Sacrifice In The Scriptures

In the Scriptures, Gods covenantal bond with His people is based on sacrifice. Sacrifice by definition, principally in the Judeo- Christian understanding, is to do a sacred act for the reparation of sins and to draw into union with God. In order to do this, man must give of what is already Gods, for example animals or grain, since they possess which only God can give, which is life. This offering, which is a symbol of man giving of his own self back to Him, is how humanity is able to fix the relationship which they have broken through their own sin, and their breaking of the covenant. In this giving of self through which he is sacrificing, since God possesses the fullness of life, man will receive life and the intimate relationship with

This consumption, however did not mean the blood, this was due to the understanding that the blood was the carrier of life, and by consuming what had come from God instead of offering it up was a sharing of only what God can give. This then would be a severe sacrilege since partaking would mean taking from creation that which only God gives and making the sacrifice which was held to be in vain and not pure. The Old Testament sacrifice was to show the bond between God and man, beginning with Abraham, Jacob, and later ceremoniously with Moses. The ceremonial sacrifice given to Moses, with the slaughter of the bull, collection of their blood, and the sprinkling of the blood on the alter and the people, showed the sharing of life between God and His people. In just participating in this sacrifice, the people are turning towards God, therefore becoming His people, since they are entering into His life. However in entering into this life, the people take on a greater responsibility. This responsibility is namely staying faithful to the covenant which God and man have agreed to since He had granted

This sacrifice by Christ is represented more perfectly in the Eucharist showing that He is the sacrificial lamb which will be slain through the Passover meal and His death. The entire Passover meal then points to the suffering and death which He will endure. Just as the old covenant being surrounded by blood, Christ’s blood is incorporated enormously in the new covenantal sacrifice. At the Last Supper, Christ says in Mark 14:24 and Mathew 26:28, that through the cup of His Blood which will be poured out for many, is for the forgiveness of sin. By using both the bread and wine, Christ provides the material sacrifice as in the previous covenant, while giving Himself completely as the Paschal lamb, entirely through body and will, as an innocent sufferer dying freely for the guilty. To show even more so that Christ is the Paschal lamb, John 19:14 and 19:34-36, places Christ on the cross at the very time the Rabbis are preparing and slaughtering the lamb in the Temple. In participating as this Paschal lamb, Christ makes a pure sacrifice which fulfills all old covenant sacrifice. Through this sacrifice of Jesus and the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper, we are sealed in the new covenant as His people, which he does not only for the atonement of our sins but for the ability to become personally intimate with us, making us sharers in His