Lesson 11: “this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many…”

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Text Under Consideration: Hebrews

Scriptural & Historical Context:

We have noted that the themes of redemption and creation find their completion in Christ. Significantly, when the Lord redeems and fashions a people it is with the purpose of establishing a relationship with that people. That was clearly seen when the Lord redeemed Israel from Egypt and made them into a people… His people if they would keep His covenant (Exodus 19.4-6). Likewise, Jesus came to this earth to redeem His people (Luke 1.68) a people who would be born anew into His Kingdom (John 3.5). And why did the Lord do this? Because He wants a relationship with this people… He wants to be in a covenant with them. Thus, on the night when Jesus and His apostles commemorated the redemption of Israel from slavery, He inaugurated a new feast meant to commemorate the establishment of His covenant with His new people. “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Matthew 26.28)

Key Verses & Events:

• God forms a covenant with Abram (~ 2000 B.C., Genesis 15.18). 
• God redeems Israel out of Egypt and forms a covenant with them (~1440 B.C., Exodus 24).
• Israel continually breaks covenant finally resulting in their captivity and the destruction of God’s Temple (586 B.C., 2Chronicles 36).
• Through His prophet Jeremiah, the Lord promises to establish a new covenant (586 B.C., Jeremiah 31.31-34).
• Jesus states that His blood is the blood of the new covenant (A.D. 30, Matthew 26.28).
• The Hebrew author states that we are part of the new and better covenant (~A.D. 65, Hebrews 8).

The Story:

1. Covenant is how God relates to humanity. Throughout Scripture, God forms binding relationships with people through covenants — with Abraham (Genesis 15), with Israel (Exodus 19), and ultimately through Christ.
2. God’s covenants are rooted in grace. Each covenant offers blessings man could not obtain on his own — promises to Abraham, special peoplehood to Israel, and “better promises” in the new covenant (Hebrews 8.6).
3. The new covenant fulfills the promises of Jeremiah 31. Unlike the old covenant, it is internalized (written on hearts), personal (made with believers who already know God), and not dependent on succeeding generations being re-taught faithfulness.
4. The new covenant truly and finally forgives sin. The old covenant’s sacrifices could not perfect the people (Hebrews 10.1-4), but Christ’s once-for-all sacrifice does, and His continuing high priesthood means He intercedes for believers always.
5. Covenants are not one-sided — they require faithfulness. Jesus commanded his followers to “observe all that I have commanded” (Matthew 28.20). Keeping those commands is not legalism; it is covenant faithfulness.
6. Deliberate, persistent sin breaks the covenant relationship. Just as Israel faced curses for disobedience, those who willfully abandon Christ after knowing the truth face judgment, not continued forgiveness (Hebrews 10.26-27).
7. Grace within the covenant includes forgiveness for imperfect obedience. Christ’s ongoing intercession as high priest means confession restores fellowship (1 John 1.8-9), giving believers boldness to approach God (Hebrews 4.14-16).
8. The new covenant was ratified by Christ’s blood. As Israel’s covenant was sealed with blood (Exodus 24), the new covenant is enacted in Christ’s blood (Matthew 26.28), which we enter through baptism and commemorate in the Lord’s Supper.
9. The covenant endures as long as both parties remain faithful. God’s faithfulness is certain (Hebrews 10.23); the open question is always human faithfulness. Israel failed, but persevering faith preserves the soul (Hebrews 10.39).

The covenant relationship is an essential concept in the study of Scripture. Remember, a covenant is how the Lord forms a relationship with man, a relationship where man and God are bound together. He assured Abraham that He would keep His promises by forming a covenant with him (Genesis 15) and promised Israel that they would be His special people if they kept His covenant (Exodus 19). The covenant concept was central to the theology of the Hebrew author, telling his audience that “Christ has obtained a ministry that is as much more excellent than the old as the covenant he mediates is better, since it is enacted on better promises.” (Hebrews 8.6) The gospel story is the story of how we can be part of the new covenant in Christ.

