Flesh And Blood:
The importance of the term “flesh and blood,” and its frequent use in the Jewish religion rendered it very significant in the Bible.
Hebrews 9:22, “And almost all things are, by the law purged with blood; and without the shedding of blood is no remission,” The reason for consecrating the blood to God, rather than any other part of the victim is mentioned in,
Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I (the LORD) 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.”
Acts 17:26, “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth.”
“Flesh and blood” is also an expression which signifies the present natural state of mankind, a state unaided by divine grace. When Paul was converted, he did not consult with flesh and blood,
Galatians 1:16, “To reveal His (the Father’s) Son (Jesus) in me (Paul,) that I conferred not with flesh and blood.”
When Peter declared his belief, that his master was Christ, “The Son of the living God;” Jesus answered, and said to him,
Matthew 16:17, “Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto you, but my Father which is in heaven.”
It has been written, “flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God.”
Also in Scriptures, the blood of Christ is sometimes represented as the procuring cause of our justification.
Romans 5:9, “Much more being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath, through Him.”
The term blood, when used in this sense, means the merits of Christ’s atonement. But in other passages, our sanctification is imputed to the blood of Christ.
Hebrews 9:14, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to (the Father,) who purge your conscience from dead works, to serve the living God.”
The saints are represented as walking in white; because,
Revelation 7:14, “They had washed their robes in the blood of the Lamb.”
The term blood, when used in this figurative sense, evidently means the doctrines of the cross; which are the great means of purifying the believer’s heart.
John 15:3, “Now ye are clean, said Christ to His disciples, through the word, which I have spoken unto you.”
This distinction between the Blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of our justification, as the way of our salvation, ought to be clearly understood, by those who study the Scriptures. In the first sense, the term blood means Christ’s atonement, as presented to the Father; in the second, the doctrine of his sufferings and crucifixion, as applied to the sinner’s conscience.
Titus 2:14, “The Lord Jesus Christ gave himself for us, that He might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”
A belief of this doctrine is the way which the Holy Spirit uses to promote the sanctification of all who believe.
Blood of Christ.
The term blood, in the Scriptures frequently means the sufferings and death of Christ; considered as an atonement for the soul of sinners.
Romans 5:9, “Being justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath, through him.”
These expressions, in the N.T. are an allusion to the typical blood, which was so plentifully shed, under the Old covenant. Christians are taught to reason;
Heb.9:13, “That if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer, sprinkling the unclean, sanctify to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who, through the eternal (Holy) Spirit offered himself without spot to God (the Father,) purge your consciences, from dead works, to serve the living God.”
God (the Father) hath set forth Jesus Christ to be a propitiation, that we may have faith in His blood; that is, that we may believe in the efficacy of His atonement.
Ephesians 1:7, “We have redemption through His blood; even the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace.”
1 Peter 1:18-19, “We were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
Bloody sacrifices:
The term blood is at times used figuratively, for death. To resist unto blood, is to contend unto death.
Hebrews 12:4, “Ye have not yet resisted unto blood, striving against sin.”
Ezekiel 16:6, “When I passed by thee, and saw thee polluted in your own blood, I said unto you, when you were in thy blood, live.”
To shed blood is to murder: a cruel murderer is called a bloody man. To give the wicked blood to drink is to put into their hand the cup of death. The metaphorical term is sometimes used in personification.
God said to Cain,
Genesis 4:10, “What hast thou done?”
Hebrews 12:24, “And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaks better things than that of Abel.”
Here the writer is comparing two things of the same kind, Christ’s sacrifice, and Abel’s sacrifice. Christ’s sacrifice was a sacrifice for all mankind, as Abel’s was not. This showing the superiority of Christ’s sacrifice and the new covenant established by it; comparing it to the O. T. sacrifices of which Abel’s was the first to be recorded. This also testifies of the Father’s acceptance of His Son’s one time sacrifice over that of all the blood sacrifices ever offered unto God for the remission of sin.
Phillip LaSpino www.seekfirstwisdom.com