The New Covenant

At the conclusion of the Last Supper when, in a candlelit room with his closest friends the twelve disciples, Jesus took the cup of wine in hand and said, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you," [Luke 22:20] it was one of the most glorious moments in redemption's history. That single sentence marked the end of the blood sacrifices of the Old Covenant to be replaced once and for all by His soon-to-be shed blood on the cross and the establishment of the all-surpassing superiority of the New Covenant.

The blood of the Old Covenant sacrifices covered sin but could not remove sin. As the writer of Hebrews so explicitly makes clear, "It is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins [10:4] and "Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins" [10:11]. In fact, it was precisely because no dumb animal was competent to serve as a substitute for a human sinner that there was an unending repetition of sacrifices and those very repetitions bore constant witness to their impotency.

Jesus then told his disciples "It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment." [Luke 22:37] And the future reality for his disciples was that because they followed him, they too would be regarded as transgressors or outlaws. The phrase "and was numbered with the transgressors" in Is. 53 is followed by two other phrases -- "For he bore the sin of many" and "and made intercession for the transgressors." Together these three phrases give us the basis for all the hope we have.

The phrase "and was numbered with the transgressors" was dramatically fulfilled when Jesus was hung on a cross between two thieves. The joyful reality is that we too are the transgressors and on that cross he fully identified with us. And he not only identified with us in our sin, but he atoned for our sin as the next phrase attests "for he bore the sin of many." Whereas it was "impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins," Peter tells us, referring to Is. 53:12, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed" [1 Pet. 2:24].

The final phrase, "and made intercession for the transgressors," is the final and clenching element in this triad of hope! Jesus makes full identification with us transgressors, and then full atonement, and then seals the deal with full intercession for us outlaws. This is why Peter was able to be restored and lead the church after Satan had sifted him hoping to dispose of the wheat and harvest the chaff. But Christ prayed for Peter, and despite Peter's failure, the chaff blew away and the wheat remained. Jesus' intercession is at the root of the New Covenant's superior power. The Old Covenant was administered by mortal priests who were themselves sinners. But Jesus is the eternal priest in the order of Melchizedek according to the eternal oath of God. [Ps. 110:4] This has untold hopeful possibilities for every believer. Hebrews states that "because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Therefore, he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them" [Heb. 7:24, 25] He can save completely because "he always lives to intercede." Though we are finite, he is infinite. Though we are temporal, he is eternal. He prays with the ease of omniscience and omnipotence perfected through his own human suffering. And he is praying for us right now!! And thus we have great hope:)