The Creator Pays The Price: Luke 22:14-20

Focus Passage: Luke 22:14-20 (GNT)

 14 When the hour came, Jesus took his place at the table with the apostles. 15 He said to them,
         I have wanted so much to eat this Passover meal with you before I suffer! 16 For I tell you, I will never eat it until it is given its full meaning in the Kingdom of God.

 17 Then Jesus took a cup, gave thanks to God, and said,
         Take this and share it among yourselves. 18 I tell you that from now on I will not drink this wine until the Kingdom of God comes.

 19 Then he took a piece of bread, gave thanks to God, broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
         This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in memory of me. 20 In the same way, he gave them the cup after the supper, saying,
         This cup is God’s new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.

Read Luke 22:14-20 in context and/or in other translations on BibleGateway.com!

In today’s passage, we touch on one of the most powerful big ideas that we can find within the gospels. It is found within the event most often called “the last supper”. It is within this context, and within Jesus’ words to the disciples, that we find something absolutely amazing:

This cup is God’s new covenant sealed with my blood, which is poured out for you.” (v. 20)

What had been symbolized for centuries up to this point by the sacrifice of an innocent lamb is now being fulfilled with the sacrifice of God. The old covenant was sealed through the blood of a lamb, while the new covenant is sealed by the blood of God.

Have you ever thought about God “bleeding” before?

In this passage, our all powerful and immortal God chooses to pour out His blood (which is another way to say His life) for us. Jesus’ blood seals a brand new covenant between us and God.

I cannot think of anything more amazing than this. Never in history that I am aware of can I find a more amazing act of humility, or a more powerful demonstration of love than this.

But if we look deeper, we can also see something interesting.

In both cases, with both the old covenant and the new covenant, humans do not pay the price for their sins. With the old covenant, an innocent lamb pays the price. With the new covenant, the “Lamb of God” (one of Jesus’ many symbolic names) pays the price. In both cases, we as humans are dependent on something external to save us.

However, when we take this idea further, when “the creation” (the innocent lamb) pays the price, the sacrifice is not enough. It is enough to cover the sin of the one paying the price, but not enough to restore a relationship with the Creator. This is why the old covenant was destined to fail.

The new covenant is different. When the Creator pays the price (forgives the debtor by absorbing the debt upon Himself), relationship can be restored.

This thought was inspired by studying the Walking With Jesus “Reflective Bible Study” package. To discover insights like this in your own study time, click here and give Reflective Bible Study a try today!

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