Toronto UBF Bible Study : MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT

Bible Study Materials

MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT

by Joshua Lee 08/20/2023

Message

MY BLOOD OF THE COVENANT

Matthew 26:1-35

Key Verse: 28

“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

Thank God for giving us an opportunity to study the last part of Jesus’ life depicted in all four gospel accounts. Particularly, we want to go deeper into the cross of Christ, which is the climax of each gospel and the epitome of the human history. We know that as God Incarnate, every step Jesus took on earth and every word he spoke on is very precious and meaningful, particularly so when his end is coming close. Today’s is a preparation of the final part of his life to fulfill his purpose in coming into this world. It includes the Last Supper.

We remember during Passion Week, Jesus entered Jerusalem on Monday and he cleared the temple on Tuesday. On Wednesday, he gave a lot of teachings, and he left the temple and went to the Mount of Olives with his disciples. There, he told his disciples about the signs of the end of the age, the eschatological teaching, called the “Olivet discourse”. It was still Wednesday evening. In verses 1 and 2, we read, “When Jesus had finished saying all these things, he said to his disciples, “As you know, the Passover is two days away—and the Son of Man will be handed over to be crucified.” The Passover was the feast of commemorating the time of God’s deliverance from their slavery in Egypt for 430 years and God’s judgment upon Egypt. It was the greatest feast among all the feasts in the history of the Israelites. The Passover was to be followed by the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which lasted seven days. So, the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread together continued eight days. In ancient times, the Passover came in the first month of the year called Abib. But after the exile, it was celebrated in the month of Nisan and Passover was the 14th day of Nisan and on the 15th day, they began the Feast of Unleavened Bread (Leviticus 23:6). In fact, the two feasts were connected in the people’s minds so much so that either the Feast of Unleavened Bread or the Passover could be a term describing the whole eight days. This Passover would be special, for Jesus would be crucified and offered as the Passover Lamb for all sinful mankind to be delivered from God’s eternal judgment. What a special moment in human history, not to mention the history of the Jews! The countdown started and it was two days away.

Concerning this crucifixion and death, it was the fourth time Jesus mentioned it: after Peter made his confession of the Christ, Jesus said to his disciples in Matthew 16:21, “…he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life”; after healing a boy with an evil spirit, Jesus said to his disciples in 17:22, “…the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life”, and in 20:17-19, as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, ‘We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life.” At the third time of his prediction of his death it was revealed that the death would be by crucifixion. Here, Jesus confirmed that the Son of Man would be crucified.

Then what’s going on among the religious leaders? In verses 3-5 it says, “Then the chief priests and the elders of people assembled in the palace of the high priest, whose name was Caiaphas, and they plotted to arrest Jesus in some sly way and kill him. ‘But not during the Feast,’ they said, ‘or there may be a riot among the people.’” They did not fear God, but only the mob for a possibility of a riot. Their plot was to arrest and kill Jesus eight days later, but God’s plan was that it would happen in two days. Of course, God’s plan prevailed over human’s plan. God used their evil plot to accomplish his purpose, frustrating human schemes. Provers 16:9 says, “In his heart a man plans his course, but the LORD determines his steps.” We should really learn to follow God’s plan and his time schedule, even changing our time schedule and plan before experiencing bitter failures and frustrations. And Proverbs 3:5-6 say, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.”

Now, Matthew flashes back what happened four days before, for the event is related to the death of Jesus and is a good preparation for his burial. Verses 6 and 7 say, “While Jesus was in Bethany in the home of a man known as Simon the Leper, a woman came to him with an alabaster jar of very expensive perfume, which she poured on his head as he was reclining at the table.” Then we read in John 12:1-3, “Six days before the Passover, Jesus arrived at Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. Here, a dinner was given in Jesus’ honour. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. Then Mary took about a pint (0.5 liter) of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.” This woman was none other than Mary, the sister of Martha and Lazarus. According to Luke 10:39-45, she was the one who sat at the Lord’s feet listening to what he said and was praised by Jesus for having chosen what is better, and it not being taken away from her. Consequently, she had an intimate love relationship with Jesus and knew that the time of Jesus’ death was approaching. So, at this right time and right place, she poured her pure and expensive perfume, a year’s wages, wholly on Jesus’ head and feet. She gave lavishly, sparing nothing, without restraint and calculation, because she knew that Jesus loved her so sacrificially and he would die for her. We are told of God’s love in Romans 8:32, “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” John said in 1 John3:1, “How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God!” Though all Christians received the same love of God and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, their responses are different. Many are selfish and stingy and calculative in giving their time, money, and energy to Jesus. One’s giving and sacrificial Christian life can be measured in proportion to his or her realization of God’s love through his Son Christ Jesus, or it can be vice versa that as we strive to learn the life of giving and devotion, we can grow in the realization of the great love of God. It is true that what Mary did to Jesus is an example for all Christians to follow.

