- Home
- Bible
- Leviticus
- Chapter 17
- Verse 17
Leviticus 17:11
Verse
Context
Laws against Eating Blood
10If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people. 11For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.12Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’
Sermons




Summary
Commentary
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For the life of the flesh is in the blood - This sentence, which contains a most important truth, had existed in the Mosaic writings for 3600 years before the attention of any philosopher was drawn to the subject. This is the more surprising, as the nations in which philosophy flourished were those which especially enjoyed the Divine oracles in their respective languages. That the blood actually possesses a living principle, and that the life of the whole body is derived from it, is a doctrine of Divine revelation, and a doctrine which the observations and experiments of the most accurate anatomists have served strongly to confirm. The proper circulation of this important fluid through the whole human system was first taught by Solomon in figurative language, Ecc 12:6; and discovered, as it is called, and demonstrated, by Dr. Harvey in 1628; though some Italian philosophers had the same notion a little before. This accurate anatomist was the first who fully revived the Mosaic notion of the vitality of the blood; which notion was afterward adopted by the justly celebrated Dr. John Hunter, professor of anatomy in London, and fully established by him by a great variety of strong reasoning and accurate experiments. To support this opinion Dr. Hunter proves: - 1. That the blood unites living parts in some circumstances as certainly as the yet recent juices of the branch of one tree unite with that of another; and he thinks that if either of these fluids were dead matter, they would act as stimuli, and no union would take place in the animal or vegetable kingdom; and he shows that in the nature of things there is not a more intimate connection between life and a solid than between life and a fluid. 2. He shows that the blood becomes vascular, like other living parts of the body; and he demonstrated this by a preparation in which vessels were clearly seen to arise from what had been a coagulum of blood; for those vessels opened into the stream of the circulating blood, which was in contiguity with this coagulated mass. 3. He proves that if blood be taken from the arm in the most intense cold that the human body can suffer, it will raise the thermometer to the same height as blood taken in the most sultry heat. This is a very powerful argument for the vitality of the blood, as it is well known that living bodies alone have the power of resisting great degrees of heat and cold, and of maintaining in almost every situation while in health that temperature which we distinguish by the name of animal heat. 4. He proves that blood is capable of being acted upon by a stimulus, as it coagulates on exposure to the air, as certainly as the cavities of the abdomen and thorax become inflamed from the same cause. The more the blood is alive, i. e., the more the animal is in health, the sooner the blood coagulates on exposure; and the more it has lost of the living principle, as in cases of violent inflammation, the less sensible it is to the stimulus produced by being exposed, and coagulates more slowly. 5. He proves that the blood preserves life in different parts of the body. When the nerves going to any part are tied or cut, the part becomes paralytic, and loses all power of motion, but it does not mortify. But let the artery be cut, and then the part dies and mortification ensues. It must therefore be the vital principle of the blood that keeps the part alive; nor does it appear that this fact can be accounted for on any other principle. 6. He thinks this vitality farther proved from the case of a person who was brought to St. George's hospital for a simple fracture of the os humeri, and who died about a month after. As the bones had not united, he injected the arm, and thus found that the coagulated blood which filled the cavity between the extremities of the fractured bones was become vascular, and in some places very much so, which vessels, had it been dead matter, it never could have produced. This system has been opposed, and arguments have been adduced to prove that the principle of vitality exists not in the blood but in the nervous system. But every argument on this ground appears to be done away by the simple consideration that the whole nervous system, as well as every other part of the body, is originally derived from the blood; for is it not from the blood of the mother that the fetus has its being and nourishment in the womb? Do not all the nerves, as well as the brain, etc., originate from that alone? And if it be not vital can it give the principle of vitality to something else, which then exclusively (though the effect of a cause) becomes the principle of vitality to all the solids and fluids of the body? This seems absurd. That the human being proceeded originally from the blood admits of no doubt; and it is natural and reasonable to suppose that as it was the cause under God which generated all the other parts of the body, so it still continues to be the principle of life, and by it alone all the wastes of the system are repaired. Two points relative to this subject are strongly asserted in Divine revelation, one by Moses, the other by St. Paul. 1. Moses says, The Life of the flesh is in the Blood, Lev 17:11. This has been proved by the most indisputable facts. 