The first reading from Tuesday was taken from St. Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians. One verse stood out for me: “But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have become near by the Blood of Christ.” (Eph 2:13) … and in a reflection two days ago I asked “this is “the good news?” In that reflection I pointed out how often the New Testament refers to the Blood of Christ as central to the entire plan of salvation – and provided a sampling of verses from across the entire New Testament. It raised the question of why the “blood of the Cross” was the path by which we are redeemed.

That led to yesterday’s reflection on the nature and development of sacrifice in the Old Testament leading and pointing the way forward to Jesus’ sacrifice in the New Testament. What still remains is the question of “blood” in the sacrifices of old pointing to the new.

The use of blood in the Old Testament sacrificial system, particularly for atoning offerings, is deeply symbolic and rooted in the theological understanding of life and death. Here’s why blood is central to atoning offerings:

Blood Represents Life: Leviticus 17:11 explains, “For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one’s life.” Blood symbolizes life itself. By offering the blood of an animal, worshipers acknowledge that life is being given to cover the penalty of sin. The life of the animal is sacrificed in place of the sinner’s life.

Blood as a Means of Purification (Leviticus 16:15-16): On the Day of Atonement, the high priest would sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animal on the mercy seat (the cover of the Ark of the Covenant) and around the altar to purify and cleanse the sanctuary from the people’s sins. Blood was believed to have a cleansing power in a spiritual sense. The sprinkling of blood symbolized the removal or covering of sin, purifying both the people and the sacred objects from the contamination of sin.

Blood as a Substitute for the Sinner (Exodus 12:13) – the Passover Sacrifice: In the story of the Passover (Exodus 12), the Israelites were instructed to smear the blood of a lamb on their doorposts, and when God passed through Egypt, the blood would protect the household from death. “The blood will be a sign for you… and when I see the blood, I will pass over you” The blood of the sacrificed lamb acted as a substitute for the life of the firstborn in the house. This substitutionary role of blood becomes central to the theology of atonement, where the life of the sacrificial animal is given in place of the life of the sinner.

Blood Symbolizes Covenant – the Covenant at Sinai: When Moses ratified the covenant between God and Israel at Mount Sinai, he sprinkled blood on the altar and on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you” (Exodus 24:8). Blood symbolized the binding agreement between God and Israel. It confirmed the seriousness of the covenant, indicating that breaking the covenant would result in death. In this way, blood also serves to seal the sacred relationship between God and His people.

Blood as a Requirement for Atonement (Leviticus 16:30) – the Day of Atonement: The blood of sacrificed animals was central in the atoning sacrifices of Yom Kippur (Leviticus 16). The high priest would use the blood to purify the holy place and atone for the sins of the people. Atonement required the shedding of blood because sin was believed to lead to death (Romans 6:23: “For the wages of sin is death”). The spilled blood of the sacrificial animal symbolized the death that sin deserved, and by offering the life of the animal, the sinner’s penalty was transferred to the animal.

Blood as a Symbol of Forgiveness: The spilling of blood in sacrifices was seen as a means of obtaining forgiveness for sins. The idea was that sin created a debt that could only be paid through the giving of life (symbolized by blood). Hebrews 9:22, reflecting on the Old Testament system, states: “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”  Blood sacrifices illustrated the gravity of sin and the cost of forgiveness. It emphasized that sin disrupts the relationship between God and humanity, and this rupture can only be repaired through the giving of life.

Here is the short version:

• Blood is central to atoning offerings because it represents life, and life must be offered to atone for sin, which brings death.
• It purifies and cleanses the person or community from sin, representing the removal of impurity before God.
• It serves as a substitute for the life of the sinner, where the sacrificial animal takes on the death penalty that sin incurs.
• It symbolizes covenant, affirming the bond between God and His people and the consequences of breaking that covenant.
• It’s necessary for forgiveness, as atonement requires the offering of life in the form of blood to reconcile with God.