Luke 22:20
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
English Standard Version (ESV)
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Jesus specifically says the new covenant is "in my blood" and "poured out for you." This phrasing emphasizes that the covenant's power and benefits are directly applied to those who receive it, not just a general promise for humanity. It highlights the personal and intimate nature of God's new relationship with His people, sealed by Christ's sacrifice.
Jesus is instituting a new meal to commemorate his impending sacrifice, following the Passover tradition. After sharing bread, he now takes the cup, explaining that it represents a new covenant sealed by his blood, which will be shed for them. This act marks a transition from the old covenant to a new one established through his death and resurrection.
Jesus points to a simple cup of wine and says it represents something profound – a 'new covenant in my blood.' What does that really mean for us?
In this verse, Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, using the cup of wine as a powerful symbol. It's not just juice; it's a sign of a new covenant. The word 'covenant' (or 'testament' in some translations) refers to a solemn agreement or promise, established here by Jesus himself.
The Old vs. The New
Think about the old covenant established with Israel through Moses. It involved laws and sacrifices, and blood was used to ratify those agreements (Exodus 24:8). However, that covenant was broken by human failure.
Jesus’ words here introduce a new covenant, a vastly superior agreement sealed not with animal blood, but with His own blood, which is 'poured out for you.' This new covenant is about forgiveness, grace, and an intimate relationship with God, made possible through Jesus’ sacrifice. The wine in the cup becomes a tangible reminder of this profound, life-giving promise.
The imagery of 'blood poured out' is intense. Why is Jesus so explicit about this, and what does it signify for the covenant?
Jesus emphasizes that the new covenant is ratified 'in my blood, which is poured out for you.' This wasn't a casual shedding of blood; it was a sacrificial act.
The Significance of His Blood
Understand the original words
diathēkē · Greek Noun
A binding agreement or promise established by God with His people, ratified by sacrifice, which creates a formal relationship between God and humanity.
haima · Greek Noun
The vital fluid of life, which according to Scripture is the means of atonement and the sign of a life surrendered in death to satisfy the requirements of God's justice.
This institution of the Lord's Supper directly echoes the ancient Passover, a foundational event for Israel's covenant with God. Jesus reinterprets its symbols, pointing to a new, eternal covenant established not by animal sacrifice, but by His own shed blood.
c. 1446 BC
The Exodus from Egypt
God delivers the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, establishing a covenant relationship with them at Mount Sinai.
c. 1000 BC
Davidic Kingdom Established
King David establishes Jerusalem as the capital of a united Israel, and God promises an everlasting dynasty.
c. 722 BC
Assyrian Exile of Northern Kingdom
The Assyrian Empire conquers the northern kingdom of Israel, exiling many of its inhabitants.
586 BC
Babylonian Exile of Southern Kingdom
The Babylonian Empire destroys Jerusalem and the Temple, exiling the remaining population of Judah.
c. AD 30
Jesus' Ministry and Passover
This passage describes Moses ratifying the covenant between God and Israel with blood, mirroring how Jesus establishes the new covenant in His blood during the Last Supper.
Jeremiah 31:31-34This prophecy foretells a 'new covenant' that God would make with His people, a covenant written on their hearts, which Jesus explicitly fulfills and inaugurates with His blood.
1 Corinthians 11:25Paul records Jesus instituting the Lord's Supper using very similar language to Luke, emphasizing that the cup represents the new covenant in His blood, solidifying the continuity of this sacred meal.
Hebrews 9:15-22The author of Hebrews explains that a covenant requires the shedding of blood for its validation, drawing a direct parallel to Jesus' blood ratifying the new covenant described in Luke 22:20.
pooleLuke 22:20: "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
See Poole on "Luke 22:15"
ellicottLuke 22:20: "Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you."
(20) This cup is the new testament in my blood. —Better, New Covenant. The adjective is, in the best MSS., peculiar to St. Luke, as also is the “shed for you” instead of “shed for many.” The participle is in the present tense, which is being shed, like the being given, in Luke 22:19 . St. Paul and St. Luke agree in placing the giving of the cup “after they had supped.” (Se…
Jesus specifically says the new covenant is "in my blood" and "poured out for you." This phrasing emphasizes that the covenant's power and benefits are directly applied to those who receive it, not just a general promise for humanity. It highlights the personal and intimate nature of God's new relationship with His people, sealed by Christ's sacrifice.
Jesus is instituting a new meal to commemorate his impending sacrifice, following the Passover tradition. After sharing bread, he now takes the cup, explaining that it represents a new covenant sealed by his blood, which will be shed for them. This act marks a transition from the old covenant to a new one established through his death and resurrection.
Jesus is instituting a new meal to commemorate his impending sacrifice, following the Passover tradition. After sharing bread, he now takes the cup, explaining that it represents a new covenant sealed by his blood, which will be shed for them. This act marks a transition from the old covenant to a new one established through his death and resurrection.
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The cup, therefore, isn't just a symbol of an agreement; it’s a potent reminder of the immense cost of that agreement – the life-blood of Jesus Himself – and the redemption it secures for all who believe.
Jesus celebrates His final Passover meal with His disciples in Jerusalem.
c. AD 30— this verse
Institution of the Lord's Supper
Jesus institutes the Lord's Supper, using the Passover elements to symbolize His new covenant in His blood.
c. AD 30
Crucifixion and Resurrection
Jesus is crucified, His blood is shed, and He is resurrected, inaugurating the new covenant.
"And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood." — Jesus specifically says the new covenant is "in my blood" and "poured out for you." This phrasing emphasizes that the covenant's power and benefits are directly applied to those who receive it, not…