2. St. Paul says, God hath made of One Blood all nations of men, Act 17:26. And this is demonstrated, not only from there being only one pair from whom all the nations of men have been derived, but also from the fact that every human being, from the first-born of Eve to the present hour, has been formed out of and supported by the mother's blood; and that from the agency of this fluid the human body, after being born into the world, has its increment and support. The reason given by God for the law against eating blood is perfectly conclusive: I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood - for the Life (נפש nephesh) of the flesh is in the Blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls (נפשתיכם naphshotheychem, your Lives): for it is the blood (because it is the Life, נפש nephesh) that maketh an atonement for the soul (בנפש bannephesh, for the life; for the word is the same in all these cases). By transgression a man forfeits his Life to Divine justice, and he must die, did not mercy provide him a substitute. The life of a beast is appointed and accepted by God as a substitute for the sinner's life (in reference to the life of Christ, which was to be given for the life of the world); but as this life is in the Blood, and as the blood is the grand principle of vitality, therefore the blood is to be poured out upon the altar: and thus the life of the beast becomes a substitute for the life of the man. And it is well worthy of being remarked, that Christ not only died for sinners, but our redemption is everywhere attributed to his Blood, and the shedding of that blood; and that on the altar of the cross, this might make an atonement for the lives and souls of men, he not only bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, but his side was opened, the pericardium and the heart evidently pierced, that the vital fluid might be poured out from the very seat of life, and that thus the blood, which is the life, should be poured out to make an atonement for the life of the soul. The doctrine of Moses and Paul proves the truth of the doctrine of Harvey and Hunter; and the reasonings and experiments of Harvey and Hunter illustrate and confirm the doctrine of Moses and Paul - Here then is a farther proof of the truth and authority of Divine revelation. See Clarke's note on Gen 9:4; Dr. J. Corrie's Essay on the Vitality of the Blood; and the article Blood, in the Encyclopaedias.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls--God, as the sovereign author and proprietor of nature, reserved the blood to Himself and allowed men only one use of it--in the way of sacrifices.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For the life of the flesh is in the blood,.... The animal life or soul, the life and soul of every creature, and even the animal life and soul of man; agreeably to which our famous Dr. Harvey, who found out the circulation of the blood, says of it, that it is the principal part which first appears in generation; is the genital part, the fountain of life the first that lives, and the last that dies; the primary seat of the soul or life, from whence motion and pulsation take their rise; in which the innate heat is produced the vital spirit is generated and the life consists (i); and therefore it is spread all over the body, and according to the condition that it is in, such is the health and such the diseases of the body; yea, the affections of the mind, such as fear, shame, joy, and anger are discovered by it. Hence Antoninus the emperor, more than once, calls the soul a vapour or exhalation arising out of the blood (k); and the sentiments of various Jewish writers agree herewith: says Aben Ezra, it is a truth, that the soul or life, with which man lives, is in the blood of the heart; so says Jarchi the soul or life depends upon the blood; and Ben Gersom observes, that the blood is the vessel of the soul to carry in it the fundamental heat, and food to the parts of the body; and hence the animal only dies when the blood is removed: and I have given it unto you to make an atonement for your souls: that being the life of the creature, was given for theirs to preserve them alive, and secure them from death their sins deserved; and so the Targum of Jonathan is, for the sins of the soul; which shows that these sacrifices were vicarious, in the room of men, and for the life of them, and to atone for them; and is the reason given why blood should not be eaten, at least while these typical expiatory sacrifices were used. Ben Gersom seems to intimate, as if it was only the blood of those that was forbidden: his words are, hence we learn says he, that they were not guilty of cutting off, but on account of the blood, which, according to its way was put upon the altar; and this was the blood of the soul as it saith the blood of the bullock, and the blood of the goat; but the blood that was pressed out, and the blood of the members they were not guilty of cutting off, on account of them: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul; so here was life for life, soul for soul as Aben Ezra expresses it; it was a vicarious sacrifice and atonement, typical of the sacrifice and atonement of Christ, in the room and stead of his people, there being no atonement, no remission of sins without shedding of blood; and the reason of the prohibition of eating blood was to direct to that blood as the atonement for sin, and to keep up a reverence of it, and a value and esteem for it; but now seeing that blood has been shed and atonement made by it, the end of the law is answered, and the reason of it ceased, and so the law itself; and as Christ's blood is now to be eaten in a spiritual sense, the eating of blood in a literal sense, properly dressed, is lawful. And indeed, as before observed the law concerning it was never binding upon Gentiles, only on Jews and proselytes. (i) De Generatione Animal. Exercitat. 51. p. 302, 303, &c. (k) De Seipso, l. 5. sect. 25. & l. 6. sect. 11.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
17:11 the life of the body is in its blood: Israel was forbidden to consume blood (17:10) because it was symbolic of the life given by God and was reserved as God’s portion of each animal offering. God had also designated the sacrificial blood as the means of atonement. In other words, God’s grace permitted the life of the animal to be accepted in exchange for the life of the sinner. In the New Testament, the blood of Christ—representing his life freely given—has provided eternal redemption for believers (Heb 9:12).
