|
|
The red fluid circulating in the body that takes nourishment to the body parts and carries away waste. The word blood is often used literally in Scripture. Sometimes the word refers to the blood of animals <Gen. 37:31>; at other times it refers to human blood <1 Kin. 22:35>. The word is also used figuratively in the Bible. It may mean "blood red" <Joel 2:31> or "murder" <Matt. 27:24>. The phrase "flesh and blood" means humanity <Heb. 2:14>.
But the most important biblical concept in regard to blood is the spiritual significance of the blood of sacrificial animals. Although some scholars believe the blood primarily means the animal's life, most agree that blood refers to the animal's death. Most of the Old Testament passages that discuss sacrifices mention the death of the animal, not its life <Lev. 4:4-5>. The Bible makes it clear that the satisfaction or payment for human sins was made by the death of a specified animal substitute: "For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul" <Lev. 17:11>.
In the New Testament, this Old Testament idea of sacrifice is applied to Christ's blood. References to the "blood of Christ" always mean the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross. References to the blood of Christ were made by Paul <Rom. 3:25>; Peter <1 Pet. 1:19>; John <Rev. 1:5> and the author of Hebrews <Heb. 9:14>. Although all have sinned, "we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins" <Eph. 1:7>.
(from Nelson's Illustrated
Bible Dictionary)
(Copyright (C) 1986,
Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Click the 'back' button to go back to where you were.
