(May 5th) Nothing but the Blood

For this is my blood

of the new testament,

which is shed for many

for the remission of sins.

(Matthew 26:28)

 

 

All of us can appreciate and understand – if only on a purely instinctual level – the significance of blood.

Observe the reaction of  a small child the next time he falls and scraps his knee. Many children can fall, roll, hop up, and continue  running in one smooth motion, but should they ever stop to notice their knee might be scratched, and a small smattering of blood might exist, then chaos  ensues and the cries for mommy begin in earnest.  Even a young child can understand: when blood leaves the body, that’s a bad thing.

And yet, despite the common association between blood and death, the opposite is true: blood is symbolic of life.  This wasn’t always accepted in the scientific community, however. Not 300 years ago, if a man took ill the “doctor” of his day might very well have sliced the patients arm open and let the blood pour out. It was thought that the blood could contain disease (which is true in some cases), and that draining the patient of blood would cure him (which is not true, in any case).  George Washington developed a throat infection, and they drained four pounds of blood from his body – which was likely cause of his death.

The point is: YOU NEED BLOOD. And before “modern science” had figured that out, God had already told it to us.

 

For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

(Leviticus 17:11)

 

The reader will notice there are two elements to God’s description of blood’s significance.  The first is the physical element. Man needs his blood to survive physically. The second element is the spiritual. Man needs blood to survive spiritually as well. Whose blood? He needs his blood to survive physically; but what about spiritually? Can my blood save me spiritually? Not at all.

The moment I sinned, I ceased to be pure. My blood ceased to be spiritually-clean. I need someone else’s blood. Whose?  In the case of this verse – written to the children of Israel, living under the Old Law of Moses – the blood was that of an          animal, to be offered to God as an atonement. Not that the blood of an animal could remove the sin (more on that later), but under that Old Law – before the Christ had arrived – an animal was an approved-insufficient-substitute. It couldn’t take away sin, but it was approved by God for that time, and for those under that law.

Notice what God says. You need blood to survive physically – so does this animal. So I will take from this animal that which it needs to live physically, so that you might live spiritually.

Ultimately though, better blood is needed. My blood can’t save me. The Old Law, and its animal sacrifices, is extinct – unable to help me today. I need something better; something permanent. What is needed is the same thing that was needed when Moses wrote Leviticus. If those animal sacrifices couldn’t save those Israelites under the Old Law, then what did? The same thing that saves us today.

Those sacrifices were merely a place-holder, until the time when all men could be saved. That time was Calvary. That blood was Jesus’. What blood do we need? We need the blood of THE lamb, as John rightly observed when he saw His Lord approaching (John 1:29). Notice something else John wrote, many years later:

 

…Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

(Revelation 1:5b)

 

Why His blood? What’s so special about the blood of Christ? Why do I need it? What does it offer? How do I contact it, and receive it’s saving power?

Just before his arrest and crucifixion, Jesus partook of the Jewish feast, Passover. He had done so in prior years with his disciples, but this Passover was a significant one for the Lord (Luke 22:15). The significance of the event was that it was his last Passover. He was about to die, and He had words to share with those on whom would be the burden of the growth of the early church.

We know the words; we’ve read them countless times. Often they are read before Christians take the Lord’s Supper. He gave his disciples the unleavened bread, and made a connection to it and to his own body which he was about to break for us all (1 Corinthians 11:24). Then, the disciples to their drinks – containing the fruit of the vine – and Jesus made a connection between that drink and His blood which He was soon to pour out…

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;
For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

(Matthew 26:27-28)

 

From these two verses, we can learn practically every reason why the blood of Christ is so significant – and why it, above all others, is the what we need to be saved from our sins.

Focus on v28, as the verse is divided into four parts:

 

“THIS IS MY BLOOD”

 

Whose blood do we need? Christ’s blood. His blood is special, because He is special. Peter said of Him:

 

Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:

(I Peter 2:22).

