Don't Mess with the Blood!

 

 

      I.   Introduction

 

Christian apologists and missionaries assert that the only way a person can obtain atonement for sins is via the blood of a sacrificial offering, i.e., through the shedding of blood.  Consequently, since all humanity is, according to Christian theology, infected with Adam and Eve's "Original Sin", only the blood of the perfect (i.e., sinless) Jesus can have the power of the ransom that is required to overcome the sinful mortal nature of mankind.  In other words, the claim is that the shed blood of Jesus in his crucifixion paid for the sins of those who choose to follow him – he took on the sins of mankind and died for them on the cross as a sacrificial offering.

 

This claim is also presented in a different fashion, saying that the "Old Testament" (in the Christian Bible) prescribes the shedding of blood as a requirement for the atonement of sins, without which the expiation of sins is not possible.  Consequently, when the Second Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 C.E., Jews were left without the required system for atonement.  The claim is that G-d, out of his love for humanity, provided blood atonement via the death on the cross of "His only begotten son", Jesus, which replaced the need for animal sacrifices .  

 

The common Biblical reference cited in support of the claim that the shedding of blood is required for the atonement of sins is the following portion of a verse in the Christian "Old Testament":

 

Leviticus 17:11(KJV) - "…for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul."

 

The apparent message contained in this portion of the verse is echoed on several occasions in the New Testament.  A superficial reading of only this portion of the verse in Leviticus, without studying the entire passage and placing it in its proper context, will almost certainly lead one to conclude that only in being covered by the blood of Jesus on the cross can one be forgiven for sins.

 

    II.   The Facts According to the Hebrew Bible

 

A.      What Else Does Leviticus 17:11 Say?

 

Table II.A-1 shows side-by-side renditions of the complete verse Leviticus 17:11.  The portion used by Christian apologists and missionaries is highlighted in the respective renditions.  The King James Version (KJV) translation includes a reference to a passage in the New Testament that points back to Leviticus 17:11.  [This reference is from the New American Standard Bible (NASB).  The corresponding passage quoted below the table is from the KJV.]

 

Table II.A-1 – The passage Leviticus 17:11

 

(1) Hebrews 9:22(KJV) - And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and

                                        without shedding of blood is no remission.

 

Although there is some disparity between the two translations of the verse, in general, they are reasonably consistent.  Based on the proper reading of the Hebrew text, bracketed phrases have been added to the Jewish translation in order to clarify the context.

 

This verse is part of a passage that deals with the prohibition on the consumption of blood.  When this verse is considered in its entirety, it becomes evident that a specific statement concerning blood is conveyed.  Namely, that the blood of the sacrifice must be placed "… upon the altar to atone for your souls; …", i.e., that the only way blood may bring atonement is if placed on the altar in the Temple – this is a requirement for sin/guilt offerings.  The pertinent question here is:  "Was the blood of Jesus sprinkled on the altar as specified in Leviticus 17:11?"

 

The New Testament is silent about this requirement, and offers no evidence that the blood of Jesus was placed on the altar in the Temple, which was still standing in Jerusalem at the alleged time of his death.  The fact that the requirement was not satisfied invalidates the claim that the death of Jesus provided atonement for any sins.  In other words, the death of Jesus did not effect the remission of sins..

 

B.     Is Blood the Only Means for the Atonement of Sins?

 

Three different methods of atonement are identified in the Hebrew Bible:  animal sacrifices, contrite repentance & prayer, and charitable deeds.

 

1.      Animal Sacrifices

The Torah speaks of two kinds of animal sacrifices that were used for the atonement of transgressions:  (hataat), a sin sacrifice, and  (asham), a guilt sacrifice.

 

According to the Hebrew Bible, a sin sacrifice did not provide atonement for every kind of sin.  Rather, its purpose was to atone only for a person’s unintentional sins - the most insignificant type of transgression:

 

Numbers 15:27-28 - (27) And if a person sins inadvertently, then he shall offer a female goat in its first year as a sin offering [ (hataat)]. (28) And the priest shall atone for the erring person who sinned inadvertently before the L-rd in order to make atonement on his behalf; and it shall be forgiven him.

 

The requirements concerning a sin sacrifice are specified in Leviticus 4:1-35, where these offerings are declared mandatory, and that their purpose was to atone for sins committed unwittingly. 

