"This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in My blood” NASV
“This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed (poured out) for you.” KJV
I have officiated and participated in more Lord Supper services than I can remember. Hundreds. I am embarrassed to say that I have always made the assumption that the cup referred to in verse 20 represented Jesus’ blood. Seems a logical progression, the bread represented his body and the wine his blood… but. This week I have once again looked at many translations of this verse. They all really say the same thing. The cup represents the covenant. “in my blood” is a phrase that modifies the word "covenant". It tells us information about this covenant. The covenant is also a “new” covenant as well as a covenant “in my blood”. I do not believe that this verse is saying, “This cup is my blood poured out for you as a new covenant. I remember diagramming sentences in my English class and Seminary. The basic sentence is as follows.
Cup is covenant
“new” describes the covenant not the cup.
“in my blood” describes the covenant not the cup.
‘which is poured out(shed) for you may describe either the cup or blood.
So I guess I have to ask myself what it is that I am supposed to remember when I observe the Lord’s Supper. Is it Jesus “blood shed for me” or the new covenant that his shed blood made possible? When he described us participating in the Lord’s Supper, Paul later wrote that we “show forth the Lord’s death till he comes” (1 Corinthians 11:26). Maybe that verse is why we tend to dwell on flesh and blood instead of the New Covenant that his death made possible. Assuming Paul was speaking of Christ's death instead of what that death accomplished. Like observing the Passover and remembering the lambs that were slaughtered and forgetting the deliverance from Egypt.
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