 

The word “guile” means “deceit” or “falseness.” In other words, Jesus was a man of outstanding moral character. But that can be said of many men, one might argue. None, however, lived a life entirely of outstanding moral character. None, other than Jesus, lived a life devoid of sin.

Paul would contrast Jesus to the old High Priests of the Old Law of Moses:

 

For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

(Hebrews 4:15)

 

Jesus is like us in that He was tempted by Satan (Matthew 4). But He is unlike us, in that He never indulged. The contrast to those old High Priests is obvious. Here were men whose entire function in life was to approach God on behalf of the people. And yet, before doing anything on Israel’s behalf, they first had to ceremonially cleanse themselves. Why? Because they themselves had sinned.

If the High Priest of old entered into the Most Holy Place of the Temple (beyond the veil) without cleansing himself, he would have fallen dead on the spot. Those High Priests – even if they wanted to – could never offer themselves as a sacrifice for the people’s sins. Their blood was stained with their own sin.

Even if all the population of planet Earth (7 Billion+) assembled themselves and offered a collective sacrifice to try and appease God it wouldn’t matter. Our blood can’t get the job done. We need His blood.

 

Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

(1 Peter 1:18-19)

 

His blood is precious – of great value. It’s worth something to us, considering what it did for us. But it’s also worth something to God. It’s the blood of His Son after all. It’s precious to the Father. And it was valuable enough to pay the price of man’s redemption.

 

…feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

(Acts 20:28b)

 

We need blood, yes. But more specifically, we need HIS blood.

 

 

“OF THE NEW TESTAMENT”

 

The word “Testament” as used in the Bible, means “Covenant” or “an agreement between two parties – in this case man and God.”  There have been two covenants in the history of the world. There was the first, called the Law of Moses. It was an agreement between God and the descendants of Abraham – the nation of Israel. This covenant, or law, or testament, had one specific purpose: To show man what sin is (Romans 7:7), and to point to the ultimate Savior of sin (Galatians 3:24).

Notice Paul’s writings, as he lays out the need for the New Covenant:

 

But now hath He obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also He is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.
For finding fault with them, He saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

(Hebrews 8:6-8)

 

There had been a covenant with Israel, but that covenant was – by God’s design – flawed. The flaw was that it could not take away sin (again, by God’s design). So since the first Law was “flawed” there was need for a second.  But with all covenants, there must first be a mediator of that law. Moses was the mediator of the first covenant (Exodus 24:8). Guess Who was the mediator of the second? Bingo. Jesus is the mediator of a BETTER covenant – a BETTER Law – a BETTER Testament (Hebrews 8:6).

Think about that word Testament. It’s a word used often in association with a will.  When someone is near death they make out their “last will and testament.” That will contains all the blessings the dying person wishes to bestow on his loved ones.

Jesus had a last will and testament. He spoke of it (Matthew 26:28), and established that His blood was ink which signed, sealed, and delivered those “better promises” (Hebrews 8:6) to the saved. Contrast again the sacrifices of the Old Testament and those of the New Testament:

 

For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:
Nor yet that He should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;
For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.

 (Hebrews 9:24-26)

 

Notice another text:

For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

(Hebrews 10:4)

 

Those old High Priests offered sacrificed because of the sins of people, but…

the sacrifices were of animals…
the sacrifices were performed in temples made with hands…
the sacrifices had to be offered year after year after year after year…
those sacrifices could never take away sin

 

Jesus (the High Priest of the Christians) offered His sacrifice because of sin…

He Himself was the sacrifice…
He entered into Heaven itself…
He offered himself once and for all…
His sacrifice obliterates my sin from God’s memory (Hebrews 10:17).

 

Just imagine the stench that must have permeated constantly throughout Jerusalem in those days. Daily sacrifices were offered, with a variety of animals being killed, and their blood and carcass’ offered on a fire. It must have been a foul smelling land. And yet, it was what God wanted in those days (the smell stank to High Heaven – literally).

