Jesus’ words at the Last Supper are some of the most well-known words in the Bible. Christians recite them when taking communion, at Easter time, and whenever we discuss Jesus’ death. What Jesus says about his death at the Last Supper is significant because it reveals a number of purposes for his death. In this article, I will focus on what Jesus says about his blood in Matthew 26:28.
Jesus claims that his death on the cross is a substitutionary sacrifice that makes atonement between God and man when he says his blood “is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” in Matthew 26:28. Jesus’ language suggests he is the antitype to the sin offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13.
I. Jesus’ Death Alludes to the Sin Offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13
The most information we receive about the purpose and significance of Jesus’ death in the Gospel of Matthew are Jesus’ words at the Last Supper. When Jesus hands the cup of red wine to the apostles he says that the wine represents (1) his blood, (2) “which is poured out,” (3) “for many,” (4) “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28).
The way Jesus describes his blood (that is, his death) is important for understanding his death. There is only one place in the Old Testament that speaks of (1) blood (2) being poured out (3) for people (4) for the forgiveness of sins. That one place is the sin offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13.
The passage on the sin offering is so long because it speaks about the sin offering for the priest who sins (Lev 4:1–12), all of Israel when they sin as one (4:13–21), the leaders of Israel when they sin (4:22–26), the common people when they sin (4:27–35), and any person who becomes unclean by not testifying when he should, by touching something unclean, or by uttering a rash oath (5:1–13). Because the basic elements of the sin offering are the same for each sinner, let’s focus on the sin offering for the common person in Leviticus 4:27–35 to show how Matthew 26:28 alludes to the sin offering.
“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’S commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed. And he shall lay his hand on the head of the sin offering and kill the sin offering in the place of burnt offering. And the priest shall take some of its blood with his finger and put it on the horns of the altar of burnt offering and pour out all the rest of its blood at the base of the altar. And all its fat he shall remove, as the fat is removed from the peace offerings, and the priest shall burn it on the altar for a pleasing aroma to the LORD. And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.”
LEVITICUS 4:27–31, emphasis added
A. “Blood Poured Out” (Matt 26:28; Lev 4:30, 34)
The first thing Jesus says about his blood in Matthew 26:28 is that it is “poured out.” In the Old Testament, the pouring out of blood refers to either murder or to an animal sacrifice. We see in Leviticus 4:30 and 4:34 that the blood of the goat and lamb is poured out as a sacrifice. Note the similarity of language used:
Matthew 26:28 | Leviticus 4:1–5:13 LXX |
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τὸ αἷμά . . . ἐκχυννόμενον (ἐκχέω) “blood . . . which is poured out” (ESV) | πᾶν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῆς ἐκχεεῖ (ἐκχέω) (Lev 4:30; cf. 4:7, 18, 25, 34) “he will pour out all its blood” (Adam’s translation of LXX) “the priest shall . . . pour out all the rest of its blood” (ESV) |
B. “For Many” (Matt 26:28; Lev 4:31, 35)
The second thing Jesus says about his blood is that it is poured out “for many” (Matt 26:28). It is noteworthy that the preposition “for” in Matthew 26:28 is different from that used in Mark 14:24 and Luke 22:20. Although the English is the same, the Greek is not.
- Mark 14:24 says, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for [ὑπέρ] many.”
- Luke 22:20 says, “This cup that is poured out for [ὑπέρ] you is the new covenant in my blood.”
- Matthew 26:28 says, “for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for [περί] many.”
The two Greek prepositions ὑπέρ and περί have a similar semantic overlap, meaning they can be used interchangeably. They are not exact synonyms, but they do have semantic overlap (see BDAG, s.v. “περί”; “ὑπέρ”; Daniel Wallace, GGBB, 379). Within the context of the Last Supper and Jesus’ death, both prepositions can mean either that Jesus is dying for the advantage of “many” or that he is dying in the place of “many”; that is, he is dying as a substitution for “many.”
Without a doubt, the preposition ὑπέρ (the one used in Mark and Luke) more often refers to substitution. Jesus’ blood is poured out on behalf of the many, as a substitution so that their blood does not have to be poured out.
If ὑπέρ is the more common preposition used to refer to substitution and is clearly what Jesus means when he says his blood is poured out “for” (i.e., in substitution for) many, then why does Matthew use περί, a different preposition that can still refer to substitution, but not as frequently?
The answer is because Matthew the Gospel writer is guiding us to the sin offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13. The sin offering is given to “make atonement” for (περί) the sinner! The preposition περί is another allusion to the sin offering.