Yet, right away, there was an objection to the act of Mary’s outpouring her perfume on Jesus’ body. Verse 8 and 9 say, “When the disciples saw this, they were indignant. ‘Why this waste?’ they asked. They raised such a question, for they did not know the world of heart and love. Once I thought that even buying flowers for a loved one was a waste of money. I was the one who did not know what a heart-to-heart relationship was. They thought that what she gave to Jesus extravagantly was a waste. Yet, in truth only what we give to Jesus is saving, and all other spending is a waste. We may come to know this truth. They continued, “This perfume could have been sold at a high price and the money given to the poor.” Apostle John had keen insight to see what was going on here and pointed out that it was Judas Iscariot who had said this. He commented in John 12:6, “He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it.” Later it turned out that he had sold Jesus for money. That’s why Apostle Paul gave a strong warning in 1 Timothy 6:10, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”

Then, how did Jesus view her act? Let’s read verse 10. “Aware of this, Jesus said to them, ‘Why are you brothering this woman? She has done a beautiful thing to me.’” While the disciples regarded Mary’s act as a waste, it was a beautiful thing to Jesus. Along with the word “love”, the word “beautiful” is used so commonly and recklessly that the true meaning of it is often lost. Here Jesus did not hesitate to say that “she has done a beautiful thing to me.”

Jesus continued, “The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me. When she poured this perfume on my body, she did it to prepare me for burial. I tell you the truth, wherever this gospel is preached throughout the world, what she has done will also be told, in memory of her.” Christian life includes helping the poor. Yet it cannot replace loving Jesus. It is not to be done separately but in connection to loving Jesus, the most precious one, and as an expression of love for him. Here, we also see what gospel ministry looks like. It is precisely Jesus’ giving his all to me and I giving my all to him.

After such a beautiful work of God, something woeful happens. In verses 14-16, “Then one of the Twelve—the one called Judas Iscariot—went to the chief priests and asked, ‘What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?’ So they counted out for him thirty silver coins. From then on, Judas watched for an opportunity to hand him over.”

Now the time-setting and scene are changed. Let’s read verse 17. “On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus and asked, ‘Where do you want us to make preparations for you to eat the Passover.?’” (Mk 14:12). As we thought of, here the Feast of Unleavened Bread included the Passover, for strictly speaking, the Feast of Unleavened Bread starts after the Passover. The disciples felt that the big feast was at hand but nothing was prepared. Probably, they asked this question out of embarrassment.

How did Jesus respond? In verse 18, Jesus replied, “Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, ‘The Teacher says: My appointed time is near. I am going to celebrate the Passover with my disciples at your house.’” So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them and prepared the Passover. What an interesting and immediate preparation! According to Josephus, at the Passover of that time 256,500 lambs were slaughtered, and one lamb was for no less than10 people. It means that more than 2 and half million people gathered from all over the world into the city of Jerusalem. Among such a huge crowd of people how could they find a certain man? According to Mark 14:13 and Luke 22:10, Jesus gave more information, “a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him…” At that time, usually women carried a jar of water, but rarely men. Hence, this would be a cue. And according to Luke 22:8, Jesus sent Peter and John to carry out this mission. So, even among the disciples, most did not know where they could eat the Passover until the last moment. Why did Jesus make preparations in such a secret way? For Jesus knew that Judas was watching for an opportunity to hand him over and Jesus had to eat the Passover with his disciples before he was arrested. We know that it was a very significant time not, only to eat together but to expose the betrayer and to teach them the meaning of his death of offering his body and blood, and according to John’s gospel, to have the Upper room dialogue. The two disciples, Peter and John cooperated well out of sheer obedience to Jesus’ command.

Then the story goes this way: When evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, “I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me.” They were very sad and began to say to him one after the other, “Surely not I, Lord?” Jesus replied, “The one who has dipped his hand into the bowl with me will betray me. The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” In saying this, Jesus was very serious, probably giving Judas one last chance to repent. But Judas, the one who would betray him, said, “Surely not I, Rabbi?” Jesus answered, “Yes, it is you.” Here, what Judas did was beyond human understanding. According to Luke 22:3, Satan entered Judas when he conceived the thought of betraying Jesus by selling him. John 13:27 says, “As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.” The spiritual battle is real and fierce.

Let’s read verse 26, “While they were eating, Jesus took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to the disciples, saying, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’” Let’s read verse 27 also, “Then he took the cup, gave thanks and offered it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of covenant for the forgiveness of sins.’” At this Last Supper, Jesus offered his body and his blood, which actually would happen when he would die on the cross the next day. It is very interesting and so significant that Jesus and his disciples ate the Passover on that evening, Thursday evening, while the Jews did not. It is written in John 18:28, “Then the Jews led Jesus from Caiaphas to the palace of the Roman governor. By now it was early morning, and to avoid ceremonial uncleanness the Jews did not enter the palace; they wanted to be able to eat the Passover.” How can we understand this? They say that from a certain point in the history of Israel, Galileans ate the Passover on Thursday evening and the Judeans on Friday evening. Then, what a mystery it is that Jesus had a Galilean Passover on Thursday night and died in the Judean Passover on Friday afternoon, perfectly on schedule, and violating not a single Jewish. He kept this Passover as the final one and established a kind of New Passover, that is, no more sacrifice of Passover lambs, which had been practiced for 1500 years. Instead, Jesus offered himself once for all as the permanent Passover Lamb. God would not authorize such annual Passover sacrifice anymore. From that time on, God would authorize the body and blood of Jesus, the true Passover Lamb.

