Many of our richest hymns, both in the gospel and in worship, speak of the blood of Christ. It is a worthwhile meditation to consider — separately and as a whole — those hymns, stanzas and expressions that exalt the worth of His shed blood.
Some, when troubled about whether or not they were saved, have found peace in quoting aloud verses of Scripture that speak of the blood of Christ and the blessedness it brings.
The only Gospel that records the incident of the Lord’s shed blood is the Gospel of John. It is John that emphasizes the Lord Jesus as a divine Person, the eternal Son, the eternal Word, become flesh. The essential glory of His Person is set forth in John as in no other Gospel. So when we read of His blood shed, we are compelled by the Spirit of God to own that this blood is like none other. Indeed, it is the blood of God’s own Son (Acts 20:2828Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. (Acts 20:28) JND).
In considering this vast subject, it is helpful to see the way in which the blood is brought before us in the different epistles. As we might expect, the blood of Christ is not mentioned in certain epistles, and this is instructive as well, for its absence highlights the character of those books. But here are a few references with some brief comments that I trust will elevate in our thoughts the greatness of Christ’s redemptive work and the blessing that results because of His shed blood.
Romans
“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; whom God has set forth a mercy-seat, through faith in His blood, for the showing forth of His righteousness, in respect of the passing by the sins that had taken place before, through the forbearance of God; for the showing forth of His righteousness in the present time, so that He should be just, and justify him that is of the faith of Jesus” (Rom. 3:24-2624Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. (Romans 3:24‑26) JND). “Much rather therefore, having been now justified in the power of His blood, we shall be saved by Him from wrath” (Rom. 5:99Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. (Romans 5:9) JND).
The main subject of Romans is righteousness and answers the great question, “How can man be just with God?” (Job 9:22I know it is so of a truth: but how should man be just with God? (Job 9:2) JND). The epistle provides the answer to Job’s question. We are justified, made righteous and cleared from every charge, through the power (the intrinsic worth) of the blood of Christ.
The cherubim on the mercy-seat, representing the righteous ways of God in judgment, looked down upon the sprinkled blood, thus illustrating the truth that God ever had the death of His Son in view. Based on that propitiatory work, He could righteously “pass by” or “overlook” (Acts 17:3030And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: (Acts 17:30) JND) sins that were committed prior to the Lord’s death and could also righteously justify sinners at this present time. Apart from this, God would have been unrighteous (an impossibility) not to deal with sin when it occurred, but Christ’s shed blood shows to all that God was righteous and acted consistently with His character — both then and now — in justifying the ungodly.
Justification is seen as by grace (ch. 3:24), blood (ch. 5:9), and faith (ch. 5:1). Grace is the source, blood is the basis, and faith is the means. It has been well said, “Faith appropriates what grace supplies.” But the blood of Christ is the foundation upon which grace does supply. That being so, there is no place for works — only the hand of faith reaching out to receive what God has provided.
1 Corinthians
“The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?” (1 Cor. 10:16). “After the same manner also He took the cup, when He had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in My blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of Me” (1 Cor. 11:25).
As Romans outlines the great truths of the gospel — man’s ruin, God’s righteousness and Christ’s redemption — 1 Corinthians addresses matters pertaining to the local assembly. Consequently, we do not find the blood mentioned in connection with the unfolding of specific and eternal blessings that result from Christ’s death, but rather the memorial of that work and our title to partake of His supper at His table, which is central to the existence of the local assembly.
Under the law and the old covenant, given to Moses at Mount Sinai, man’s blessing depended upon his keeping the law. We know what happened: Man failed miserably, thus bringing judgment upon himself. Christ’s shed blood is the blood of the new covenant, and that is the basis on which man can now be blessed. While the new covenant has not yet been formally made with the house of Israel and Judah (Jer. 31:3131Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, that I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel, and with the house of Judah: (Jeremiah 31:31)), the basis of it has already been laid in Christ’s shed blood. While the Christian is not under any covenant, old or new (Rom. 9:44Who are Israelites; to whom pertaineth the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises; (Romans 9:4)), the character of his blessing is that of the new covenant, which is according to grace, for it all depends on the work of another — Christ. This is the force of the expression “ministers of the new covenant” (2 Cor. 3:6 JND); it was the character of the apostles’ ministry in contrast to the law.
It is in the assembly where we remember the Lord in showing forth His death, by partaking of the loaf and cup. It is only in this context that we read of Christ’s blood in either epistle to the Corinthians. Christ’s shed blood is our title to be at the Lord’s table to partake of that one loaf, thus expressing that we are members of His body (which includes every member of the one body).