Leviticus 17:11
Laws against Eating Blood
10If anyone from the house of Israel or a foreigner living among them eats any blood, I will set My face against that person and cut him off from among his people. 11For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for your souls upon the altar; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.12Therefore I say to the Israelites, ‘None of you may eat blood, nor may any foreigner living among you eat blood.’
- Scripture
- Sermons
- Commentary
Overcoming Satan by the Blood of Jesus
By David Wilkerson7.6K52:46LEV 17:11ZEC 3:2ZEC 3:8MAT 6:33HEB 9:22REV 12:11In this sermon, the preacher addresses the concern of how to maintain righteousness and be a shining light in a world that is becoming increasingly dark. The preacher emphasizes the importance of two powerful weapons given by God to overcome in the last days: the blood of the Lamb and the word of testimony. The sermon highlights the need for prayer and the danger of being overbooked and too busy to seek God. The preacher also emphasizes that true contentment and victory can only be found in Jesus and His shed blood, not in external things like fashion or hairstyles.
(Gospel in the Book of Esther) 1. the Doom of the People
By Roy Hession6.7K54:35EstherEXO 32:33LEV 17:11NUM 14:29DEU 2:7EST 4:14PSA 34:13HEB 12:6In this sermon, the preacher discusses the theme of redemption and foreshadowing in the word of God. He emphasizes that even though the nation of Israel faced discipline and consequences for their disobedience, they could still have fellowship with God through offerings, sacrifices, and the shedding of blood. The preacher highlights the importance of repentance and submission to God's discipline, using the example of Israel being told to turn back into the wilderness after their disobedience at Kadesh Barnea. He concludes by expressing gratitude for God's grace and redemption, and encourages listeners to humble themselves and trust in God's ability to work in their lives.
(Hebrews - Part 27): The Blood of Infinite Value
By A.W. Tozer5.0K31:28ExpositionalLEV 17:11MAT 26:28JHN 3:16ROM 5:9EPH 1:7HEB 9:221PE 1:18In this sermon, the speaker uses the analogy of standing back from a painting to understand the passage being discussed. He emphasizes that sin leads to death and that when a person dies, they no longer sin. To save the forfeited man, blood is offered as a sacrifice. The speaker also highlights the immediate reconciliation and fellowship between God and the forgiven sinner. This reconciliation is made possible through the blood of the New Testament and the death of Jesus Christ, who serves as the mediator of a new covenant.
How to Apply the Blood
By Derek Prince4.1K1:13:00LEV 17:11PSA 51:7ISA 61:10JHN 6:53EPH 1:7HEB 10:19HEB 12:22REV 12:11This sermon delves into the profound significance of the blood of Jesus shed on the cross, emphasizing the various provisions and effects of His sacrifice. It covers themes of redemption, cleansing, justification, sanctification, life, intercession, and access to God's presence through the blood of Jesus. The importance of testifying to the power of the blood and surrendering fully to God's will is highlighted as key in overcoming Satan and experiencing the full benefits of Christ's sacrifice.
Metatron
By Jacob Prasch3.1K1:19:01Christian LifeGEN 24:2LEV 17:11LEV 17:14ISA 52:14ISA 53:5MAT 6:33In this sermon, the speaker discusses the Messiahship of Jesus and how it can be proven to both Jewish and Gentile Christians. The speaker encourages the audience to share the video with their Jewish friends as a way to witness to them about Jesus being the Messiah. The speaker also shares a story about a Jewish rabbi who was terrified of dying and not knowing if he would go to hell. However, the speaker highlights that Jesus, referred to as the Metatron, offers assurance of salvation and invites Jewish viewers to seek salvation through Jesus. The sermon concludes with a blessing and an invitation to contact the speaker for further discussion.
The Power of the Blood - Sermon 1 of 5 - the Passover Lamb
By Roy Hession2.0K47:37Blood of The LambLEV 17:11MAT 6:33ROM 3:25EPH 1:7HEB 9:221PE 1:18In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of preaching about the blood of Jesus. He believes that when the blood of Jesus is preached, it brings liberty and joy to congregations. The preacher highlights that the blood of Jesus is the key to removing a tormenting conscience and experiencing the blessings of God. He refers to the story of the Passover in Exodus chapter 12, where the blood of a lamb was used as a token of judgment already falling on a house. The preacher concludes by encouraging believers to sit down and rest in the finished work of Jesus, rather than striving and standing in their own efforts.