Matthew 26:28 | Leviticus 4:1–5:13 LXX |
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τὸ αἷμά . . . ἐκχυννόμενον (ἐκχέω) “blood . . . which is poured out” (ESV) | πᾶν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῆς ἐκχεεῖ (ἐκχέω) (Lev 4:30; cf. 4:7, 18, 25, 34) “he will pour out all its blood” (Adam’s translation of LXX) “the priest shall . . . pour out all the rest of its blood” (ESV) |
τὸ περὶ πολλῶν “for many” (ESV) | περὶ αὐτοῦ (Lev 4:31, cf. 4:20, 26, 35; 5:6, 13) “for him” (ESV) |
Although περί does not refer to substitution in Leviticus 4:1–5:13, the sin offering itself is a substitutionary offering. The bull, goat, lamb, or whatever animal is required to be sacrificed is killed (i.e., has its blood poured out) in place of (i.e., as a substitute) the sinner, so that the sinner does not die! The penalty of sin is death. A substitute is needed so that all people do not die!
C. “For the Forgiveness of Sins” (Matt 26:28; Lev 4:30)
The third thing Jesus says about his blood is that it is poured out “for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28). It should not surprise us that the sin offering also results in the forgiveness of sins. Once again, the language of the sin offering is the same as that for Jesus’ blood.
Matthew 26:28 | Leviticus 4:1–5:13 LXX |
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τὸ αἷμά . . . ἐκχυννόμενον (ἐκχέω) “blood . . . which is poured out” (ESV) | πᾶν τὸ αἷμα αὐτῆς ἐκχεεῖ (ἐκχέω) (Lev 4:30; cf. 4:7, 18, 25, 34) “he will pour out all its blood” (Adam’s translation of LXX). “the priest shall . . . pour out all the rest of its blood” (ESV). |
τὸ περὶ πολλῶν “for many” (ESV) | περὶ αὐτοῦ (Lev 4:31, cf. 4:20, 26, 35; 5:6, 13) “for him” (ESV) |
εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν “for the forgiveness of sins” (ESV) | περὶ τῆς ἁμαρτίας, ἧς ἥμαρτεν, καὶ ἀφεθήσεται αὐτῷ (Lev 4:35; cf. Lev 4:20, 26, 31; 5:6, 10, 13) “for the sin which he sinned, and it [the sin] will be forgiven him” (Adam’s translation of LXX). “for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven” (ESV). Also see Leviticus 4:20, which uses language more akin to Matthew 26:28: ἀφεθήσεται αὐτοῖς ἡ ἁμαρτία (Lev 4:20) “their sins will be forgiven them” (Adam’s translation of LXX). “they shall be forgiven” (ESV). |
Not only does Jesus’ blood result in the forgiveness of sin, but so does the sin offering.
D. The combination of “blood,” “poured out,” “for” someone, and “for forgiveness of sins”
On their own, (1) “blood,” (2) being “poured out,” (3) “for” someone, and (4) “for the forgiveness of sins” do not allude to anything. There are many many passages that on their own speak about blood, which is poured out, or use περί, or speak about the forgiveness of sins. But there is only one passage in the Old Testament where we find the fourfold combination of (1) “blood,” (2) being “poured out,” (3) “for” someone, and (4) “for the forgiveness of sins.” That one place is the sin offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13. Thus, we can confidently say that Jesus’ words in Matthew 26:28 allude to the sin offering.
II. The Purpose of the Sin Offering: To Make Atonement
Now that we know Jesus’ words about his blood in Matthew 26:28 allude to the sin offering of Leviticus 4:1–5:13, we need to understand the purpose of the sin offering; that is, what the sin offering does. This will help shed light on Jesus’ death.
A. The Sin Offering Is for Those Who Sin and Are Unclean
We first discover that the sin offering is for any one of God’s people who either (a) sins unintentionally and then realizes his/her guilt or (b) who becomes unclean by touching an unclean thing and realizes his/her guilt:
- “If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the LORD’S commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed” (Lev 4:27–28; cf. Lev 4:13–14, 22–23; 5:1)
- “or if anyone touches an unclean thing, whether a carcass of an unclean wild animal or a carcass of unclean livestock or a carcass of unclean swarming things, and it is hidden from him and he has become unclean, and he realizes his guilt; or if he touches human uncleanness, of whatever sort the uncleanness may be with which one becomes unclean, and it is hidden from him, when he comes to know it, and realizes his guilt” (Lev 5:2–3)
Sin and uncleanness are serious issues in the life of God’s people. Because God dwells with his people and because God is perfectly holy (as Leviticus makes clear), God’s people must be perfectly holy. Sin and uncleanness mar the holiness of God’s people and make them unclean (non-holy).
Because God is perfectly holy, he will lash out in wrath and kill those who are unclean. This is why God gave all the laws and sacrifices in the Sinai covenant. The laws are so that God’s people know how to live holy lives so that they do not bring the wrath of God upon themselves. The sacrifices are mostly given for those occasions when God’s people do not perfectly obey God’s laws and bring God’s wrath upon them. The sacrifices restore the relationship between God and his people, diverting God’s wrath off them. And this is exactly what the sin offering is doing.
B. The Purpose of the Sin Offering Is to Make Atonement
The purpose of the sin offering is to restore the relationship between God’s people who become aware of their sin and uncleanness, thereby diverting God’s wrath off them and onto the sacrificial animal. This is called atonement. That the sin offering’s purpose is to make atonement is made explicitly clear many times throughout Leviticus 4:1–5:13.
