But now in Christ Jesus, you who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.

Ephesians 2:13

He entered the most holy place once for all time, not by the blood of goats and calves, but by His own blood, having obtained eternal redemption.

Hebrews 9:12

Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”

Mark 14:23-24

All the people answered, “His blood be on us and on our children!”

Matthew 27:25

Two days after the celebration of the resurrection, my mind is still mulling over the phrase on which I was meditating on Friday: “His blood be on us and on our children!”  The crowd pressures Pilate to crucify Christ as he futilely washes his hands of Him.  They flippantly spout this evocative phrase which they expect will persuade Pilate to deliver to them their wish: Barabbas instead of Jesus…their wish is granted…in far deeper and more powerful and hope-filled ways than they could have ever dreamed.

Some have taken this statement as a curse, and thus the reason the Jews have suffered (and continue to suffer) throughout history. But the Jews (and Israel) were under this kind of hatred and suffering long before Jesus. Why? Because they are God’s people. And sinful humanity is at enmity with God and therefore hates His people – no matter what covenant those people are under. 

So it’s not a curse. But then what is this phrase? See, it’s easy to say things in the heat of the moment that we wish we could take back. But what these evil, hating-Jesus-people spoke in haste and (in their minds) finality actually ended up being the grand and eternal truth that would, if they believed like the Roman centurion later, save both them and their children. Regardless of who they were, what they had done. Period. “You who were far away have been brought near by the blood of Christ.” And now, that once-for-all sacrifice spilled His blood so that all of humanity could be bought back from its evil, hating-Jesus-kind-of ways. And have us and our children and our children’s children’s children’s children’s children etc…truly restored through His blood which was “poured out for many.” 

Oh. Please. Father. 

May His blood be poured out on us and on our children…forever.