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It is perfectly clear that there was no redemption for sins under the old covenant, for
the blood of Christ includes in its scope the redemption of the transgressions made
against the old covenant. Chapter 10: carries the subject to a definite conclusion.
"For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins;
wherefore coming into the world He saith, Sacrifice and offering Thou didst not desire,
but a body hast Thou prepared Me . . . . . He takes away the first (covenant) that He may
establish the second . . . . . The priest standing daily offering the same sacrifices
oftentimes, which are never able to take away sin; but He, having offered one sacrifice
for sins for ever, sat down at the right hand of God . . . . . wherefore the Holy Spirit is
witness . . . . . this is the covenant that I will make with them . . . . . their sins and
iniquities will I remember no more" (Heb. 10: 1-18).
The Epistle further speaks in 12: 24 of "Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant and
the blood of sprinkling (see 9: 19, 20), that speaketh better things than that of Abel"; and
finally, in 13: 20, speaks of "that great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the
eonian covenant, prepare you in every good work, etc."
There can be no doubt that the blood of Christ is the blood of the new covenant, and
that it is under the new covenant and not the old that sins are forgiven. Further, the blood
is shed for many. When the Scriptures speak of the death of Christ, it is for all, but when
the blood of the covenant is spoken of it is for many. We believe all means something
different from many; and this difference illustrates the narrowing tendency of the
doctrine under view. The death of Christ as viewed in relation to the state of man in
Adam is one thing; the death of Christ as the appointed ratification of the new covenant
by the shedding of His blood is another. It does not follow that because it is written, "As
in Adam all die, so in Christ shall all be made alive," that all are necessarily forgiven,
saved, justified, and blessed with the blessings of redemption. The covenant is not
co-extensive with the extent of Adam's fall, but it operates within that universal sphere.
Continuing our study of the passage in Matt. 26:, we note that the body of Christ is
referred to as well as His blood, and it will be remembered that in Heb. 10: we read that
"it is impossible for the blood of bulls and of goats to take away sins," but we do not read
in the sequel that the blood of Christ does, but rather, "a body hast Thou prepared Me";
"sanctified by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all." Turning to the
Gospel of John, we find no parallel to the passage of Matt. 26: 28. In John 6: we
read of the body and blood of Christ in another setting. By examining the parallels of the
context we find that "believing on Christ" and "drinking His blood" are synonymous,
both result in "eonian life," and that as the expression "drinking His blood" is figurative
(compare verse 47 with 53 and 54), these passages can hardly be taken as being doctrinal
references to the blood of Christ such as we are considering in this series.
The Acts of the Apostles contains but two references to the blood of Christ.
Acts 5: 28 has no doctrinal connection, and so we pass it by. Acts 20: 28 has, and we
will consider its statement.
"The church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood." The last clause,
"with His own blood," presents a difficulty, and has been rendered by many, "with the