In the Lord’s supper, the emphasis is on remembering Him with the symbols before us of His finished work — His body given and blood shed.
Ephesians
The epistle to the Ephesians sets forth the greatness of the believer’s blessings in Christ, both individually and corporately. Written to a Gentile assembly, they had no outward or relative nearness to God, as did the Jew. It is “in Christ” that they would know, as does the believer today, all their blessings, whether election, redemption, acceptance or nearness — not in Adam, in the law, or in themselves, but in Christ. The blood of Christ is the foundation upon which God forgives sin, not grudgingly, if we can so speak, but “according to the riches of His grace.” Indeed, it is according to the goodness of His own heart.
Colossians
While the epistle to the Ephesians brings before us the whole scope of the believer’s blessing in Christ, Colossians emphasizes the glory and preeminence of the Son. Accordingly, whereas in Ephesians 1:77In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; (Ephesians 1:7) redemption is noted as being “through His blood,” in Colossians 1:1414In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: (Colossians 1:14) (JND) this expression, in keeping with the epistle, does not appear — not because it is not true, but because the theme in Colossians is not the means of our redemption, but the greatness of the One who has accomplished redemption, whether now in present blessedness by His blood or in a coming day by His power.
The groundwork by which the Godhead has made peace and will ultimately reconcile to itself all that can be reconciled — whether animate or inanimate — is the blood of Christ. That which is “under the earth” (infernal beings) will not be reconciled; such will be eternally damned.
Hebrews
“Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood He entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of a heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh; how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb. 9:12-1412Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us. 13For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh: 14How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? (Hebrews 9:12‑14)). “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which He hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh” (Heb. 10:19-2019Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, 20By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; (Hebrews 10:19‑20)). “Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?” (Heb. 10:2929Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? (Hebrews 10:29)).
As we might expect, there are numerous references to blood in the epistle to the Hebrews. Some awareness of the tabernacle, the various offerings, and the order of the Aaronic priesthood is necessary for us to profit by the contrasts between Judaism and Christianity that are outlined in this epistle.
The blood of Christ once offered is contrasted with the blood of bulls and of goats that could never take away sin. In virtue of His shed blood, Christ entered into heaven, having accomplished eternal redemption, in contrast to the high priest who entered into the holiest of all once every year on the day of atonement (Lev. 16:3434And this shall be an everlasting statute unto you, to make an atonement for the children of Israel for all their sins once a year. And he did as the Lord commanded Moses. (Leviticus 16:34)).
Consequent upon the Lord’s cry, “It is finished,” the veil was rent in the midst from the top to the bottom, thus enabling God to come out in fullest manifestation and blessing to man and enabling man to approach God in a new and living way — that is, not in the rituals of vain tradition, but in the reality of personal faith in a finished work.
In the epistle to the Hebrews, one of the great concerns is that those Jews who had turned away from Judaism to embrace Christianity would turn back to the old forms and ceremonies of Judaism.
In view of this, the writer shows that to revert to the Jewish order of sacrifice and service was to esteem the blood of Christ as “common” and no different than the blood of animal sacrifices offered under the law. This is serious error which by implication would destroy the foundation of all blessing. Only the blood of Christ can purge the conscience. Apart from the death and shed blood of Christ, there is no other sacrifice for sin. His work is sufficient; if it is rejected, it is a brazen insult to Him, the Son of God, and eternal judgment is the awful result.
1 Peter
“Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
Peter likewise writes to the Jews, but only the elect, the redeemed. He contrasts the blood of Christ with the silver and gold used as atonement money which was employed under the law of Moses. The silver is typical of the work of Christ in redemption; the gold is typical of the glory of His Person. Yet it was a lamb, as we read in Exodus 12 at the time of the Passover, which was without blemish and without spot. In the blessed Lord Jesus there was no sin (sin nature) and thus He did no sin. It is the blood of this One, the Lamb of God, that alone redeems us to God.
1 John and Revelation
“If we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:77The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (John 1:7)). “Unto Him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in His own blood” (Rev. 1:55And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, (Revelation 1:5)).
From the side of the Lord Jesus both blood and water flowed forth: the blood to cleanse us from the guilt of our sin and the water to cleanse us from the defilement of our sin. The blood is applied only once, as is the water when viewed typically of new birth by which we are “clean every whit.” (The water, as typical of the Word of God, is applied in an ongoing way as the cleansing agent from moral defilement we encounter in this world — John 13.)
As we close the book, we find the greatest proof of His love and the impetus of our praise is that He washed us from our sins in His own blood. All the redeemed will join in the eternal song, “Thou art worthy ... for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood” (Rev. 5:99And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; (Revelation 5:9)).
W. J. Brockmeier