Now there is but one sacrifice; one better offering. As Jesus said to His loved ones around the Passover table: We need HIS blood, of the NEW Testament.

 

 

“WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY”

 

How many is “many?”

There are some who say that salvation is not for “many” but is for a “few.” Now it is true that “few” will ultimately be saved. Jesus Himself makes that clear (Matthew 7:14). It is absolutely false, however, to say that few CAN be saved. All CAN be saved, whether you are a happy little church-goer, or a terrorist hiding in a cave plotting thousands of deaths.

It is insulting to the mercy of God and the intelligence of the Bible reader to argue that salvation is FOR a FEW. God sent His Son to die for “the world” (John 3:16). The Grace of God that brings salvation has appeared unto ALL MEN (Titus 2:11). God wants ALL MEN to be saved (1 Timothy 2:4).

It’s true that predestination is a factor in man’s salvation (Romans 8:30). But it’s not the MAN who is predestinated, it is the PLAN (Romans 8:29). If I’m going to be saved, it’s going to be according to God’s design. If I’m going to be saved, it will be because I chose to be conformed to the image of His Son. That’s the predestinated plan of man’s salvation.

To argue that God has pre-selected certain people to be either saved or lost, and that they have no say in the matter is the most grotesque religious doctrine ever vomited from the mouth of false teachers. Hear the invitation of Christ:

 

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest…

(Matthew 11:28)

 

But the student of John Calvin would say: “Shh…the dirty little secret is: Jesus didn’t mean it. What he meant was ‘come unto me only those God has pre-selected…’ John Calvin had the idea that those who were saved or lost were predestinated to be so. They had no say in the matter; God decided it and that was that.

If that’s true, then what kind of an evil, lying, emotionally manipulative God is God? He would not be One worthy of my praise, and certainly not one deserving of my obedience.

But thankfully Calvin was very wrong. His idea is unbiblical garbage. The truth is, even if you dear reader, were the one and only person in the history of humanity that needed salvation, Jesus still would have died for you.

How many is “many?” As many as need it. And that’s everybody, because all have sinned and come short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23), and therefore all need salvation – all need HIS blood of the NEW Testament, which was shed…

 

 

“FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS”

Let’s go back and look closer at the statement made by Jesus:

 

For this is my blood

of the new testament,

which is shed for many

for the remission of sins.

(Matthew 26:28)

 

The reader will notice that the word “for” appears three times in this text.  And though each word appears to be the same in the English, there are actually three different words used here.

First consider the sometimes-difficulty of the English language. If I said “You should see this movie, it’s for anyone who loves a good film.” What does that word “for” mean? In that case it means “with regards to.” It refers to a specific type of person or persons. “You should see this movie, it concerns anyone who loves a good film.”

What if I said “I am being chased by the police for stealing a loaf of bread.” (Les Misérables, anyone?). In this case the word “for” doesn’t mean “with respect to.” It means “because.” “I’m being chased because I stole bread.”

What if I said “For five dollars, can you tell me the name of the first president of the USA?”  Here I don’t mean “With respect to five dollars…” nor “because of five dollars…” It’s obviously “In order to obtain five dollars…”

In each of the three examples, the same word (“for”) was used, yet each time the meaning was different. Thus, the sometimes-difficulty of the English Language. The Greek language, on the other hand, is a precise language. One word has one meaning. So the word the means “in order to obtain” doesn’t also mean “because” or “with respect to.” Those are all different words.

Now again notice the statement made by Jesus in Matthew 26:28, and again notice the three uses of the word “for.”  Each of these words is a different word in the original language of the New Testament (Greek).

 

FOR (γάρ – BECAUSE) – this is my blood of the New Testament…

Which is shed FOR (περί – WITH RESPECT TO) many…

FOR (εἰς – IN ORDER TO OBTAIN) the remission of sins.

