Blood of the New Covenant
For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:28
This was a radical statement for Jesus to make. Every one of the disciples, and every Hebrew person for that matter, knew what a blood covenant meant. However, it is not so common to us today. A blood covenant was a solemn agreement between two people or cities, symbolizing a pact in which each party brought their best resources into the agreement.
For example, if one city was rich in produce, it might share its best crops with another city that was rich in natural resources, such as water, soil, or minerals. In return, the second city would share its resources. This was a covenant in the natural realm. Many weaker cities sought covenants with stronger, fortified cities as a place of refuge in times of danger or war.
The disciples were also familiar with the covenants God had made with Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David. The nation of Israel knew about these agreements and celebrated them. They also understood that these covenants were sealed with the shedding of blood, which was a requirement for a covenant with God.
So, when Jesus said that His blood was the basis of a new covenant, the disciples must have paid close attention. He briefly explained that this new covenant involved the remission of sins, which means the cancelation of a debt owed.
At the time, the disciples likely didn’t fully understand what Jesus meant. Even after Jesus died on the cross and rose again, they were still focused on the idea of Him overthrowing the Roman government. It wasn’t until the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came upon them, that they realized Jesus’ death had freed them not from Roman rule but from the bondage of sin.
This new covenant is the greatest gift ever given. In it, the commandment is to love one another because we are no longer required to pay the debt of our sins. Jesus brought His best, which was His life into the covenant in exchange for our best: loving others.
Today, I encourage you to reflect on the new covenant. It is a covenant with God, sealed through the pure and sinless blood of Jesus. His strength in this agreement is His salvation, saving us from an eternity of paying the debt of our sins and being separated from the God who loves us. Our part is to love and honor our heavenly Father and all people.
If you have never entered into this covenant with God through His Son’s blood, consider doing so today. Pray this salvation prayer from your heart, and Jesus will come into your life. He will save you, and your life will change in a radical and blessed way beyond anything you could imagine.
Pray: God in heaven, I know I’m a sinner and I need a Savior. I want to turn away from my sinful life to the life You have planned for me. Please forgive my sins, cleanse me from my past, and make me new. I know Your Son, Jesus died for me. I believe in my heart that You raised Him from the dead. At this very moment, I accept, confess, and proclaim Jesus as my personal Lord and Savior . . . to be Lord of my life from this day forward. I now have a right relationship with God my Father through this salvation in Jesus. I thank You for giving me Your Holy Spirit to guide and to empower me to do the things that You have planned for my life in Jesus’ name, Amen
Today’s scripture reading: Matthew 26:26-30
26 And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.”
27 Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you.
28 For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
29 But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.”
30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Daily Dose 