Matthew 26:28

τὸ αἷμά μου : the very colour of the wine suggestive; hence called αἷμα σταφυλῆς in Deuteronomy 32:14; my blood, pointing to the passion, like the breaking of the bread. τῆς διαθήκης (for the two gen. μου τ. δ. dependent on αἷμα, vide Winer, 30, 3, 3), the blood of me, of the covenant. The introduction of the idea appropriate to the circumstances: dying men make wills (διατίθενται οἱ ἀποθνήσκοντες, Euthy.). The epithet καινῆς in T. R. is superfluous, because involved in the idea. The covenant of course is new. It is Jeremiah's new covenant come at last. The blood of the covenant suggests an analogy between it and the covenant with Israel ratified by sacrifice (Exodus 24:8). τὸ περὶ πολλῶν ἐκχυνόμενον : the shedding for many suggests sacrificial analogies; the present participle vividly conceives that which is about to happen as now happening; περὶ πολλῶν is an echo of ἀντὶ πολλῶν in Matthew 20:28. εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν : not in Mk., and may be a comment on Christ's words, supplied by Mt.; but it is a true comment. For what else could the blood be shed according to Levitical analogies and even Jeremiah's new covenant, which includes among its blessings the complete forgiveness of sin?