As we thought of, at each Passover 256,500 lambs were slain. The killing was to be made in the temple court by the priests. It was done between 3 and 5pm, a two-hour period, on that Passover day. It would be a tremendous job for the priests. However, if the work was done over a period of two days, from 3-5 in the afternoon, it seems to make more sense to us. More importantly, let’s imagine this. The blood of more than one-quarter million lambs was shed. Then a river of blood must have ran out the back of the temple and down the slope of the hill into the Kidron Valley filling up the brook so that it also ran red with blood, right down toward Bethlehem. This has been practiced a long, long period of time in Jewish history. But such an enormous amount of blood could not take away the sins of mankind as Hebrews 10:4 says, “…it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.” Animals’ blood was sprinkled on the tabernacle and everything used in its ceremonies for cleansing. Hebrews 9:22 says, “In fact the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.” When Jesus died on the cross, he offered himself as a blood-shedding sacrifice for sin. His blood was shed to bring forgiveness of sins. He instituted the bread and the cup as a memorial for all time that we might remember the self-sacrificing, blood-spilling death of Christ for us. The old covenant had all those animals, whose blood could take away sin. The blood of Christ alone could do it. Indeed, the blood of Christ Jesus, shed once for all, cleanses our consciences (Heb 9:14) offering forgiveness of our sins. 1 John 1:7 says, “..the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin.” What a declaration of his promise, “This is my blood of covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

When one repents and believes in Jesus, the person enters into a covenant relationship with Christ Jesus in his blood. His blood is sprinkled on the souls of those who believe in him. When Peter said of God’s elect, he described them this way, “who have been chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctifying work of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and sprinkling by his blood” (1 Peter 1:2). At the time of the Exodus, the angel of death could not touch the houses put with the blood of the Passover lamb but passed over them, as God promised in Exodus 12:13, “…when I see the blood, I will pass over you.” Then how precious the souls sprinkled by the blood of Christ are, protected from the power of sin and Satan! This is the reason we are to cherish his blood and keep in in our hearts, as Jesus commanded, “Drink from it, all of you.”

We are to believe in the efficacy of Jesus’ blood. His blood covers all our sins, past, present and future. Yet, based on this grace we need to repent of our sins at each time and be forgiven and cleansed. Jesus compared this with washing of our feet, though we do not need bathing as believers. An unrepentant sin blocks the efficacy of the blood of Jesus. Without cleansing, one’s sin can be piled up each day, again suffering under the power of sin, even though Christ Jesus shed his blood for the forgiveness of our sins. I know one woman who has suffered tremendously in fear for the last more than 20 years because of her unrepentant sin problem. Blessed are those who wash their dirty feet of sin at each time by relying on the efficacy of Jesus’ blood! Yet still there are still those believers who try to hide their sins, and those who try to cover their sins by being nice before people or doing something good to them. Unless our sins are forgiven, we are unhappy and joyless, only pretending to be happy. But any sin problem is to be solved before God, relying solely on the blood of Christ Jesus. This includes any obvious disobedience to God’s word or self-seeking, jealousy, lust, fatalism, despair, etc. May we maintain the blessed life, that is the life without any sin problem remaining, and be enriched in it as we keep a covenant relationship in his blood as of first importance!

We cannot miss Jesus’ command here also, “Take and eat; this is my body.” At the very night of the Exodus, the Israelites ate the meat of the lambs along with bitter herbs and the bread made without yeast. We are to eat Jesus’ body, which he gave totally on the cross. As we studied in John 6, Jesus is the living bread that came down from heaven. He said in 6:58, “This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died but he who feeds on this bread will live forever.” Feeding on the bread of Jesus is practically to eat and live on his word. Jesus said, quoting the word of Deuteronomy 8:3, “Man does not live on bread alone but every word that comes from the mouth of God.” He also said in John 6:63, “The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit and they are life.”

At the Last Supper Jesus revealed the secret of the wonderful Christian life, that is to eat his body and drink his blood, which are real food and real drink in life.

And in verse 29, “I tell you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it anew with you in my Father’s kingdom.” It implied that Jesus would depart from them and meet again when he comes back in the glory of the Father’s kingdom. What a hope!

The Last Supper was done. When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Jesus predicted their falling away on account of him, who would be crucified the very next day, but they were too proud to recognize their weaknesses and as a result would experience bitter failure.

We adore our Lord Jesus who poured out his blood for the forgives of our sins so that we might live as his covenant people sealed in his blood. In this grace, may we live depending on him, eating his body and drinking his blood, and be able to pour out our hearts and precious things on him as Mary did.

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