- “And the priest shall make atonement for them, and they shall be forgiven.” (Lev 4:20)
- “So the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin, and he shall be forgiven.” (Lev 4:26)
- “And the priest shall make atonement for him, and he shall be forgiven.” (Lev 4:31)
- “And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.” (Lev 4:35)
- “And the priest shall make atonement for him for his sin.” (Lev 5:6)
- “And the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin that he has committed, and he shall be forgiven.” (Lev 5:10)
- “Thus the priest shall make atonement for him for the sin which he has committed in any one of these things, and he shall be forgiven.” (Lev 5:13)
Because God is perfectly holy, his people with whom he dwells must be perfectly holy otherwise God’s wrath will burn against them and he will kill them because death is the penalty for sin and uncleanness. The sin offering diverts God’s wrath off the sinner and onto the sacrificial animal (whether it is a bull, goat, or lamb), forgiving the sinner of his sin and resulting in a restored relationship with God—making atonement.
We can put it like this: The (1) blood of the sin offering sacrificial animal is (2) poured out (3) in place of (i.e., “for”) the sinner so that the sinner can have (4) forgiveness of sin, resulting in (5) a restored relationship between God and the sinner—making atonement.
III. Jesus’ Death: A Substitutionary Atoning Sacrifice
In light of the allusion to the sin offering, what do we make of Jesus’ death as described in Matthew 26:28? It seems quite clear that if the sacrificial animal’s (1) blood is (2) “poured out,” (3) “for” the sinner as a substitution, and (4) “for the forgiveness of sins,” resulting in atonement, then Jesus’ (1) blood is (2) “poured out,” (3) “for” the sinner as a substitution, and (4) “for the forgiveness of sins,” resulting in atonement. Jesus is telling the disciples at the Last Supper and us who read Matthew’s Gospel that his death on the cross is a substitutionary atoning sacrifice!
Jesus died on the cross in the place of sinners, as our substitute, so that we who believe in Jesus do not have to die for our sin and uncleanness, but instead can be forgiven for all our sin and have a restored relationship with God (atonement), meaning that God can now live with us and we can live with God in peace without worrying about him lashing out at us in divine justified wrath. By alluding to the sin offering, Jesus is telling us that his death makes atonement between God and sinners.
IV. Jesus’ Death: A Better Atoning Sacrifice
Jesus’ death, however, is not just a substitutionary atoning sacrifice like the sin offering. It is a better substitutionary atoning sacrifice.
- Whereas the sin offering atones for unintentional sins, Jesus’ death atones for all sins.
- Whereas the sin offering must be offered repeatedly every time a person realizes his sin and his guilt to make atonement, Jesus’ death is a once-for-all offering to make atonement for all sins past, present, and future and removes all guilt once-for-all.
- Whereas the sin offering enables God to dwell amongst his people without killing them, Jesus’ offering of himself enables God to dwell inside his people through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.
The presence of both analogy between Jesus offering himself on the cross and the sin offering as well as escalation in that Jesus’ offering is better than the sin offering indicates that the sin offering was pointing forward to and prophetically predicting Jesus’ death, the better sacrifice, the better sin offering. The sin offering was the type that prophetically predicted Jesus’ offering of himself on the cross (the antitype). Thus, Jesus’ death on the cross prophetically fulfills the sin offering.
V. Summary and Concluding Thoughts
When Jesus gave his disciples the cup of wine and told them, “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matt 26:28), he was telling his disciples that He, Jesus, is dying in their place, taking the punishment for their sin, so that they may have permanent forgiveness of sins and be permanently reconciled to God the Father. Jesus was telling them that He is the once-for-all substitutionary atoning sacrifice.
I don’t know about you, but I am a sinner. My life is full of sin. I do not treat my wife as I should, my children as I should, my neighbour as I should. I do not love God as I should (with all my heart, soul, mind and strength). I go through life unclean because of my sin and the unclean things with which I carelessly come into contact.
But I want to be close to the one true God, my creator, my Lord. How can I be close to such a holy and pure God without him striking me dead on account of my uncleanness? I don’t want God to kill me. I don’t want God opposed to me. I need reconciliation; I need relationship restoration; I need atonement!
Thanks be to God that the sin offering was temporary and pointed to the better offering. It pointed to Jesus’ once-for-all substitutionary atoning sacrifice. I do not have to die for my sin and I don’t have to offer sacrifices for my sin throughout my lifetime. To atone for my sin and maintain permanent peace between me (a sinner) and God (the perfectly holy and pure creator), all I have to do is repent of my sin and believe in Jesus, his death and resurrection.
Upon believing in Jesus, I the sinner am united with Jesus’ death, my sins are permanently forgiven, atonement is permanently made between God and me, and God then dwells within me through his Holy Spirit because there is permanent peace between us. This is the good news for all sinners. This is why we celebrate the cross of Christ.