 

A sin sacrifice could not be used to atone for sins that were committed with intent.  The willful sinner was barred from the Sanctuary, and had to bear his own iniquity because of his rebellious intent to sin against G-d:

 

Numbers 15:30-31 - (30) And the person who does anything presumptuously, whether he is a native born or a stranger, that person blasphemes the L-rd; and that person shall be cut off from among his people.  (31) Because he has scorned the word of the L-rd, and has violated his commandment, that person shall surely be cut off, for his iniquity is upon him.

 

The Levitical Law of Sacrifice specifies that some transgressions committed with intent mandated a guilt sacrifice.  The requirements concerning a guilt sacrifice are specified in Leviticus 5:14-26, where these offerings are declared obligatory for such offenses as robbery and misappropriation of Temple property, where restitution also had to be made.

 

Since the above two categories do not include all possible sins, it follows that no sacrificial offerings were mandated for all other (remaining) transgressions - all those sins not covered by either a sin sacrifice or a guilt sacrifice.  Clearly, there had to exist some process, other than sacrifices, to obtain atonement for such sins.  Some examples from the Hebrew Bible, where atonement is achieved without the shedding of blood, demonstrate this point. 

 

The first example concerns a requirement connected with a census.  Whenever a census was taken of those able-bodied men 20 years of age and older, who were fit for military service, every adult Israelite was required to pay a 1/2-sheqel:

 

Exodus 30:12-14 - (12) When you take a census of the people of Israel according to their numbers, then they shall each give a ransom [ (kopher)] for his soul to the L-rd when you count them, so that there will be no plague among them when you count them.  (13) This they shall give, everyone who is among those being counted: half a sheqel according to the holy sheqel; twenty gerahs are one sheqel; one half of the sheqel shall be an offering to the L-rd.  (14) Everyone who is among those who being counted, from [the age of] twenty years old and above, shall give an offering to the L-rd.

 

The Hebrew noun  (kopher), a ransom, appears in the Torah on three other occasions (Exod 21:30; Num 35:31,32).  In each case, it refers to the money paid by someone who is guilty of taking a human life in situations that do not constitute murder.  Thus, the owner of the ox that killed a person after the owner had received warnings that the animal was dangerous, was charged with the death of a person; but, since his crime was not intentional or premeditated, he was permitted to pay a ransom (Exod 21:30).  The payment of a ransom, was forbidden for a deliberate act of murder (Num 35:31,32).

 

Another example concerns the requirements for the atonement of such sins as being a false witness and then confessing to it, or being unclean and entering the Sanctuary inadvertently, and then realizing what happened and confessing to it (Lev 5:1-13).  These sins required an offering that was not named in the Torah, and to which the Jewish Sages referred as  (qorban oleh v^eyored), a variable offering[1], literally, a sliding scale offering that depended on a person's financial means, and which had the following progression:

 

Y      Top level – a female lamb or goat (a blood sacrifice):

 

Leviticus 5:6 – And he shall bring his guilt offering to the L-rd for his sin which he committed, a female from the flock, either a sheep or a goat, for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for him from his sin.

 

Y      Intermediate level – a pair of turtledoves or young pigeons (a blood sacrifice; less costly than lamb or goat):

 

Leviticus 5:7,9-10 – (7) And if he cannot afford a sheep, he who sinned shall bring as his guilt offering two turtle doves or two young pigeons before the L-rd, one for a sin offering, and one for a burnt offering.

(9) And he shall sprinkle from the blood of the sin offering on the wall of the altar, and the remainder of the blood shall be pressed out onto the base of the altar; it is a sin offering.  (10) And he shall offer up the second one as a burnt offering, according to the law; and the priest shall make atonement for him from his sin which he had committed, and he shall be forgiven.

 

Y      Bottom level – a certain weight of fine flour (not a blood offering; least costly):

 

Leviticus 5:11-13 - (11) And if he cannot afford two turtledoves or two young pigeons, then he who sinned shall bring as his offering one tenth of an ephah of fine flour for a sin offering; he shall not put oil on it, nor shall he place frankincense upon it, for it is a sin offering.  (12) He shall bring it to the priest, and the priest shall scoop out a fistful as a memorial thereof, and burn it on the altar, upon the fires of the L-rd; it is a sin offering.  (13) the priest shall make atonement for him from his sin which he had committed in any one of these [instances], and he shall be forgiven; and [the rest of] it shall belong to the priest, like the meal offering.