 

Now that we see the meaning of the words of the words, let’s translate the text to a more understandable version:

  Because this is My blood of the New Testament,

which is shed with respect to many

in order to obtain the remission of sins.

 

As a matter of fact, pay close attention to that last clause in the verse: for the remission of sins.  In the original the words are:

εἰς  ἄφεσις  ἁμαρτία (literally:  in order to obtain   remission   sin).

Jesus shed his blood so that all of us – the many sinners throughout history – could obtain remission (literally: the turning away from) sin.

That’s what we want if we don’t have it. That’s what we thank God for daily if we have it.  Jesus didn’t shed his blood because of remission of sins. He would have said γάρ (because) if that were the case. He didn’t shed his blood concerning remission of sins. He would have said περί (with regard to), if that were the case. No. He said He shed His blood so that we could OBTAIN remission of sins.

So…how do I?

 

Notice the words Peter spoke to those sinners who had learned they were responsible for the death of Christ. They had just cried out “What shall we do!?” To which Peter responds:

 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Acts 2:38)

 

Notice the command the inspired Peter placed on the people. First “repent.” In the Greek the word is “μετανοέω” which means literally to change the mind. This change of mind will RESULT in a change of action, but it begins with an internal decision. Remember the story Jesus told of the father with two sons (Matthew 21:28-29). He said to the first son “Go work in my vineyard.” The son said “I will not” but afterward – now notice the TWO things the son does – “he (1) REPENTED and (2) WENT.” First he changed his mind. It was an internal decision brought about by sorrow for disrespecting his father. That sorrow motivated him to change his action (the external decision) and to do what his father commanded. He repented and went.

The same is true with us and the Heavenly Father. He commanded us to obey Him, but we did not. Not Peter commands us to repent. That’s an internal decision that is brought about by sorrow toward God (2 Corinthians 7:10). That sorrow motivates us to change our action and do what the Father commands.

What does he command? What did Peter say:

 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

(Acts 2:38)

 

Repent AND be baptized.

Remember the meaning of the word “remission?” It means “to turn away from.”  Repentance is the decision of turning away from sin. Being baptized is the action of turning away from sin.  It takes both for God to actually turn you away from sin, however.

Man is not saved by repentance alone; he’s not saved by being sorry he’s a sinner. Man is not saved by baptism alone; he’s not saved by being dunked in water – water doesn’t save.  We are saved by the Grace of God (Titus 2:11). But we are commanded to obey.

And what, specifically, does repenting and being baptized, do for me? It brings about the remission of sins. “For the remission of sins” Peter says.  But someone will argue, “Yes, but ‘for’ here means ‘because.’”  You see, you’re saved and THEN you’re baptized – you’re baptized BECAUSE you’re saved.

And if we only had access to the English translation, such an argument might go a ways. Instead the argument just goes away. Because the words used by Peter in the original are the EXACT SAME words used by Jesus in Matthew 26:28. Jesus said He shed His blood so that I could εἰς  ἄφεσις  ἁμαρτία (obtain remission of sins).

Peter told me how to contact that blood. Repent and be baptized εἰς  ἄφεσις  ἁμαρτία (in order toobtain remission of sins). Peter could’ve (and would’ve) used the word that meant because (γάρ) if he meant salvation came before baptism. He didn’t. Because it doesn’t. Jesus said so (Mark 16:16). Phillip said so (Acts 8:35-39). Paul was told so (Acts 22:16). And so on.

 

The reality of the situation could not be clearer: We need blood. We need it to live physically, and we need it to live spiritually; my own for the former – my Lord’s for the latter.

We need HIS blood…of the NEW Testament…shed FOR MANY…FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS.

We contact it as believers in Christ, through repentance and baptism – at which point our sins are washed away. Do we deserve it? No. Our salvation is made possible by the Amazing Grace of the God.

Aren’t you thankful for His blood? Have you let it wash your sins away?

If not, why not?

Think about it,
have a great day!