αἷμα

blood

Definition

In the New Testament, αἷμα (blood) primarily refers to physical blood, often in the context of violent death or sacrifice (Matthew 27:24, Acts 22:20). Crucially, it carries a deep theological meaning as the life-force or life itself, based on the Old Testament principle that 'the life of the flesh is in the blood' (Leviticus 17:11). This concept is central to the idea of atonement, where Jesus's blood is presented as the means of cleansing from sin and establishing a new covenant (Matthew 26:28, Hebrews 9:22). The word can also signify lineage or kinship, as in being 'of one's blood' (Acts 17:26).

Biblical Usage

αἷμα is used 92 times across the New Testament, with significant concentration in the Gospels (especially Matthew), Acts, Hebrews, and Revelation. In the Gospels, it frequently appears in narratives of Jesus's passion and accusations against the religious leaders (Matthew 27:4, 24-25). In the Epistles, especially Hebrews, it is used theologically to explain Christ's sacrificial death (Hebrews 9:12-14). Revelation uses it symbolically in visions of judgment and victory (Revelation 19:13). A key pattern is its association with covenant, sacrifice, purification, and testimony.

Etymology

Derived from the ancient Greek noun αἷμα (haima), meaning 'blood'. It is of Proto-Indo-European origin, related to words for blood in other languages. In Greek thought, it was closely tied to life, death, and familial lineage. The New Testament usage is heavily influenced by the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament), where it translates the Hebrew דָּם (dam), inheriting its rich semantic range of physical substance, life-force, and sacrificial significance.

Semantic Range

This word is profoundly important theologically. It is central to the doctrines of atonement, justification, and the New Covenant. Understanding αἷμα as 'life poured out' rather than just a physical fluid deepens comprehension of passages about Christ's sacrifice (Romans 3:25, Ephesians 1:7). It connects Jesus's death directly to the Old Testament sacrificial system, showing Him as the ultimate Passover lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7) and the mediator of a better covenant sealed in His own blood (Hebrews 12:24).

In the 1st-century Jewish and Greco-Roman world, blood was universally recognized as the seat of life. Jewish law strictly forbade consuming blood (Leviticus 17:10-14), reinforcing its sacred association with life given by God. Sacrificial blood in the Temple ritual was for atonement, applied to the altar to make purification. This cultural and religious backdrop makes the New Testament's claims about Jesus's blood shocking and revolutionary—it presented His death as the final, effective sacrifice that fulfilled and ended the Temple system.

σάρξ (sarx, G4561) — Often 'flesh,' emphasizing human physicality or sinful nature, distinct from blood as life-force. ζωή (zōē, G2222) — 'Life' in a broader, spiritual sense, whereas αἷμα is life in its physical, sacrificial manifestation. θυσία (thysia, G2378) — 'Sacrifice' or 'offering,' the act itself, for which αἷμα is often the means.

Word Details

Scripture References