Lfteratitre. — Art. 'Blindness' in DCG ; Sanday-Headlam, Romans5{ICC, 1902) ; J. Armitagre Robinson, Ephesians, 1903, p. 26411. ; B. F. Westcott, Ephesians, 1906, p. 06 ; JThSt iii. [1901-02] 81. C. A. BeCKWITH.
BLOOD. — 1. Meaning of the term. — Among its simplest designations, ' blood ' represents the blood which flows from wounds in the body (Ac 22-**) ; the extremity of human endurance of evil (He 12^). The phrase ' flesh and blood ' signifies the lower sensuous nature (1 Co 15="; cf. Mt 16^^); anyone whatever (Gal 1^^) ; the substantial basis of human life (He '2^*) ; and human power antagonistic to the gospel (Eph 6^-). Thus ' blood ' may symbolize any aspect of human life inferior to that o'f the ' spirit.'
2. Origin. — The meaning of the term is derived from OT usage, as in St. Peter's reference to the
portents of the Day of the Lord, quoting Joel's words, ' blood . . . the moon [shall be turned into] blood ' (Ac 219- 20 ; cf. Jl 2^»- ^i). The same usage together with dependence on the story of the plagues in Egypt appears in Rev. (6'- 8^- ^11^ 16^- •*). Blood thus represents the greatness, awfulness, and finality of the Divine judgment, by which either a wicked condition is simply brought to an end (cf. also Rev 19'^), or a temporary dispensation gives place to the last age of human earthly exist- ence in the fulfilment of God's purpose.
3. Usage. — (1) The word is related to Jewish ordinances. Among the prohibitions put forth by the council at Jerusalem was one enjoining absti- nence from blood (Ac lo^o-ss 21^5 ; cf. Lv 3^^). The reason for the edict was doubtless that assigned for the earlier restriction, that ' the life of all flesh is in the blood' (Lv 17^'*). (2) Blood further sym- bolizes the life violently taken (Ac V^ 22-», Ro S^^, Rev 16®), for which the murderer is responsible (Ac 5^ Rev 17® 18-^), and liable to the just judg- ment of God (Rev 6^" 19-) ; perhaps, in poetic justice, a punishment like the crime (cf. 14^). It may also signify the iinpitying violence with which men treat their fellows ( Ro 3^^). ( 3) In his denunciation that blood shall be upon one's own head, St. Paul meant that the Corinthians who had refused belief in the gospel were both respon- sible for their rejection and exposed to God's judg- ment against them (Ac 18« ; cf. 0"^, 2 S V^, Mt 27^}. In like manner one might be ' guilty of the , . . blood of Christ' (1 Co ll^^). (4) Blood represents the life of men capable of redemption, for which any herald of the gospel is responsible and of which he may be found guilty if he fails in his duty as a preacher of Christ (Ac 20^"). (5) It signifies the life given up for an atonement, both as presented to God and as having reconciling virtue for men (He 97 10^. 18-22 i3n£.2Ji.),
i. The term used in connexion with the work of Christ. — The most important uses of the Avord centre in the work of Christ. In the Epistle to the Romans the reference to blood involves its relation on the one hand to the sacrificial-ofl'ering, on the other hand to the sin-offering, Avherein it appears that the sacrificial is the sin-offering. In other letters of St. Paul the references to blood are in- cidental and determined by the particular feature of redemption in the mind of the Apostle at the moment. In the Epistle to the Hebrews the mean- ing of the word is derived from the analogy of the OT Scriptures, which in a very inadequate manner prefigured the offering which Christ made of Him- self. Revelation is dominated by the OT usage of the word and is in a large degree influenced by prophetic language, although the common note of redemption through the blood of Christ is heard here also. As related to the work of Christ, then, the apostolic teaching concerning blood involves the following specific features : (a) It is connected with sacrifices, as that of the Day of Atonement (Ro 3^, He 9"^), by means of which the relation of men to God, and indeed of God to men (cf. Ro 5^**), broken by sin, is restored by the death of Christ. According to the Epistle to the Hebrews, while the animal sacrifices as such were irrational, des- titute of personal consent, intermittent, incapable of purifying, spiritual efficacy (He 10""), this lack Avas more tlian set off by the blood of Christ. (6) As in the Old Dispensation all persons ministering at the altar, utensils of service and worship, and means of approach to God were cleansed with blood as a medium of purification (cf., however, Lv 5^^^-), so the blood of Christ signifies that all tliat which pertains to salvation in the heavenly sanctuary into which both He and His followers enter has been for ever purified in His blood (He Q^^^-). It is as if the author of the Hebrews conceived of sin as
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liaving penetrated and defiled even the unseen heavenly world, which therefore needed to be set free from contamination and made holy in the same way as things belonging to the earthly tabernacle, (c) It is the sign and pledge of Christ's free sur- render of Himself to His atoning death (He 9^-'^*, Rev P), and symbolizes the expei-ience tlirongh which Jesus must pass on His way to perfected communion with God and the final stage of His mediatorial agency (He lO'^ IS'^, 1 Jnd'^-'^; cf. 1 Co 15-'*, Kev 19^^). (d) The blood is also the means for the ratification of the New Covenant (1 Co ll-'^ He 915--" 10-» 13-» ; cf. INIt 26-8, Ex 24''-8). It could not but be tiiat a ceremony, the meaning of which was so deeply embedded in tlie religious experience of the race, and which was so well fitted to symbol- ize the solemn consecration to mutual obligations, should find its significance completely expressed in the blood of Christ through which God would reunite Himself in even more spiritual bonds to the lives of Christ's followers, (c) The blood is repre- sented as the purchase price of deliverance from sin (Ac 2028, Eph 1', Col l'^ 1 P V, Rev 5^ cf. He 92-). The vivid imagery of this word receives no- where a closer definition ; its force lies in its sug- gestion of one aspect of the experience of the man who passes from the consciousness of the bondage of sin to the joyful freedom of forgiveness. (/") Hence the word is associated with forgiveness of sins. As a sacrificial offering Ciirist was at the same time a sin-offering (Ro 3'-^ 5", He 9'^), and as such His offering has expiatory efficacy, {g) By His blood as our High Priest He enters into the presence of God on our behalf (He 9^^"^ 10^''), there both perfectly realizing fellowship with God for Himself and carrying forward His mediatorial work. (A) The blood has efficacy in the actual life of believers, disclosing its energy in their pro- gressive personal sanctiti cation (He 9^^ 10^** 12-^, 1 P 1-, 1 Jn F, Rev P 7'^), and in the power which it confers on them to overcome that which resists tlie Christian aim from without (Rev 12'^). (i) Blood is also a symbol of the inner fellowship of believers with one another and with God — the reference is social (1 Co 10^^ He 13^-).