 

An animal sacrifice is not a requirement for atonement when an individual cannot afford the specified offering – one tenth of an ephah of fine flour, free of both oil and frankincense, serves as an acceptable (bloodless) sin offering!

 

2.      Contrite Repentance and Prayer

 

Another way to obtain atonement for sins is through contrite repentance and prayer.  The Torah provides an early glimpse at this process:

 

Deuteronomy 4:27-31 – (27) And the L-rd will scatter you among the peoples, and you will remain few in number among the nations where the L-rd will lead you.  (28) And there you will serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which do not see, and do not hear, and do not eat, and do not smell.  (29) And if, from there, you will seek the L-rd your G-d, then you will find Him, if you seek Him with all your heart and with all your soul.  (30) When you are in distress, and these words will find their way to you; in the end of days, you will return to the L-rd your G-d, and you will obey him;  (31) For the L-rd your G-d is a merciful G-d, He will not forsake you and will not destroy you; and He will not forget the covenant of your fathers which He swore to them.

 

As is evident from vs. 29-31, there is no mention of shedding of blood in order to regain G-d's favor; only contrite repentance is required.

 

This message is repeated elsewhere throughout the Hebrew Bible.  For example, King Solomon echoes the same idea in his inaugural prayer during the consecration of the First Temple in Jerusalem, the one he built:

 

1 Kings 8:46-52 – (46) If they sin against You, for there is no man who does not sin, and You will be angry with them, and deliver them to the enemy, and their captors will carry them away captive to the land of the enemy, far or near;  (47) And if they take it to heart in the land where they were held captive, and repent, and make supplication to You in the land of their captors, saying, "We have sinned, and have done perversely, we have committed wickedness";  (48) And they return to You with all their heart, and with all their soul, in the land of their enemies who led them away captive, and pray to You toward their land, which You gave to their fathers, [toward] the city which you have chosen, and [toward] the house which I have built for Your Name;  (49) Then You shall hear their prayer and their supplication in heaven, Your dwelling place, and maintain their cause,  (50) And forgive Your people what they have sinned against You, and all their transgressions that they have transgressed against You, and have mercy upon them before their captors, so that they may have mercy on them;  (51) For they are Your people, and Your inheritance, whom You have brought out of Egypt, from inside the smelting furnace of iron;  (52) That Your eyes may be open to the supplication of Your servant, and to the supplication of Your people Israel, to hear them whenever they call to You.

 

In his prophetic message, King Solomon forewarns that one day the Jewish people will be driven out of the Land of Israel and be banished to the lands of their enemies, near and far.  If, during their exile, they would fervently desire to repent of their sins, face Jerusalem from their exile, and confess their sins, then G-d will hear their prayers and forgive them for all their transgressions.  There is no mention of shedding of blood or any other kind of offering in King Solomon's message.  The salient message here is that the contrite and repentant prayer of a remorseful sinner can bring about a complete remission of sins and forgiveness from G-d, which is the centerpiece of Judaism's atonement process throughout the long and bitter times of the exile.

The prophets conveyed this message to the Jewish people, that the contrite prayer of the penitent sinner serves as an alternative to, or a substitute for, the sacrificial system.  This situation prevailed during the 70-year exile in Babylon following the destruction of the First Temple by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 B.C.E.  This is also the situation today, which has prevailed since the destruction of the Second Temple by the Romans in 70 C.E. 

 

The Prophet Hosea foretold that there will be times in the future of Israel when the people would not have a king, nor a sacrificial system, nor a Temple, nor a High Priest:

 

Hosea 3:4-5 – (4) For the people of Israel shall remain many days without a king, and without a nobleman, and without a sacrifice, and without a pillar, and without an ephod, and without teraphim;  (5) Afterwards, shall the people of Israel return, and seek the L-rd their G-d and David their king; and they shall fear the L-rd and His goodness in the end of days.

 

In a later chapter, Hosea gave the instructions on what will replace those animal sacrifices that atoned for unintentional sins while the Temple was standing in Jerusalem:

 

Hosea 14:2-3 – (2) Return, O Israel, to the L-rd your G-d; for you have stumbled in your iniquity.  (3) Take words with you and return to the L-rd; say to Him: "You shall forgive all iniquity, and accept the good, and we will render [for] bullocks [the offering of our] lips."