We’ve noted before that God’s covenants are founded on grace, i.e. God promising blessings that man could not obtain on his own. God’s covenant with Abraham was founded on the promises of the promises of Genesis 12.1-3 and His covenant with Israel offered them the opportunity to be His special people (Exodus 19.4-6). But the Hebrew writer said that Jesus’ covenant is “enacted on better promises” (Hebrews 8.6). The better promises are the very promises the Lord made through Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31.31-34; Hebrews 8.8-12):

• This covenant would not be like the old covenant, one that was broken through unfaithfulness (Heb. 8.8-9).
• This covenant would be internalized (Heb. 8.10). The old covenant was made with a physical nation, but the new covenant is made with those who voluntarily come to Jesus in faith.
• This covenant would be personal (Heb. 8.11). Under the old covenant each succeeding generation had to be taught the will of God and shown the importance of keeping his covenant. And rarely did succeeding generations keep the covenant. But the new covenant is made with believers, thus all know Him!
• This covenant would truly forgive sin (Heb. 8.12). The Hebrew writer stressed the point that the old covenant could not perfect the people (Hebrews 7.11,19) and the sacrifices of the old covenant could not forgive sins (Hebrews 10.1-4). But the new covenant perfects God’s people because Christ’s sacrifice was for all time (Hebrews 10.12-14) and because Christ’s high priesthood continues forever, meaning He is always making intercession for the people of the new covenant (Hebrews 7.23-25). 

The gospel declares that from Jesus’ “fulness we have all received, grace upon grace” (John 1.16). The new covenant is where we find “grace upon grace”.

 Remember that God’s covenants are usually not one-sided arrangements. When a covenant is in tact God is bound to fulfill His promises, but man is bound to “keep” His covenant. Jesus’ great commission concludes with the instruction to teach “them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Matthew 28.20). Jesus, who ratified the new covenant in His blood (Matthew 26.28), declared that there are commands to keep in His covenant! The Hebrew writer was clearly concerned that His brethren were departing from their covenant in Christ. Thus, he urged them to “pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it” (Heb. 2.1) and warned that they must “not refuse him who is speaking… for our God is a consuming fire” (Hebrews 12.25,29). Recall that Israel’s covenant contained both blessings for faithfulness and curses for disobedience (Leviticus 26; Deuteronomy 28). Those curses were severe and would ultimately result in the people being removed from their inheritance. Likewise, “if we go on sinning deliberately after receiving the knowledge of truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a fearful expectation of judgment, and a fury of fire that will consume the adversaries” (Hebrews 10.26-27).

Keeping Christ’s commandments is not legalism, it is covenant faithfulness. No amount of obedience can earn God’s grace (Ephesians 2.8-9), but God’s grace is found in the covenant relationship… and covenants have requirements. Thankfully, part of the grace in the covenant is forgiveness for our imperfect covenant keeping. In the new covenant Jesus continues as high priest, making intercession for our sins. Thus, confessing our transgressions brings the assurance that God will forgive (1John 1.8-9). Being part of the new covenant imparts boldness based on what Christ has done and is doing on our behalf (Hebrews 4.14-16) but also requires resolve to follow our Lord. After all, “we are not those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith and preserve their souls” (Hebrews 10.39). 

Covenants must be ratified in order to be binding. God’s covenant with Israel was brought into force when blood was applied to both His altar and to the people (Exodus 24.6-8). The blood of Christ is what ratifies the new covenant (Matthew 26.28). His blood was shed for the forgiveness of our sins, a blessing of the new covenant relationship (Ephesians 1.7; Hebrews 8.12). It is His blood that cleanses us when we are baptized (Acts 22.16), thereby entering a covenant relationship with Him (Matthew 28.19-20). The formation of this new covenant in His blood is what we commemorate each time we partake of the cup (1Corinthians 11.25). And it is His blood we would trample and profane should we forsake the covenant (Hebrews 10.29).

Finally, covenants remain in tact when both parties remain faithful. God’s faithfulness is assured (Hebrews 10.23), so the only question is whether man will keep faith. Israel failed at faithfulness (Hebrews 3.19; 4.2), but if we maintain faith it will result in the preservation of our souls (Hebrews 10.39). We will examine the significance of faith in the next lesson.

For Further Consideration:

1. Read Hebrews 2.17-18; 4.14-16; 7.23-25. How does Jesus’ work as high priest give us assurance that we can remain in covenant with God?