The New Covenant

MoreThan Food and Drink Written By: Liz Jones

Matthew 26:26-29 NKJV 

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.”

Don’t lose the magnitude of this moment because of familiarity or tradition. 

This is the last meal Jesus had before His crucifixion. It was a Passover meal. In Christendom, we call it THE LAST SUPPER, and the reason we partake in communion. 

Communion is relational, not transactional. It is a way to remember Jesus and what He accomplished on the cross. Communion is a holy moment—a moment of remembrance. 

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; 24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” 25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.

Let’s take a closer look at Matthew 26. 

Jesus takes the unleavened bread (Passover bread) and blesses it. He then breaks it and passes it out to His disciples. He then declares: “Take, eat; this is My body.”

Eating the tiny little wafer during communion symbolizes Christ’s body, so we eat the unleavened wafer to remember. 

Christ was broken for us so that we can be fixed by Him. 

Jesus then takes the cup, gives thanks, and gives it to them to drink, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins…”

The Hebrew disciples would have known about the sacrificial law in Leviticus. Jesus was alluding to Leviticus 17:11: 

“For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” 

Atonement had always come through the sacrifice of animals. (the shedding of blood).  But this was only a temporary measure. Jesus is declaring a new covenant. (Hebrews 9:22)

The blood of Christ paid our sin debt. He died to forgive our past, present, and future sins. 

When we drink the doll-sized cup of grape juice, it symbolizes Christ’s blood. So we drink from the cup to remember. 

Jesus’ Father told the prophet, Jeremiah about this new covenant 600 years before His arrival as a babe in a manger.

Jeremiah 31:31-34 NKJV

31 “Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah— 32 not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day that I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, My covenant which they broke, though I was a husband to them, says the Lord. 33 But this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, says the Lord: I will put My law in their minds, and write it on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. 34 No more shall every man teach his neighbor, and every man his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they all shall know Me, from the least of them to the greatest of them, says the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and their sin I will remember no more.”

The new covenant is Christ in us. His law is in our minds, written on our hearts. He is our God, and we are His people. We know the Lord personally. We don’t have to wait for Sundays or Wednesdays to learn more about Him. He wants to reveal Himself to us every day. He has forgiven us and no longer holds our sins against us. 

Father, in the name of Jesus, we come before Your throne with hearts of gratitude. Thank You for redemption. Thank You for paying the price that we could not pay. Thank You for salvation. Because of You, Jesus, we are declared in right standing with God. Thank You for the physical suffering You endured. Your broken body made us whole. Your blood washed us white. Thank You for loving us so well. It is a privilege to know You and be known by You. We love You, Lord! Amen!

Digging Deeper: 

  • If the Old and New Covenants interest you, read Hebrews 9:23 – chapter 10. Read it slowly and look up any words you don’t understand. 
  • List the things Christ has done for you, and thank Him.
  • Look up the word COMMUNION. Is there anything that stands out to you in the definitions?  
  • Think about the human friendships you enjoy. What makes them remarkable? How can you create the same in your relationship with God? 

I declare I will remember the cost of my salvation when I partake in holy communion. I will live in gratitude for the cross. I will cultivate and enjoy my relationship with God. I will commune with my Creator and enjoy His love’s sweetness.