 

In other words, prayer is to replace the animal offerings during the times alluded to in Hosea 3:4-5.  The true prophets never instructed the Jewish people to worship a crucified messiah or man-god; nor does the Hebrew Bible ever teach that an innocent man can die and thereby provide atonement for the sins of the wicked.  Quite the contrary is true, as is evident from passages such as Exodus 32:31-33, Numbers 35:33, Deuteronomy 24:16, 2 Kings 14:6, Jeremiah 31:29[30 in Christian Bibles], Ezekiel 18:4,20, and Psalms 49:7-8.  The sincere prayers of the penitent sinner replaces animal sacrifices.

3.      Charitable Deeds

 

Lastly, there are the charitable deeds.  Since Judaism is a religion based on "works", with special emphasis on acts of charity, deeds of kindness are regarded as the most important component in the process of atonement.  This theme, concerning the importance of acts of charity, and that the doing of good deeds is preferable to other actions, is common in the Hebrew Bible.  In fact,  (ts^edaqah), charity, is mandated in the Torah:

 

Deuteronomy 15:7-8 – (7) If there will be among you a needy person, from one of your brothers within one of your cities, in your land the L-rd your G-d is giving you, you shall not harden your heart, and you shall not close your hand from your needy brother;  (8) For you shall surely open your hand to him, and you shall surely lend him enough for his need which he is lacking.

 

This commandment is not limited to charitable acts exclusively toward Jews.  In the Hebrew Bible, the command to love, to befriend, and to be kind toward a stranger is mentioned not less than 36 times, and frequently this command is linked with the phrase, "… for you were strangers in the land of Egypt …":

 

Leviticus 19:34 – "The stranger who dwells with you shall be to you as a native from among you, and you shall love him as yourself; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt;" I am the L-rd your G-d.

 

Deuteronomy 10:19 – And you shall love the stranger; for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

 

Moreover, the message is not restricted to the Torah:

 

Micah 6:6-8 – (6) With what shall I come before the L-rd, bow myself before G-d on high? Shall I come before Him with burnt offerings, with yearling calves?  (7) Will the L-rd be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands streams of oil?  Shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul?  (8) Man has told you what is good; but what does the L-rd demand of you? To do justice, and to love loving-kindness, and to walk humbly with your G-d?

 

Proverbs 16:6 – Through loving kindness and truth will iniquity be atoned; and through the fear of the L-rd [you] depart from evil.

 

Daniel 4:24 [27 in Christian Bibles] - Only, O king, let my counsel be acceptable to you, and your sins will be with charity removed, and your iniquities by showing mercy to the poor; indeed, your tranquility will be prolonged.

 

The Hebrew Bible also teaches which process is preferable to G-d:

 

Jeremiah 7:21-23 – (21) Thus says the L-rd of Hosts, the G-d of Israel: "Add your burnt offerings to your sacrifices, and eat meat.  (22) For I did not speak to your fathers, and I did not command them on the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning a burnt offerings and sacrifice;  (23) But this thing I commanded them, saying, 'Obey Me, and I will be your G-d and you shall be a people to Me; and you shall walk in all the ways that I will command you, so that it may be well with you.'"

 

Hosea 6:6 – For loving-kindness is what I desire, and not sacrifice; and knowledge of G-d more than burnt offerings.

 

Proverbs 21:3 – Doing charity and justice is more desirable to the L-rd than a sacrifice.

 

Charitable deeds and justice are superior to sacrificial offerings.

 

In the opening chapter of his book, the Prophet Isaiah summarized the general message concerning the atonement process in a most succinct fashion:

 

Isaiah 1:11-18 – (11) "Of what use to Me are your many sacrifices?" says the L-rd; "I am sated from the burnt offerings of rams and the fat of well-fed cattle; and in the blood of bulls, and of sheep, and of male goats I do not delight.  (12) When you come to appear before Me, who has requested this of you, to trample My courts? (13) You shall no longer bring a vain meal offering; it is incense of abomination to Me; as for the calling of an assembly on a New Moon and Sabbath, I cannot [bear] iniquity along with a solemn occasion. (14) Your New Moons and your appointed Feasts My soul hates, they are a burden to Me; I am weary of bearing them. (15) And when you spread out your hands, I will hide My eyes from you, and even when you pray much, I do not hear; your hands are full of blood.  (16) Wash, cleanse yourselves, remove the evil of your doings from before My eyes; cease to do evil; (17) Learn to do good, seek justice, help the oppressed; do justice to the orphan, plead [the case] for the widow. (18) Come now, and let us reason together," said the L-rd; "If your sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as snow; if they be red as crimson, they shall become as wool."