(Easter Convention 2008) Quiet Time Tips
By Gerhard Du Toit2.0K33:53Quiet TimeLEV 17:11MAT 1:1LUK 1:1REV 1:1In this sermon, the speaker shares his personal routine for prayer and devotion. He starts his day by spending the first half hour listening to old hymns, which helps him enter a spirit of submissiveness and worship. After that, he engages in journaling to reflect on the previous day and understand what God is doing in his life. He emphasizes the importance of discipline in prayer, stating that 60% of his commitment to prayer is determined by discipline rather than desire. The speaker also highlights the need for gratitude, expressing concern over the lack of thankfulness among Christians in Canada. He shares a personal story of how his daughter received a scholarship through prayer and the influence of the Word of God in her life.
Questions People Ask-02 Questions and Answers
By William MacDonald1.2K42:47Question AnswerLEV 17:11MAT 19:16In this sermon, the preacher discusses a conversation between Jesus and a young man who asks how to obtain eternal life. Jesus tells him to keep the commandments, specifically those related to relationships with others. The young man claims to have kept these commandments since his youth but asks what he still lacks. Jesus then challenges him to sell his possessions, give to the poor, and follow Him. The young man leaves sorrowful because he values his possessions more than following Jesus. The sermon also addresses questions about guilt, salvation, and atonement for sins, emphasizing the importance of God's standards and the shedding of blood for atonement.
Are You Ready
By Shane Idleman1.0K07:27LEV 17:11JHN 14:6PHP 2:10This sermon emphasizes the importance of preaching the difficult truths of the Bible, including topics like sin, judgment, the wrath of God, righteousness, holiness, the blood, and the cross. It stresses the foundational message of the gospel, highlighting the need for repentance and the exclusive salvation through Jesus Christ. The speaker passionately calls for a transformation in individuals' lives through a genuine encounter with Christ, warning against complacency and emphasizing the urgency of knowing and following God's commandments.
Unreached Peoples: China's Minority Groups #8 the Qiang
By Paul Hattaway1.0K00:00GEN 12:1LEV 17:11MAT 9:37JHN 3:16ROM 3:23This sermon delves into the fascinating cultural and spiritual connections between the Chong people in Sichuan and biblical narratives, highlighting their resemblance to ancient Jewish practices and beliefs. It explores how missionary Thomas Torrance discovered parallels between Chong traditions and Old Testament laws, emphasizing their belief in one true God and sacrificial system. Despite the corruption of idolatrous influences, remnants of true elements in their religion point to a longing for redemption and a divine sin-bearer, echoing the message of Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for sins.
Exhortations
By Chuck Smith94025:05ExhortationLEV 17:11JOS 6:20PRO 30:10PRO 30:33MAT 27:46In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of holding onto the promises of God. He uses the analogy of four beautiful and powerful creatures: the lion, the greyhound (or horse), the he goat, and the horse leech. These creatures represent strength, grace, and persistence. The preacher also mentions four things that are never satisfied: the grave, the barren womb, the earth without water, and the fire. He warns against mocking and disobeying parents, using the imagery of ravens picking out the eyes of the disobedient. The preacher concludes by acknowledging that there are things in life that are beyond human understanding.
K-527 Tv Show Part 11 Blood Atonement
By Art Katz80126:40Blood AtonementInterviewSacrifice of ChristEXO 12:1LEV 17:11PSA 51:10ISA 53:5ISA 59:2EZK 18:30MAT 26:28JHN 1:29ROM 3:23HEB 9:22Art Katz, alongside Paul Gordon, reflects on the significance of blood atonement during the Easter and Passover season, emphasizing the importance of understanding these sacred occasions beyond modern commercialism. They discuss the biblical origins of Passover in Exodus, highlighting the necessity of the sacrificial lamb and the blood's role in atonement, which foreshadows Jesus as the ultimate Paschal Lamb. Katz stresses that true obedience to God's word is essential, regardless of human understanding, and connects the ancient practices to the modern Christian faith, asserting that without the shedding of blood, there is no remission of sin. The sermon calls for a deeper recognition of our need for atonement and the importance of applying faith in Jesus' sacrifice to our lives. Katz concludes with a prayer for those seeking reconciliation with God through the Messiah.
Special Meetings 01 God's Thoughts
By John W. Bramhall78846:32LEV 17:11PSA 49:6PSA 133:1PSA 139:17MAT 6:33In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of sowing the seeds of the word of God in the world. He recalls an incident from his past where he distributed tracts during a circus parade. He encounters an old colored man who recognizes him and expresses gratitude for the tract he received. The preacher then discusses the value that God places on human life, citing biblical passages that highlight the inability of wealth to redeem or ransom a person's soul. The sermon concludes with a conversation about a wealthy man who left a large sum of money for humanitarian purposes, prompting the preacher to question the listener's own ability to leave such a legacy.
