The “fruit of the vine” is actually a new phrase coined by our Lord. This tells us what kind of oinois is to make up the contents. The word for blood is “dam.” The juice of the grape shows the picture intended as the blood inside the body that only God could provide. It HAD to be rendered, expunged, poured out. There was never a time in the plan of the Almighty when the blood of Christ was not to be shed, and that purposely. This picture began with the Patriarchal covenant and followed suit throughout the Mosaical Covenant. The purpose of Christ coming in His body prepared Him by the Ancient of Days, before the beginning, was to “shed,” sacrifice, offer the blood within for the sins of mankind—even before man sinned.
Blood contains the essence of animal and human life. Because of the sacredness of life, that energy which only God can give, the Israelites were not allowed to eat-not even eat the flesh from which the blood had not carefully been removed. This prohibition is the essence of the Jewish word “kosher,” which prevents the orthodox Jews, even today, from buying or eating meat which has not been slaughtered and drained under the supervision of a rabbi. In Leviticus 17:10-14, the penalty for the breaking of this law was that the sinner should be “cut off from among his people.” Noah demanded this even in his day. Genesis 9:4 The reason is given for this in verse 11 of Leviticus 17—“I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that makes an atonement for the soul.” It was life for life—the only means God allowed for the tolerance of sin—the sinner deserved to die; therefore the sacrifice must die. Never was the blood of an innocent animal equal to the blood offered by the sinless Son of God. Because of the sacredness of God’s law and the demand of holiness in His creature, man, this principle, so blatantly ignored, is in defiance of God’s law when the Roman Catholic Church teaches the doctrine of trans-substantiation—the changing of the substance from the alcoholic liquor they use to the literal blood of Christ when the priest blesses it. They literally teach the eating of blood!!
God showed the sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice of the innocent animal upon the altar so the sinner could see that something had to die to stop the vengeance of God for breaking His law!! Cain would not be allowed, his offering would not be accepted. God intended to have this shown. Hence, the statement in Hebrews; “without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin” Hebrews 9:22 Again, it is unquestionable that some could assume Christ would come to this earth and not intend to die!! The blood of the animal, although an imperfect type, still showed God’s plan!! The glorious difference between the blood of Christ and that of an animal is that Christ blood caused God to have no remembrance of the sin. Hebrews 8:12.
When we “drink of the contents of the cup, the fruit of the vine,” we are not eating or drinking blood. We are seeing the picture God intends us to see. His Son, sinless and perfect, had to DIE so the vengeance of God would not rest on our heads!! It is that which the kindness of God provided so we could be in fellowship with Him. We, who partake of this cup’s contents without consideration or understanding are mocking the plan of God and the blood of His Son—“eating and drinking damnation” for we have not only showed lack of appreciation and understanding for what God had planned and the blood prepared which His Son shed, we also have shown disdain for THE great sacrifice!! Watch carefully, my brother, how you partake and who you offend!! Serious consideration of this act of worship is advised!!
