Biblical Topics A to Z
Blood of Jesus
What Scripture teaches about the significance of Christ's blood, drawing on Old Testament sacrificial language, the Gospels, the epistles, and Revelation.
At a Glance
The blood of Jesus is Scripture's central image for the atoning sacrifice of Christ, which cleanses from sin, secures redemption, and establishes the new covenant.
Overview
The blood of Jesus is the New Testament's central image for the atoning value of his sacrificial death, drawing on the Old Testament sacrificial system to describe how believers are cleansed from sin, redeemed, and brought into the new covenant relationship with God.
Learning Objectives
- •Explain the Old Testament background of blood and atonement in Leviticus 17:11.
- •Describe what Hebrews 9:22 means by 'without shedding of blood is no remission.'
- •Identify what Revelation 12:11 says believers overcome by, alongside the word of their testimony.
And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.
Hebrews 9:22
Read It in Context
This study quotes Hebrews 9:22, but no verse stands alone. Open a Bible and read the whole surrounding chapter to see the full argument the passage sits within, then look up the other references cited throughout this study — 1 John 1:7 and beyond — in their own context. Scripture is the final authority here, not this summary.
Historical & Literary Context
Leviticus 17:11 explains the theological logic behind the entire Old Testament sacrificial system: 'the life of the flesh is in the blood... it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.' This background gives weight to the New Testament's repeated emphasis on the blood of Christ, since his hearers already understood blood as the God-ordained means of atonement, now fulfilled once for all in the sacrifice of the Son.
Cleansing from Sin
1 John 1:7 promises that 'the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin,' connecting ongoing fellowship with God and one another to walking in the light where that cleansing operates.
Redemption Through His Blood
Ephesians 1:7 says believers 'have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace,' tying the price of redemption directly to the blood shed at the cross.
The New Covenant Sealed in Blood
Jesus himself, at the Last Supper, said 'this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins' (Matthew 26:28), establishing the new covenant on the basis of his own shed blood, fulfilling and surpassing the blood of the old covenant sacrifices (Hebrews 9:18-22).
Christ-Centered Focus
Revelation 12:11 says believers 'overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony,' showing that the blood of Jesus is not only the ground of past forgiveness but the ongoing basis of present victory over the accuser.
Practical Application
This week, when accusation or guilt over past sin arises, apply Revelation 12:11 directly: answer the accusation by pointing to the blood of the Lamb as your ground of standing, not your own record.
Prayer
Father, thank You for the precious blood of Jesus that cleanses me from all sin, redeems me, and seals the new covenant. When accusation comes, help me stand on the finished work of the cross and overcome by the blood of the Lamb. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Scripture Memory
"But 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 1:7
Reflection Questions
- 1How does Leviticus 17:11's teaching that 'the life... is in the blood' deepen your understanding of the atonement?
- 2What does it mean practically that the blood of Jesus 'cleanseth us from all sin' (1 John 1:7) on an ongoing basis, not just once?
- 3How does Ephesians 1:7 connect redemption directly to the price paid in Christ's blood?
- 4How does Revelation 12:11 give you a specific answer when facing accusation or guilt?