The Bible vs. Evolution Debate
By Shane Idleman4992:48:50GEN 1:1GEN 2:7LEV 15:13LEV 17:11JOB 38:16PSA 102:25JER 33:22This sermon delves into the lost art of respectful debate amidst passionate disagreements, focusing on the criticism of the Bible in the modern world, particularly in the scientific realm. It explores the compatibility of modern science with a biblical worldview and the ongoing contest between scientific discoveries and biblical teachings. The speaker emphasizes the intricate connections between biblical principles and scientific concepts, highlighting the profound wisdom and foresight found in the Bible's verses.
Redemption Through His Blood
By Tim Conway4801:02:27EXO 12:13LEV 17:11EPH 1:7COL 2:141PE 1:18REV 5:9This sermon emphasizes the importance of redemption through Christ's blood for the forgiveness of our sins. It delves into the seriousness of personal sin, the need for acknowledging our guilt, and the necessity of applying the blood of Christ through faith as our only hope for salvation. The message highlights the offense of the cross, the significance of Christ's sacrificial death, and the riches of God's grace in providing redemption and forgiveness according to His mercy.
Sunday Night Meditations 18 Message and Song - 1950's
By Welcome Detweiler39329:03EXO 12:13LEV 17:11EPH 1:7HEB 9:221JN 1:7REV 1:5REV 5:9In this sermon, the preacher emphasizes the importance of accepting Jesus Christ as the only Savior of sinners and the sustainer of saved individuals. The message highlights the urgency for this generation to hear the loving invitation of salvation in Christ. The preacher uses an anecdote about a stolen cash register to illustrate how many people are spiritually asleep and unaware of the eternal consequences of their actions. The sermon concludes with a call to wake up and turn to God for forgiveness and salvation, emphasizing that Jesus is the only one who can save and impart divine life to the soul.
The Scarlet Thread of Redemption
By Major Ian Thomas1040:18Dependence on ChristRedemptionLEV 17:11JHN 1:4ROM 5:10ROM 11:361CO 5:72CO 5:14GAL 2:20PHP 1:11COL 1:27HEB 9:22Major Ian Thomas emphasizes the concept of redemption through the metaphor of a lamp, illustrating that while we are created with a body and soul, we cannot produce righteousness on our own. He explains that true functionality comes from receiving the life of Christ within us, which enables us to shine with His light. Thomas highlights the importance of both the death and life of Christ, stating that while His death reconciles us, it is His life that saves us and empowers us to live righteously. He warns against the danger of being a 'carnal Christian,' relying on our own efforts rather than allowing Christ to live through us. Ultimately, the sermon underscores the necessity of repentance and dependence on Christ for true sanctification and functionality in our Christian walk.
The Mercy Seat
By Andrew Bonar1AtonementGrace and MercyEXO 25:22LEV 17:11MAT 9:12MAT 26:28Andrew Bonar emphasizes the significance of the mercy-seat as the place where sinners can find atonement through the blood of Christ. He urges listeners to come to God as they are, burdened by sin, and to lay their sins upon the mercy-seat, where God's grace meets their need for salvation. Bonar reassures that the blood of Jesus is sufficient for immediate forgiveness and that no good works are required to earn acceptance; rather, faith in Christ's sacrifice is the only plea for salvation. He highlights that God is always ready to receive sinners, inviting them to approach Him with confidence in the atoning blood. Ultimately, Bonar calls for a heartfelt response to the mercy offered at the cross, emphasizing that now is the time to seek the Lord.
The Soul-Life
By Watchman Nee0Understanding Human IdentityThe Nature of the SoulGEN 12:5LEV 17:11PSA 16:10PRO 4:23MAT 10:28MRK 8:36LUK 12:20JHN 10:101TH 5:23REV 12:11Watchman Nee explores the concept of the soul as the essence of human self-consciousness and personality, emphasizing that our intellect, emotions, and will are all integral parts of the soul. He explains that the Bible often equates the soul with the heart, suggesting that understanding a person's soul is key to understanding their true self. Nee highlights that the soul is not only a reflection of personality but also encompasses the natural life of man, where the terms 'soul' and 'life' are often used interchangeably in Scripture. This interconnectedness of soul and life illustrates the depth of human existence as defined by both spiritual and natural elements. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deeper understanding of the soul-life as foundational to our identity and relationship with God.