 

Recognizing that, by exercising his or her free will, a person has the ability to commit iniquity, it is now clear that Judaism specifies a path to righteousness and salvation that is based on contrite repentance and prayer, and good deeds.  The "formula" for the atonement of sins resides in the Hebrew Bible, and it does not include the shedding of blood as a required component.

 

C.     Is This Just Theory or Hypothesis?  What Is the Evidence?

 

The Hebrew Bible contains many examples that illustrate its teachings about the atonement of sins.  One example of note is the story found in the Book of Jonah.  The account describes the Nin^evites, who were wicked people to whom the prophet Jonah was sent with a message of their doom: 

 

Jonah 1:1-2 – (1) And the word of the L-rd came to Jonah son of Amittai, saying,  (2) "Arise, go to Nin^eveh, the great city, and call out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me."

 

Jonah, after some coaxing, went to warn the inhabitants of Nin^eveh about their impending demise:

 

Jonah 3:4 - And Jonah began to enter into the city, one day’s walk, and he called out and said, "Another forty days, and Nin^eveh shall be overturned."

 

The Nin^evites heeded the message brought to them by Jonah, and they started a process of repentance, not knowing if it would be acceptable to G-d:

 

Jonah 3:5-9 – (5) And the people of Nin^eveh believed in G-d, and they proclaimed a fast and donned sackcloth, from the greatest of them to the least of them.  (6) And word reached the king of Nin^eveh, and he arose from his throne, and he took off his royal robe; and covered himself with sackcloth, and sat on the ashes.  (7) And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nin^eveh, from the counsel of the king and his nobles, saying: "Neither man and beast, nor the cattle and the flock shall taste anything; they shall not graze nor shall they drink water!  (8) And they shall cover themselves with sackcloth, man and the beast, and they shall call mightily to G-d; and everyone shall repent from his evil way and from the violence that is in his hands.  (9) Who knows if G-d will turn and relent, and turn away from his fierce anger, and we will not perish?"

 

They donned sacks, fasted, and repented for their iniquities.  G-d recognized their contriteness and relented from destroying them as He initially planned to do:

 

Jonah 3:10 - And G-d saw their deeds, that they repented from their evil way; and G-d relented of the evil, which He had spoken to do to them, and He did not do it.

 

G-d accepted their repentance and  forgave the Nin^evites and saved them and their great city from destruction without a blood sacrifice! 

 

Another example is the situation that prevailed during the 70-year exile in Babylon.  The sacrificial system was suspended in times when there was no Temple standing in Jerusalem.  Following the return from Babylon and the rebuilding of the Temple, animal sacrifices were resumed.  However, during those 70 years of the exile, while the Temple lay in ruins, no sacrificial offerings were possible.  Yet, many righteous people lived in that period who undoubtedly had their sins removed through atonement – folks such as Daniel, Ezekiel, Ezra, Haggai, Jeremiah, Malachi, Nehemiah, Zechariah, among others – these were all men of G-d.  Daniel's righteousness (along with that of Noah and Job [both righteous Gentiles]) was noted by the Prophet Ezekiel:

 

Ezekiel 14:14,20 – (14) "And if these three men, Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, they would save themselves with their righteousness," says the L-rd G-d. 

(20) And if Noah, Daniel, and Job, were in it, as I live," says the L-rd G-d, "if they will save a son or a daughter; they with their righteousness would save themselves."

 

Jews were unable to offer sacrifices to have sins expiated during that 70-year period, yet they remained righteous without a blood sacrifice.  Clearly, the shedding of blood was not, and is not, a required component in the "formula".

 

Though devout Jews ask for forgiveness in their daily prayers, the general time ordained in the Torah for atonement is the Holy Day of Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement; Lev 16:29-34 & Num 29:7-11).  Yom Kippur is intended to be a vehicle for contrite repentance that will bring the atonement of a person’s sins[2].

 

  III.   Summary

 

Christian apologists and missionaries misapply a phrase from Leviticus 17:11 to claim that, without the shedding of blood, specifically, the blood that Jesus shed on the cross, the remission of sins is not possible.  The analysis presented above demonstrates that, according to the teachings of the Hebrew Bible, the shedding of blood is not a requirement for the atonement of sins and, therefore, this claim has no valid basis in the Hebrew Bible.  Consequently, this Christian concept is of no consequence to people who accept only the Hebrew Bible as their Scriptures.