As for anyone, whether of the house of Israel or of the aliens residing among them, who consumes any blood, I will set myself against that individual and will cut that person off from among the people, 11 since the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement on the altar for yourselves, because it is the blood as life that makes atonement. 12 That is why I have told the Israelites: No one among you, not even a resident alien, may consume blood. 13 Anyone hunting, whether of the Israelites or of the aliens residing among them, who catches an animal or a bird that may be eaten, shall pour out its blood and cover it with earth, 14 since the life of all flesh is its blood. I have told the Israelites: You shall not consume the blood of any flesh. Since the life of all flesh is its blood, anyone who consumes it shall be cut off.
The sacredness of blood in Lev. 17:10-14 is rooted in its intimate connection to life and atonement. The passage states that "the life of the flesh is in the blood" (v 11), emphasizing that life belongs to God alone. Blood, therefore, is reserved for sacred use in atonement rituals, where it is offered on the altar to make restitution for sins. This concept is further reinforced in Deut. 12:23, which reiterates that blood represents life and must not be consumed.
The prohibition against consuming blood is tied to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant. When an animal was slaughtered, its blood was poured out, symbolizing the return of life to God, the giver of life (Gen. 9:4-6). The Old Law prohibited consuming blood because it was reserved for sacrificial atonement, signifying that life belongs to God alone. Drinking blood would have misused what was set apart for sacred purposes. The Israelites were reminded that atonement for sin required the offering of life, foreshadowing the ultimate sacrifice of Christ. This restriction prefigures the blood of Christ, whose sacrifice fulfills the meaning of Old Testament atonement rites.
In the New Testament, Jesus offers His Blood for eternal life: “Amen, amen, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you” (John 6:53-56). Whereas the Old Law prohibited the consumption of blood because it was reserved for sacrificial atonement, Christ invites His disciples to partake of His Blood, signifying participation in His eternal life and redemption (Mt. 26:28; 1 Cor. 10:16). Christ’s Blood, unlike the blood of animal sacrifices, does not merely cover sins but truly cleanses and transforms those who partake of it (Heb. 9:12-14, 10:4-10).
The prohibition against consuming blood in this passage does not apply to Christians under the New Covenant. The Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:28-29) temporarily retained the prohibition for Gentile converts to maintain peace with Jewish Christians, but as affirmed in Mark 7:18-19 and Rom. 14:14, 20, dietary restrictions no longer define holiness. The ultimate fulfillment of the sacredness of blood is found in Christ’s sacrificial offering.
The Old Testament prohibition prepared Israel to understand the gravity of sin and the necessity of blood for atonement. This was a shadow of the New Covenant, where Christ, the true Lamb of God, pours out His Blood to reconcile humanity with the Father (John 1:29; Eph. 1:7). Whereas the Old Law restricted the consumption of blood as a sign of reverence for life, the New Covenant invites the faithful to partake of Christ’s Body and Blood in faith so that they may be purified and receive divine life (Heb. 9:22; Rev. 7:14). Many Christian traditions recognize the significance of Christ’s Blood in communion, whether understood sacramentally or symbolically (1 Cor. 11:25).
Through Christ’s sacrifice, the meaning of blood as atonement is fulfilled, and those who partake in faith are united with Him in the new and everlasting covenant (Luke 22:20).
Heavenly Father, You are the giver of life, and in Your wisdom, You taught us that life is in the blood. As You once set apart blood for atonement, You have now given us the precious Blood of Your Son, poured out for our salvation. Your Son calls us to partake in His Body and Blood, that we may have eternal life in Him. Strengthen our faith, deepen our trust in His sacrifice, and unite us ever more closely to You. This we pray through the same Christ our Lord. Amen!
Sources
- McSorley, Joseph. An Outline History of the Church by Centuries (From St. Peter to Pius XII). 2nd ed., B. Herder Book Co., 1944.
- Orchard, Bernard, et al. A Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture. Feb. 1953.
- Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.
- Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Prentice Hall, 1990.
- Charpentier, Etienne. How to Read the Old Testament. Translated by John Bowden, 1981.
- Komonchak, Joseph, et al., editors. The New Dictionary of Theology.
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