Bible Dictionary: Blood and Water

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International Standard Bible Encyclopedia

Blood and Water

BLOOD AND WATER

(haima kai hudor): The remarkable passage (John 19:34) from which this expression is taken refers to the piercing of the Savior's side by the soldier. The evangelist notes here what he, as an eyewitness of the crucifixion, had seen as a surprising fact. Whereon this surprise was founded cannot now be more than guessed at. Nor is it necessary here to discuss the reason or reasons why the apostle mentions the fact at all in his report, whether merely for historical accuracy and completeness, or as a possible proof of the actual death of Christ, which at an early date became a subject of doubt among certain Christian sects, or whether by it he wished to refer to the mystical relation of baptismal cleansing ("water") and the atonement ("blood") as signified thereby. Let it suffice to state that a reference often made to 1 John 5:6, 8 is here quite out of place. This passage, though used by certain Fathers of the church as a proof of the last-named doctrine, does not indeed refer to this wonderful incident of the crucifixion story. The argument of 1 John 5:8 concerns the Messiahship of Jesus, which is proved by a threefold witness, for He is the one whom at the baptism of John ("water") God attested as the Messiah by the heavenly voice, "This is my beloved Son," who at the crucifixion ("blood") had the testimony that the Father had accepted His atoning sacrifice, and whose promise of sending the Comforter fulfilled on Pentecost ("spirit") presented us with the final proof of the completed Messianic task. The same expression in 1 John 5:6 refers probably to the same argument with the implied meaning that Jesus came not only by the merely ceremonial water of baptism, but also by the more important, because vivifying, blood of atonement.

The physiological aspect of this incident of the crucifixion has been first discussed by Gruner (Commentatio de morte Jesu Christi vera, Halle, 1805), who has shown that the blood released by the spear-thrust of the soldier must have been extravasated before the opening of the side took place, for only so could it have been poured forth in the described manner. While a number of commentators have opposed this view as a fanciful explanation, and have preferred to give the statement of the evangelist a symbolical meaning in the sense of the doctrines of baptism and eucharist (so Baur, Strauss, Reuss and others), some modern physiologists are convinced that in this passage a wonderful phenomenon is reported to us, which, inexplicable to the sacred historian, contains for us an almost certain clue to the real cause of the Savior's death. Dr. Stroud (On the Physiological Cause of the Death of Christ, London, 1847) basing his remarks on numerous postmortems, pronounced the opinion that here we had a proof of the death of Christ being due not to the effects of crucifixion but to "laceration or rupture of the heart" as a consequence of supreme mental agony and sorrow. It is well attested that usually the suffering on the cross was very prolonged. It often lasted two or three days, when death would supervene from exhaustion. There were no physical reasons why Christ should not have lived very much longer on the cross than He did. On the other hand, death caused by laceration of the heart in consequence of great mental suffering would be almost instantaneous. In such a case the phrase "of a broken heart," becomes literally true. The life blood flowing through the aperture or laceration into the pericardium or caul of the heart, being extravasated, soon coagulates into the red clot (blood) and the limpid serum (water). This accumulation in the heart-sac was released by the spear-thrust of the soldier (which here takes providentially the place of a postmorten without which it would have been impossible to determine the real cause of death), and from the gaping wound there flow the two component parts of blood distinctly visible.

Several distinguished physicians have accepted Dr. Stroud's argument, and some have strengthened it by the observation of additional symptoms. We may mention Dr. James Begbie, fellow and late president of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh, Sir J. Y. Simpson, professor at the University of Edinburgh, and others (see Dr. Hanna, Our Lord's Life on Earth, Appendix I). The latter refers to the loud cry, mentioned by the Synoptists (Matthew 27:50 Mark 15:37 Luke 23:46), which preceded the actual death of Jesus, as a symptom characteristic of cases of "broken heart." He adds that Dr. Walshe, professor of medicine in University College, London, one of the greatest authorities on the diseases of the heart, says that a "piercing shriek" is always uttered in such cases immediately before the end.

While we may never reach a state of absolute certainty on this subject, there is no valid reason to deny the probability of this view of the death of Christ. It certainly gives a more solemn insight into Christ's spiritual anguish, "the travail of his soul" on our behalf, which weighed upon Him so heavily that long before the usual term of bodily and therefore endurable suffering of crucified persons Christ's loving heart broke, achieving the great atoning sacrifice for all mankind.

H. L. E. Luering

Greek

4077. pege -- a spring (of water)
... Probably from pegnumi (through the idea of gushing plumply); a fount (literally
or figuratively), ie Source or supply (of water, blood, enjoyment) (not ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/4077.htm - 6k

Strong's Hebrew

4726. maqor -- a spring, fountain
... Or maqor {maw-kore'}; from quwr; properly, something dug, ie A (general) source
(of water, even when naturally flowing; also of tears, blood (by euphemism, of ...
/hebrew/4726.htm - 6k

Library

It is Written that when the Side of Jesus was Pierced "He Shed ...
... 23. It is written that when the side of Jesus was pierced "He shed thereout
blood and water." This has a mystical meaning. For Himself ...
/.../23 it is written that.htm

Christ Crucified and Buried.
... (3) John records that blood and water flowed from Christ's side when pierced
by the spear. This ... There came out blood and water. The ...
/.../the new testament commentary vol iii john/christ crucified and buried.htm

The Crucifixion.
... one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side [to insure death in case they
might be mistaken], and straightway there came out blood and water.35 And he ...
/.../mcgarvey/the four-fold gospel/cxxxiii the crucifixion 4.htm

The Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, John 5 6
... wants supplies. 8 Thus the Redeemer came By water and by blood; And when
the Spirit speaks the same We feel his witness good. 9 ...
/.../watts/hymns and spiritual songs/hymn 3 9 the spirit the.htm

The Spirit, the Water, and the Blood. 1 John 5:06
... Hymns, Book II HYMN 9 The Spirit, the water, and the blood. 1 John 5:6. SM ... Thus the
Redeemer came. By water and by blood; And when the Spirit speaks the same,. ...
/.../watts/the psalms and hymns of isaac watts/hymn 9 the spirit the.htm

"My Little Children, These Things Write I unto You, that Ye Sin ...
... But all these were but evanishing shadows; now the substance is come, Jesus Christ
is come in water and blood; in water, to cleanse the spots of the soul, to ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon xxii my little children.htm

Whether Three Kinds of Baptism are Fittingly Described ---viz. ...
... OF THE SACRAMENT OF BAPTISM (TWELVE ARTICLES) Whether three kinds of Baptism are
fittingly described"-viz. Baptism of Water, of Blood, and of the Spirit? ...
/.../aquinas/summa theologica/whether three kinds of baptism.htm

Where Has Christ Promised Us, that He Will as Certainly Wash us by ...
... Lord's Day 26 Question 71 Where has Christ promised us, that he will as certainly
wash us by his blood and Spirit, as we are washed with the water of baptism? ...
/.../various/the heidelberg catechism /question 71 where has christ.htm

Spiritual Meaning of the Passover.
... saw that He was already dead, they brake not His legs, but one of the soldiers with
a spear pierced His side, and straightway there came out blood and water. ...
/.../origen/origens commentary on the gospel of john/13 spiritual meaning of the.htm

John Chapter xix. 31-42, and xx. 1-9.
... brake not His legs: but one of the soldiers with a spear laid open [1909] His side,
and forthwith came there out blood and water." A suggestive [1910] word was ...
/.../augustine/homilies on the gospel of john/tractate cxx john chapter xix.htm

Subtopics

Blood of all Men the Same

Blood of Animals Slain for Good to be Poured on the Earth