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When two men pledge their loyalty to each other by comingling their blood, they call themselves blood brothers. Sometimes they put a mark on each other to remind them of their covenant commitment. When Jesus was about to die on the cross for the sins of the world, He engaged in a ceremony to underscore the quality of His love and the durability of His pledge. We read this in Matthew chapter 26: “As they were eating, Jesus took some bread and blessed it. Then he broke it in pieces and gave it to the disciples, saying, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body.” And he took a cup of wine and gave thanks to God for it. He gave it to them and said, “Each of you drink from it, for this is my blood, which confirms the covenant between God and his people. It is poured out as a sacrifice to forgive the sins of many. Mark my words – I will not drink wine again until the day I drink it new with you in my Father’s Kingdom.” The bread and cup represent Christ’s sacrificial suffering to pay the full penalty for our sins. Today He still bears those marks to show that his pledge endures forever. Grateful hearts overflow to give Him thanks. They pledge their loyalty by living each day to please Him—the One who gave His all on their behalf.
