Understanding Communion: The Cup of the New Covenant

By Robb Brunansky

Published January 7, 2025

As we continue our study of the Lord’s Supper, we now want to look at the meaning of the cup (Luke 22:20). There are two major questions when we arrive at this element: What is the meaning of the new covenant, and,Why is it significant that Jesus’ blood was poured out for us?

In this post, we will focus on the significance of the new covenant in relation to the Lord’s Supper.

The new covenant is central to the Lord’s Supper, but unfortunately not often discussed. This omission is problematic because the new covenant is critical to an understanding of how God relates to His people in Christ.

When Christians fail to understand the new covenant, there is a breakdown in our relationship with God and a lack of appreciation for all Christ achieved. Additionally, when we neglect to grasp the new covenant’s significance, we are robbed of precious truths that would help strengthen our faith in the Lord. These failures usually begin at this table.

In the new covenant, especially at the Lord’s Supper, God brings us near to Himself through Jesus Christ. This covenant is vitally important to Christianity, and we have the opportunity to remind ourselves that we are members of this promise whenever we come to the Lord’s Table.

A proper understanding the new covenant commences in the Old Testament, where it was first promised. We see in the Book of Jeremiah that this covenant encompasses a vital relationship with God, knowledge of the Lord, and forgiveness of sins (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

This passage in Jeremiah highlights that the New Covenant is not like the Old Mosaic Covenant. If Israel did not obey the Ten Commandments, and all that flowed from the ordinances by implication, then the covenant would be broken, and curses would come. We know God’s people repeatedly transgressed this covenant, and judgment did follow. However, judgment was not the final word because the Lord planned a new covenant yet to come for His people.

During His earthly ministry, Jesus referred to this new covenant, indicating it would be inaugurated through His death (Luke 22). To assist us in understanding how God draws us near to Himself in Christ, we should consider how the new covenant is unlike the old. The Apostle Paul provides a contrast in 2 Corinthians 3 to help with this exercise. There are four ways in this passage God brings us near to Himself through Christ in the new covenant.

First, God gives an internal change, not an external code, under the new covenant.

The Law was an external code of commands: “Do this and you will live.” However, the new covenant is not written down on tablets of stone. Instead, God now transforms us from within.

The great promise of this covenant is that God removes our hearts of stone and replaces them with beating hearts of flesh. Divine words on stone were never of any salvific use to the hearers because a veil shrouded their hearts (verse 15). Yet, when someone believes in Christ as Lord, the heart that could not see now sees (verse 16). Also under the new covenant, all believers are being continually transformed into Christ’s image from within (verse 18).

These realities are the miracle of the new covenant. When an external code came from God, we were powerless to obey before a heart transformation. We don’t need an external code but internal transformation. Additionally, unlike those in the Old Testament who sometimes were reticent to draw near to the Lord out of terror, new covenant believers understand God desires close fellowship with His people.

Second, God gives life, rather than death, under the new covenant.

When God made the covenant with Israel, there was a palpable terror amongst the people. The old covenant came with awesome glory, but also carried overwhelming fear and fatal penalties.

Paul characterizes the old covenant as one of death even though the law was good. The problem here was not the Law or the covenant, but that the people were not good, righteous, and holy in and of themselves. The consequence of this collision is always catastrophic – death.

However, the new covenant is a ministry of the Spirit, who was given following the resurrection of our Lord (verse 8). The emphasis on the Holy Spirit points to life through this covenant. We who were once dead in sin became alive. Christ did not bring a covenant like the old. Rather, He brought a ministry of life engraved on our hearts by the Spirit of the living God.

Third, God gives righteousness, rather than condemnation, under the new covenant.

The contrast is seen clearly when the law is called a ministry of condemnation (2 Corinthians 3:9). This condemnation comes, not through fault of the Law, but because humans are sinners by nature. The law could not make anyone obedient; it could only highlight failures to obey, showing the true nature of our rebellious hearts. The same is true about sacrifices, which only served to remind individuals of their condemnation until God would provide a perfect, atoning lamb.

However, the new covenant dispenses righteousness and grace, because Christ was righteous for us. In Him, as members of the new covenant, God pronounces us no longer condemned under the law. This covenant cannot be broken, because it was already kept by Jesus.

So, when we come to the table, we must understand God speaks in the cup of the new covenant to the Christian, saying, “You are righteous in My Son.” What more could sinners need to hear? We come into church with a week’s worth of sins on our consciences, thinking, “I’m not worthy. How can I eat and drink here?” That’s why Jesus says, “This cup is the new covenant.” God declares, “You are righteous in Christ because you are a member of the covenant My Son secured.” Believers can come to the Lord’s table with joy, gratitude, praise, and worship because we are no longer condemned. We are righteous and justified before God in Christ.

Finally, we receive lasting glory, rather than fading glory, under this new covenant.

The glory of the old covenant was always intended to be temporary, which was made obvious with Moses (2 Corinthians 3:11). When Moses wore a veil before the people of Israel so they would not see the fading glory of the Lord upon his face was a parable of sorts to show that this old covenant would one day fade, and that a new glory would eclipse and replace it.

However, this new covenant remains with a glory that surpasses that of the old. No new covenant saint puts on a veil to hide the Lord’s glory that shines from our faces because of the Spirit’s work in us. Instead, all Christians reflect God’s glory like a mirror. The Spirit transforms us, and we shine our light before the world, a light that will never fade. Our goal is that God might be glorified eternally through us.

This truth should be convicting. Do our faces reflect God’s glory? Is that glory increasing or fading? This divine glory reflects Jesus Christ’s character and attributes of holiness, love, grace, mercy, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, righteousness, wisdom, and so on. Christians are called to let our light shine so the watching world might glorify our Father in heaven. What an amazing reality that God in Christ brings us near by making us like Himself in the new covenant.

We are now back to Jesus’ command for the Lord’s Table. The phrase “new covenant” should land on us with greater glory, weight, and significance. The Lord’s Supper is a covenant meal, and it celebrates this new covenant.