Day 3: Tuesday, March 24

Matthew 26:26-35. And as they were eating, Jesus taking the bread, and blessing, broke it, and gave to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is My body. And taking the cup, and giving thanks, He gave it to them saying, Drink out of it, all of you; for this is My blood, the blood of the New Covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins. And I say to you, that I will not drink henceforth of this produce of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in the kingdom of My Father. And when they had sung a hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives. Then says Jesus to them, All of you shall be made to stumble in Me in this night; for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered. But after I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee. But Peter answering, said to Him, Though all shall be made to stumble in Thee, I will never be made to stumble. Jesus declared to him, Amen I say to thee, that in this night, before the cock crows, thou shalt three times deny Me. Peter says to Him, Though I must die with Thee, I will not deny Thee. Likewise said all the disciples.

True Christian Religion 706. The Lord’s “blood” means His Divine truth and the truth of the Word, because His “flesh,” spiritually understood, means the Divine good of love, and in Him these two are united. It is known that the Lord is the Word, and there are two things to which everything in the Word has relation, Divine good and Divine truth, if therefore, instead of “the Lord” we say “the Word,” it is clear that these two are meant by His flesh and blood. That “blood” means the Lord’s Divine truth or the truth of the Word is evident from many passages, as, for example, where blood is called “the blood of the covenant,” “covenant” meaning conjunction, which is effected by the Lord by means of His Divine truth; as in Zechariah:

By the blood of thy covenant I will send forth the bound out of the pit (9:11).

And in Moses: When Moses had read the book of the law in the ears of the people, he sprinkled half of the blood upon the people and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which Jehovah hath concluded with you upon all these words (Ex. 24:3-8). And Jesus took the cup and gave to them, saying, This is My blood of the new covenant (Matt. 26:27, 28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20).

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