Blood of the New Covenant

When Jesus conducted the last supper just before His death, He held up a cup of grape juice and told the disciples “this is the blood of the New Covenant.”

The Christian world has understood Jesus as using the grape juice as a symbol of His shed blood upon the cross, while the Roman church believe it to be the very blood of Jesus.

But when we read about the priest Melchizedek and his visit to Abraham, we see no symbol of death or physical blood. But we do see the wine or grape juice.

Paul tells us that if any man thinks he knows anything, he knows nothing as he ought to know. 1 Cor 8:1. Is the blood of the New Covenant pointing to Christ’s shed blood on the Cross? Could it be that Jesus was pointing us to the delightful wine of knowing we are children of God through Christ?

The blood of the Old Covenant is one connected to the ministration of death. Christ’s literal blood indeed was shed for us. But God did not require this sacrifice, man did. The blood of the New Covenant then is the grape juice of delight, the joy of acceptance with God through Christ.

“The scepter shall not depart from Judah, Nor a lawgiver from between his feet, Until Shiloh comes; And to Him shall be the obedience of the people. Binding his donkey to the vine, And his donkey's colt to the choice vine, He washed his garments in wine, And his clothes in the blood of grapes.” Genesis 49:10-11