Why the Blood Saves
By Jack Hyles0LEV 17:11ROM 3:25ROM 5:91CO 15:1HEB 7:25HEB 9:11HEB 10:291JN 1:7Jack Hyles preaches a powerful sermon on the significance of the blood of Jesus, emphasizing the necessity of both His death and resurrection for our salvation. He delves into the Old Testament rituals of the tabernacle, explaining how Jesus, as our Passover Lamb, had to have His blood applied by His role as the High Priest in the heavenly tabernacle. Hyles passionately teaches that the blood of Jesus continuously cleanses us from sin, highlighting the importance of the blood being sprinkled on the heavenly mercy seat by our High Priest for our eternal redemption.
The Lord My Drink
By Octavius Winslow0The Blood of ChristSpiritual NourishmentLEV 17:11MAT 26:26JHN 6:53ROM 5:91CO 11:24EPH 1:7HEB 9:221JN 1:7REV 22:1Octavius Winslow emphasizes that the believer's spiritual life is sustained by the life of Jesus, who offers His flesh and blood as true nourishment. He highlights the importance of having an experiential knowledge of Christ, urging believers to not merely profess their faith but to live by it. Winslow explains that the blood of Christ is essential for spiritual vitality, cleansing, and nourishment, and encourages believers to continually apply it in their lives. He reassures that even in weakness, believers can approach the Lord's Table to remember Christ's sacrifice and receive eternal life. Ultimately, the sermon calls for a deep, personal relationship with Christ, where His blood invigorates and sustains the believer's faith.
Power of the Blood of Jesus
By Andrew Murray0AtonementRedemptionLEV 17:11LEV 17:14MAT 26:28ACT 20:28ROM 5:9EPH 1:7COL 1:14HEB 9:221PE 1:18REV 1:5Andrew Murray emphasizes the unparalleled power of the blood of Jesus, rooted in the understanding that the life of the flesh is in the blood, as stated in Leviticus. He explains that the blood of Jesus carries the eternal life of the Son of God, making it infinitely valuable and powerful for redemption. The sacrificial nature of His blood, shed in obedience to God, not only satisfies the law but also atones for sin, rendering it powerless for those who believe. Murray highlights that the blood of Jesus cleanses, sanctifies, and prepares believers for heaven, fulfilling the types and shadows of the Old Testament sacrifices. Ultimately, it is through His blood that forgiveness and eternal life are offered to humanity.
March 5. 1678. the Altar of the Third Degree
By Jane Lead0LEV 17:11ROM 12:1EPH 5:2HEB 13:101PE 2:5REV 8:3Jane Lead preaches about the significance of building a pure Altar of the Third Degree unto God, symbolizing the process of consecration and transformation of believers into perfect and dedicated vessels for God's use. She emphasizes the journey from the earthly Altar of contrition to the heavenly Altar of victory, praise, and atonement through the shedding of the Blood of Christ. Lead delves into the threefold consideration of Altars - Earth, Brass, and Gold - representing different stages of spiritual growth and purification, culminating in believers offering their bodies as a sacrifice to God, leading to the highest degree of Altar-Perfection in Christ.
On the Antiquity of the Existing Liturgies
By J.H. Newman0LEV 17:11MAT 26:26JHN 6:53ACT 2:421CO 11:23EPH 5:2COL 1:20HEB 9:141PE 1:18REV 5:12J.H. Newman delves into the history and significance of Liturgies, highlighting the potential interpolations and corruptions that have occurred over time. Despite these challenges, learned individuals have found value in examining these ancient Liturgies, some of which have been traced back to the Apostolic age. Newman discusses the remarkable similarities and differences among various Liturgies, suggesting a common origin and shared sentiments among the early Christian communities. He emphasizes the Eucharistic sacrifice and mystery present in the Liturgies, pointing out key elements such as the consecration prayers and the commemoration of Christ's actions. Newman's sermon underscores the importance of these ancient forms in understanding the early Christian worship practices and traditions.
The Savior Praying for Us
By John A. Broadus0LEV 16:2LEV 17:11MAT 26:28JHN 1:29ROM 3:25ROM 5:9HEB 9:51JN 2:2The preacher delves into the concept of propitiation, explaining how Jesus Christ serves as the means of gaining favor with God by satisfying His justice through His sacrificial death. The term 'hilasterion' is explored, referring to the place of propitiation, such as the mercy seat in the Old Testament. The sermon emphasizes that propitiation involves satisfying God's wrath and changing it into favor, highlighting the importance of Christ's sacrifice in bearing the penalty for sin and appeasing God's divine wrath. Through Christ's propitiation, God's justice is satisfied, His wrath is turned away, and His mercy is made freely available to all who believe.
