By Trevor Tolley
A picture of the Old Testament sacrificial system isn”t pretty. Scripture says blood from the sacrificed animals was to be sprinkled on the altar, on the utensils used for the sacrifice, on the priestly garments, on the mercy seat of the ark of the covenant, even on the people. This symbolized the necessity of blood to cleanse them of their sins.
Not many of us would use blood as a cleaning agent, and we certainly would not use it as laundry detergent. In fact, when we get blood on our clothes, we struggle to find something that will get the blood out. We even say we do not want the blood to stain our clothes. So why does God use blood as an illustration for a cleanser?
While we might understand why Old Testament Jews would miss the idea that blood was for cleaning, we have no excuse for misunderstanding this imagery. Medical science teaches us that one of blood”s primary roles in our bodies is to cleanse us, to take away the carbon dioxide, the urea, the uric acid, and other toxins that build up in our bodies. The heart pumps blood through the lungs, where red blood cells pick up oxygen. The blood cells take the oxygen to other cells throughout the body, dropping off oxygen in exchange for toxins, which are then carried to the kidneys to be cleaned.
On the night Jesus was betrayed, Christ took the cup in the presence of his followers. The fruit of the vine in the cup represented Jesus” blood that was necessary for the removal of sins. However, following the pattern of the Old Testament, one might have
expected Jesus to dip his fingers in the fruit of the vine, representing his blood, and to sprinkle it on the table and his followers. But, instead, he drank it. Why? To understand this, we must recognize that the blood of animals sprinkled on the people was not really capable of saving anyone from his sins. What does change us, transform us, and cleanse us from sin, is Christ living in us.
Colossians 1:27 explains, “To them God has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory” (author”s emphasis).
We come to the Lord”s table to celebrate Christ in us, our hope of glory, and the One who has cleansed us of our sin.
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Trevor Tolley serves as Bible department head and science teacher with Tree of Life Christian High School in Columbus, Ohio.Â
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