditional Jewish Passover, the last thing that happens is that the hidden matzo, called the "afikomen" is taken out and eaten. This is after the regular food, because the matzo and the final cup of wine the goes with it are supposed to be the last things you taste. After that, it is customary to sing a hymn.

This fits very well with the Gospel accounts. According to Mark and Matthew, the next thing Jesus and his followers did was to sing a hymn and then leave. (Matt. 26:30, Mark 14:26) Luke says specifically "after the supper he took the cup" (Luke 22:20). See also 1 Corinthians 11:25. It was evidently at this stage that Jesus took the bread/matzo, saying, "this is my body" and the wine, saying, "this is my blood." He told them to do this in "remembrance of me" whenever they did it. (1 Corinthians 11:25) He did not have to tell them to eat bread and wine - he could take it for granted that as Jews they would do this every year.  He only said, whenever you do this is, as of course you will, think of me. In this way the Passover would ever after have a new and deeper significance for the disciples.

There is an article about this on the AMF web site at http://www.amfi.org/passover.htm

David W. Brown,
AMF International