- Adam Clarke
- Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
- John Gill
- Tyndale
Adam Clarke Bible Commentary
For the life of the flesh is in the blood - This sentence, which contains a most important truth, had existed in the Mosaic writings for 3600 years before the attention of any philosopher was drawn to the subject. This is the more surprising, as the nations in which philosophy flourished were those which especially enjoyed the Divine oracles in their respective languages. That the blood actually possesses a living principle, and that the life of the whole body is derived from it, is a doctrine of Divine revelation, and a doctrine which the observations and experiments of the most accurate anatomists have served strongly to confirm. The proper circulation of this important fluid through the whole human system was first taught by Solomon in figurative language, Ecc 12:6; and discovered, as it is called, and demonstrated, by Dr. Harvey in 1628; though some Italian philosophers had the same notion a little before. This accurate anatomist was the first who fully revived the Mosaic notion of the vitality of the blood; which notion was afterward adopted by the justly celebrated Dr. John Hunter, professor of anatomy in London, and fully established by him by a great variety of strong reasoning and accurate experiments. To support this opinion Dr. Hunter proves: - 1. That the blood unites living parts in some circumstances as certainly as the yet recent juices of the branch of one tree unite with that of another; and he thinks that if either of these fluids were dead matter, they would act as stimuli, and no union would take place in the animal or vegetable kingdom; and he shows that in the nature of things there is not a more intimate connection between life and a solid than between life and a fluid. 2. He shows that the blood becomes vascular, like other living parts of the body; and he demonstrated this by a preparation in which vessels were clearly seen to arise from what had been a coagulum of blood; for those vessels opened into the stream of the circulating blood, which was in contiguity with this coagulated mass. 3. He proves that if blood be taken from the arm in the most intense cold that the human body can suffer, it will raise the thermometer to the same height as blood taken in the most sultry heat. This is a very powerful argument for the vitality of the blood, as it is well known that living bodies alone have the power of resisting great degrees of heat and cold, and of maintaining in almost every situation while in health that temperature which we distinguish by the name of animal heat. 4. He proves that blood is capable of being acted upon by a stimulus, as it coagulates on exposure to the air, as certainly as the cavities of the abdomen and thorax become inflamed from the same cause. The more the blood is alive, i. e., the more the animal is in health, the sooner the blood coagulates on exposure; and the more it has lost of the living principle, as in cases of violent inflammation, the less sensible it is to the stimulus produced by being exposed, and coagulates more slowly. 5. He proves that the blood preserves life in different parts of the body. When the nerves going to any part are tied or cut, the part becomes paralytic, and loses all power of motion, but it does not mortify. But let the artery be cut, and then the part dies and mortification ensues. It must therefore be the vital principle of the blood that keeps the part alive; nor does it appear that this fact can be accounted for on any other principle. 6. He thinks this vitality farther proved from the case of a person who was brought to St. George's hospital for a simple fracture of the os humeri, and who died about a month after. As the bones had not united, he injected the arm, and thus found that the coagulated blood which filled the cavity between the extremities of the fractured bones was become vascular, and in some places very much so, which vessels, had it been dead matter, it never could have produced. This system has been opposed, and arguments have been adduced to prove that the principle of vitality exists not in the blood but in the nervous system. But every argument on this ground appears to be done away by the simple consideration that the whole nervous system, as well as every other part of the body, is originally derived from the blood; for is it not from the blood of the mother that the fetus has its being and nourishment in the womb? Do not all the nerves, as well as the brain, etc., originate from that alone? And if it be not vital can it give the principle of vitality to something else, which then exclusively (though the effect of a cause) becomes the principle of vitality to all the solids and fluids of the body? This seems absurd. That the human being proceeded originally from the blood admits of no doubt; and it is natural and reasonable to suppose that as it was the cause under God which generated all the other parts of the body, so it still continues to be the principle of life, and by it alone all the wastes of the system are repaired. Two points relative to this subject are strongly asserted in Divine revelation, one by Moses, the other by St. Paul. 1. Moses says, The Life of the flesh is in the Blood, Lev 17:11. This has been proved by the most indisputable facts. 