Matthew 26:26-30; The New Covenant

 

“For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Jesus, Matthew 26:28 

"These hands you may crush, these arms you may lop off, my life you may take… but you shall never force me to give holy things to the profaned, and dishonor the table of my God." (John Calvin, after a group of apostate “Libertines” demanded that Calvin serve them the Lord’s Supper in 1553.  Calvin in His Letters, Henry Henderson, p. 78)

 Jesus is with His disciples for the Passover meal in the upper room (see Luke 20:12). 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,” (v. 26).

 Christians have continually debated the meaning of these words of Jesus as they contemplate the ceremony of the Lord’s Supper.   Some believe the bread literally becomes His body (a view called “transubstitution”).  Others reject this and eat the bread merely ceremonially “in remembrance of Me,” (Luke 22:19; 1 Corinthians 11:24). However, all Christians agree, in spite of their differences, participating in the Lord’s Supper draws believers uniquely closer to Jesus.

 Jesus frequently spoke of Himself metaphorically; He said, “I am the door” (John 10:7), “I am the light” (John 8:12), “I am the vine” (John 15:5), “I am the way, the truth and the life” (John 14:6).   Therefore it is not unreasonable to interpret His words metaphorically and still be able to approach the Lord’s Supper with reverence and communion. 

And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins,” (vv. 27-28).  The New Dictionary of Biblical Theology defines covenant as “a solemn commitment, guaranteeing promises or obligations undertaken by one or both covenanting parties.” Additionally the concept of covenants “is undoubtedly one of the Bible’s core theological themes,” (p. 420).   Here our Lord is using “blood” to usher in His covenant, the “new” covenant (see Luke 22:20). 

Blood was frequently used to inaugurate covenants in the Old Testament.  Noah (Genesis 8:20-22; 9:8-17), Abraham (Genesis 15:7-10; 17-18) and Moses (Exodus 24:8) used blood to seal their covenants with God.    But these covenants were inadequate to permanently atone for our sins.   As the Scripture says, “For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins,” (Hebrews 10:4).   The old was ineffective; a new and permanent covenant was needed.

 

And the LORD promised a new covenant: “Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah… I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people,” (Jeremiah 31:31,33; see also Jeremiah 33:14) 

 

And the LORD gave a new covenant.  Christ’s crucifixion began this new covenant: “For if the blood of goats and bulls… [cleanse] the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ… purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.  Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant…” (Hebrews 9:13-15).

 

“I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom,” (v. 29).   Scripture often uses the word picture of a wedding feast to describe heaven, (see Isaiah 25:6, Matthew 22:2, Revelation 19:9).  Therefore the Lord’s Supper points us backward and forward; backward to the shed blood of Jesus and the new covenant, forward to our participation in the marriage feast of the Lamb!

 

Before they went out to the Mount of Olives they sung a hymn (v. 30), likely from Psalm 113-118 which were frequently sung during Passover.  The weight of Jesus’ words had not hit them yet, given the obvious tension in the air.  But later, upon reflection, they fully realized that the promised new covenant was now upon them.  And like us, they shouted, “Hallelujah!  He is our God and we are His people!”   Rejoice, oh Christian, rejoice!   And sing a new song to the Lord!