He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: ‘This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

Wine With a Meaning

9. What other emblem did Jesus say should be used?

⁹ Jesus used another symbol: “He also took a cup, and after thanking God he gave it to them saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; this means my blood, the new covenant-blood, shed for many, to win the remission of their sins.’” (Matthew 26:27, 28, Moffatt) What was in that communal cup that he passed, and what does it mean for us as we strive to discern what we ourselves are?

10. How did wine find a place in the Jewish Passover?

¹⁰ When Moses initially outlined the Passover feast, he mentioned no beverage. Many scholars believe that wine was introduced into the Passover much later, perhaps in the second century B.C.E.b In any event, the use of wine in this meal was common in the first century, and Jesus did not object to it. He used the Passover wine when instituting the Memorial.

11. Wine of what sort is appropriate for use during the Lord’s Evening Meal?

¹¹ Since the Jewish Passover occurred long after the grape harvest, Jesus would have been using, not unfermented juice, but red wine that could easily represent his blood. (Compare Revelation 14:20.) Christ’s blood did not need to be augmented, so plain wine is appropriate, rather than wines fortified with brandy (such as port, sherry, or muscatel) or having spices or herbs added (vermouth, Dubonnet, or many aperitifs). We need not, though, become worried over how a wine was processed, whether some sugar was added during fermentation to make it of average taste or alcohol content or whether a little sulfur was used to prevent spoilage.c Many congregations use a commercial red wine (such as Chianti, Burgundy, Beaujolais, or claret) or simple homemade red wine. The wine and the bread are merely emblems, or symbols; hence, any not used can be taken home and used later simply as other food or beverage items.

12. Jesus explained that the wine has what representative meaning?

¹² The fact that Jesus spoke of his blood on Passover night could have called to mind the lambs’ blood back in Egypt. But note how Jesus actually made a different comparison, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood, which is to be poured out in your behalf.” (Luke 22:20) God had earlier made a covenant with the nation of fleshly Israel, and it was inaugurated with the blood of animal sacrifices. There was a correspondency between the blood of those sacrifices and Jesus’ blood. Both were involved in God’s inaugurating a covenant with a nation of his people. (Exodus 24:3-8; Hebrews 9:17-20) A feature of the Law covenant was that fleshly Israel had the prospect of making up a nation of king-priests. (Exodus 19:5, 6) However, after Israel failed to keep Jehovah’s covenant, he said that he would replace “the former covenant” with “a new covenant.” (Hebrews 9:1, 15; Jeremiah 31:31-34) The cup of wine that Jesus now passed among the faithful apostles represented this new covenant.

1 Corinthians 11:23-

Similarly He took the cup when supper was over, and said: ‘This cup is the new covenant, sealed by my blood; every time that you drink it, do it as my memorial.’”​—An Expanded Paraphrase of the Epistles of Paul, by F. F. Bruce.