2. St. Paul says, God hath made of One Blood all nations of men, Act 17:26. And this is demonstrated, not only from there being only one pair from whom all the nations of men have been derived, but also from the fact that every human being, from the first-born of Eve to the present hour, has been formed out of and supported by the mother's blood; and that from the agency of this fluid the human body, after being born into the world, has its increment and support. The reason given by God for the law against eating blood is perfectly conclusive: I will set my face against that soul that eateth blood - for the Life (נפש nephesh) of the flesh is in the Blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar, to make an atonement for your souls (נפשתיכם naphshotheychem, your Lives): for it is the blood (because it is the Life, נפש nephesh) that maketh an atonement for the soul (בנפש bannephesh, for the life; for the word is the same in all these cases). By transgression a man forfeits his Life to Divine justice, and he must die, did not mercy provide him a substitute. The life of a beast is appointed and accepted by God as a substitute for the sinner's life (in reference to the life of Christ, which was to be given for the life of the world); but as this life is in the Blood, and as the blood is the grand principle of vitality, therefore the blood is to be poured out upon the altar: and thus the life of the beast becomes a substitute for the life of the man. And it is well worthy of being remarked, that Christ not only died for sinners, but our redemption is everywhere attributed to his Blood, and the shedding of that blood; and that on the altar of the cross, this might make an atonement for the lives and souls of men, he not only bowed his head, and gave up the ghost, but his side was opened, the pericardium and the heart evidently pierced, that the vital fluid might be poured out from the very seat of life, and that thus the blood, which is the life, should be poured out to make an atonement for the life of the soul. The doctrine of Moses and Paul proves the truth of the doctrine of Harvey and Hunter; and the reasonings and experiments of Harvey and Hunter illustrate and confirm the doctrine of Moses and Paul - Here then is a farther proof of the truth and authority of Divine revelation. See Clarke's note on Gen 9:4; Dr. J. Corrie's Essay on the Vitality of the Blood; and the article Blood, in the Encyclopaedias.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls--God, as the sovereign author and proprietor of nature, reserved the blood to Himself and allowed men only one use of it--in the way of sacrifices.
John Gill Bible Commentary
For the life of the flesh is in the blood,.... The animal life or soul, the life and soul of every creature, and even the animal life and soul of man; agreeably to which our famous Dr. Harvey, who found out the circulation of the blood, says of it, that it is the principal part which first appears in generation; is the genital part, the fountain of life the first that lives, and the last that dies; the primary seat of the soul or life, from whence motion and pulsation take their rise; in which the innate heat is produced the vital spirit is generated and the life consists (i); and therefore it is spread all over the body, and according to the condition that it is in, such is the health and such the diseases of the body; yea, the affections of the mind, such as fear, shame, joy, and anger are discovered by it. Hence Antoninus the emperor, more than once, calls the soul a vapour or exhalation arising out of the blood (k); and the sentiments of various Jewish writers agree herewith: says Aben Ezra, it is a truth, that the soul or life, with which man lives, is in the blood of the heart; so says Jarchi the soul or life depends upon the blood; and Ben Gersom observes, that the blood is the vessel of the soul to carry in it the fundamental heat, and food to the parts of the body; and hence the animal only dies when the blood is removed: and I have given it unto you to make an atonement for your souls: that being the life of the creature, was given for theirs to preserve them alive, and secure them from death their sins deserved; and so the Targum of Jonathan is, for the sins of the soul; which shows that these sacrifices were vicarious, in the room of men, and for the life of them, and to atone for them; and is the reason given why blood should not be eaten, at least while these typical expiatory sacrifices were used. Ben Gersom seems to intimate, as if it was only the blood of those that was forbidden: his words are, hence we learn says he, that they were not guilty of cutting off, but on account of the blood, which, according to its way was put upon the altar; and this was the blood of the soul as it saith the blood of the bullock, and the blood of the goat; but the blood that was pressed out, and the blood of the members they were not guilty of cutting off, on account of them: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul; so here was life for life, soul for soul as Aben Ezra expresses it; it was a vicarious sacrifice and atonement, typical of the sacrifice and atonement of Christ, in the room and stead of his people, there being no atonement, no remission of sins without shedding of blood; and the reason of the prohibition of eating blood was to direct to that blood as the atonement for sin, and to keep up a reverence of it, and a value and esteem for it; but now seeing that blood has been shed and atonement made by it, the end of the law is answered, and the reason of it ceased, and so the law itself; and as Christ's blood is now to be eaten in a spiritual sense, the eating of blood in a literal sense, properly dressed, is lawful. And indeed, as before observed the law concerning it was never binding upon Gentiles, only on Jews and proselytes. (i) De Generatione Animal. Exercitat. 51. p. 302, 303, &c. (k) De Seipso, l. 5. sect. 25. & l. 6. sect. 11.
Tyndale Open Study Notes
17:11 the life of the body is in its blood: Israel was forbidden to consume blood (17:10) because it was symbolic of the life given by God and was reserved as God’s portion of each animal offering. God had also designated the sacrificial blood as the means of atonement. In other words, God’s grace permitted the life of the animal to be accepted in exchange for the life of the sinner. In the New Testament, the blood of Christ—representing his life freely given—has provided eternal redemption for believers (Heb 9:12).