By John M Conrad
Today most of those who have accepted Yeshua (Jesus) as Messiah celebrate his resurrection. It is the most important event in our collective history. As Paul proclaims in 1 Corinthians 15 it is the event that proclaims we are no longer in our sins.
An element that is crucial to understanding the resurrection is blood. Scripture identifies Yeshua as the Passover—the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world. In 1 Peter 1:3 [Yeshua] “according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Yeshua the Messiah from the dead.” He goes on to declare in verse 18 “knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, 19 but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, [the blood] of Messiah.”
Israel was saved from the Angel of Death by placing the blood of the Passover lambs on their doorposts and lintel. Yeshua instituted the New Covenant by sharing the matza and wine with his disciples and telling them these elements were his flesh and blood. Hebrews 9: 22 “And almost all things are cleansed with blood, according to the Law, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.”
The Law, or Torah, expressly forbids the consumption of blood because the soul (life) is in the blood. The prohibition was emphasized to the Gentiles who began their walk with the Lord. Eating of blood cannot be tolerated.
What is unique about blood? Blood consists of about 45% cells and 55% liquid. The cells are primarily erythrocytes (red blood cells) and leukocytes (white blood cells) and thrombocytes (platelets.) The fluid portion is plasma which is largely water with proteins like albumin, hormones and various other substances suspended in it.
Every cell in the body has a nucleus. The nucleus is in the center of the cell and contains DNA in the form of structures called chromosomes. This DNA is the genetic component of the cell. Its structure identifies the organism and all the tissues, organs, and other cells within the body. Each of our cells contains this unique template which determines who we are.
Blood has some unique characteristics. Platelets are really not cells as they have no nucleus and are created from other cellular fragments. They are crucial to blood clotting. Red blood cells also have no nucleus but they are still considered cells. They start life with a nucleus but go through an 8-stage process from an erythroid cell in the bone marrow with a nucleus to a final stage red blood cell without a nucleus. The white blood cells retain their nuclei and largely function in immune protection of the organism.
What is significant about this whole process is the life of the body is in the blood. The majority of our blood consists of cells that have, in a sense, given up their genetic identity. The purpose of the blood is to serve. It serves the brain, the muscle, the bone, the nervous system and brain, equally. It doesn’t play favorites. When the body is injured, red blood cells and platelets automatically lay down their lives to protect the body.
The red blood cells particularly have hemoglobin which carries oxygen to the different tissues and organs of the body and carries away waste products such as carbon dioxide. The blood also carries nutrients throughout the body and participates in removal of compounds such as urea that will be toxic if allowed to accumulate.
Physiologically it is easy to see why the blood is the “life” of the body. Perhaps it also presents a picture of what we should look like who have been redeemed by the blood of the Messiah. When His disciples argued over who would be greatest, Yeshua explained to them that the Kingdom of God differs from earthly political systems where those in charge exploit and rule over their subjects. He said those who would be chief in the Kingdom would be the servants of all. All is a big word. To serve all requires a giving up of self—identification and importance.
Speaking of communion Paul says in 1 Corinthians 11 that those of us in covenant with the Messiah drink condemnation upon ourselves in the sacrament when we fail to properly recognize the body. The blood of the Passover Lamb reminds us that to serve we may have to give up our identity or at least allow it to take a back seat so we can serve and bless the entire body. Significantly an area of great concern in the world today is the proliferation of auto-immune disease—diseases where our body’s immune system attacks itself. Type 1 diabetes, lupus, allergies, asthma are examples of this kind of disease.
The blood is the life of our Messiah. He willingly poured it out for our redemption. As we celebrate his resurrection let’s ponder what it means to us. Remember He is the exact representation of God and in Him the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form. In this exalted position He laid down his life to serve.
Recall the eight-step process that takes a primordial erythroid cell to completion as a red blood cell. In scripture what does the number eight represent? Revival, renewal, a fresh start. Israelite boys were circumcised on the 8th day. Many baptize their children in their 8th year. A week is 7 days and is a complete cycle. The 8th day means we have started again.
Isaiah 43:18 “Do not call to mind the former things, or consider things of the past. 19 Behold, I am going to do something new, now it will spring up; Will you not be aware of it? I will even make a roadway in the wilderness, Rivers in the desert.”
As we contemplate the blood containing the life (soul) of the body, the shed blood of the Messiah points to a new day of redemption and unity.
