Topical Bible: Blood: Shedding of Human: Defiling to the Person

◄ Blood: Shedding of Human: Defiling to the Person ►

Jump to: Torrey's • Library • Subtopics • Terms

Topical Encyclopedia

The shedding of human blood is a significant theme in the Bible, representing both the physical act of taking life and the spiritual and moral defilement that accompanies such actions. From the earliest narratives in Scripture, the act of shedding blood is depicted as a grave sin with profound consequences.

Biblical Foundations

The sanctity of human life is established early in the biblical narrative. In Genesis 4:10, after Cain murders Abel, the Lord says, "What have you done? The voice of your brother’s blood cries out to Me from the ground." This passage underscores the gravity of murder and the defilement it brings, as Abel's blood metaphorically cries out for justice.

The Noahic covenant further emphasizes the seriousness of shedding human blood. Genesis 9:6 states, "Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man his blood will be shed; for in His own image God has made mankind." This verse highlights the divine image in humanity, making the act of murder not only a crime against the individual but also an affront to God Himself.

Mosaic Law and Defilement

Under the Mosaic Law, the shedding of innocent blood is strictly prohibited and is seen as a source of defilement. Numbers 35:33-34 declares, "Do not defile the land where you live and where I dwell. For I, the LORD, dwell among the Israelites." The land itself is defiled by the shedding of blood, indicating that such acts have communal and spiritual repercussions.

Deuteronomy 21:1-9 provides a ritual for atoning for unsolved murders, emphasizing the need to cleanse the land from the guilt of innocent blood. This passage illustrates the communal responsibility to address and rectify the defilement caused by bloodshed.

Prophetic Warnings

The prophets frequently condemned the shedding of innocent blood as a sign of Israel's moral decay. Isaiah 59:3 states, "For your hands are stained with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, and your tongue mutters injustice." Here, the shedding of blood is linked with other sins, illustrating the pervasive corruption that defiles both individuals and the nation.

Jeremiah 7:6-7 warns against oppressing the alien, the fatherless, and the widow, and against shedding innocent blood, promising that obedience will allow the people to dwell in the land given to their ancestors. This connection between moral conduct and divine blessing underscores the seriousness of bloodshed as a defiling act.

New Testament Perspective

In the New Testament, the theme of bloodshed continues to carry significant moral and spiritual weight. Jesus condemns the shedding of innocent blood, aligning it with the broader call to righteousness. In Matthew 23:35, He speaks of "all the righteous blood shed on earth," from Abel to Zechariah, highlighting the continuity of this sin throughout history.

The apostle Paul, in Romans 3:15-17, describes humanity's sinful nature, stating, "Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery lie in their wake, and the way of peace they have not known." This passage reflects the ongoing defilement and separation from God that results from the shedding of blood.

Theological Implications

The shedding of human blood is not merely a physical act but a profound spiritual violation that defiles the individual and the community. It is a transgression against the divine image in humanity and a breach of the moral order established by God. Throughout Scripture, the call to refrain from shedding blood is intertwined with the call to uphold justice, mercy, and righteousness, reflecting the heart of God's covenant with His people.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 59:3
For your hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue has muttered perverseness.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

Jesus the Bread of Life.
... The flesh of Christ was given for us; by the shedding of Christ's blood, by the ... His
flesh or human form was the manifestation of God's love for us, the ...
/.../the expositors bible the gospel of st john vol i/xiv jesus the bread of.htm

The Doctrines of Salvation A. Repentance. B. Faith. C. ...
... the Old Testament were more than a meaningless butchery""Without shedding of blood ...
the death of a martyr"men are "justified by his blood" (Rom.5:9 ... 2. HUMAN. ...
/.../evans/the great doctrines of the bible/the doctrines of salvation a.htm

Faustus States his Objections to the Morality of the Law and the ...
... [818] The typical rite of blood-shedding in sacrifice ... forms, on account of his mixture
with the blood and fat ... of your god had, like a rational human soul, the ...
/.../faustus states his objections to.htm

Light for them that Sit in Darkness;
... before, Christ stood a common[3] person, presenting in ... did his Godhead assume our
human flesh, in a ... The Son's righteousness, the Son's blood; the righteousness ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/light for them that sit.htm

Justification by an Imputed Righteousness;
... took not upon him a particular person, though he took to him a human body and soul ...
'Christ must needs have suffered,' for 'without shedding of blood is no ...
/.../justification by an imputed righteousness.htm

The Saints' Privilege and Profit;
... the matter of the justification of thy person and performances ... of grace: that throne
is sprinkled with blood; yea, in ... as we have showed, is the human nature of ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the saints privilege and profit.htm

The Doctrine
... He felt, as to human teaching, his weakness, but proved that, "when he was weak ... life
or by the blood of some other man; for "without shedding of blood is no ...
/.../bunyan/the works of john bunyan volumes 1-3/the doctrine.htm