Didn't Jesus symbolically give a blood transfusion for all of mankind?

by yadda yadda 2 25 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  yadda yadda 2

  Blondie, thanks for that perspective, but how do you reconcile your comments with John 6:52-56:

  John 6:52-56

  New International Version (NIV)

  52 Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

  53 Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood,you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.

  Nobody in ancient Israel had to drink the blood of any animal sacrifice to signify that they believe in the sacrifice and believe their sins are forgiven. But Jesus is commanding exactly that. He is telling us to drink his blood, take it into our bodies, as later represented by the wine. Jesus could have just said "this wine means my blood, which I will sprinkle on you" or "which you must dip your garment into" to denote having one's sins forgiven, atoned for. But he went further, he told us to drink it. Why?

  Because, as he said in verse 53, by drinking his blood (and eating his flesh) we would have life in us, symbolically. In other words, the shedding of his blood was for forgiveness of sins, of atonement, but the action of drinking his blood symbolised an imparting of life.

  If Jesus basically gave a figurative life-saving blood transfusion to all those who enter the new covenant, as the greatest act of love he could perform, can we really imagine him feeling that it is very sinful for someone to donate a small portion of their blood so that an anonymous recipient could later receive it in an emergency situation without which they would die?

  If you were dying and urgently needed a blood transfusion to live, and Jesus was alive on earth and was the only person who could give you the blood you needed, what would he do?
• 

  blondie

  So people drink blood during transfusions? Are you of the Catholic thought regarding transubstantiation?

  I remember the same Jesus could have healed everyone in his time, the only one who could but he didn't.

  I personally would take a blood transfusion. I find the WTS approach very, very hypocritical since they allow members to choose to have hemoglobin-based products used which are made of stored expired human blood as well as animal blood. I tend to use that point when talking to jws. But in the end, they let the WTS choose what is right, they don't think for themselves.
• 

  Pterist

  Blood symbolizes LIFE in the Bible, so LIFE is more important than the symbol. That's one of the reasons the WBTS policy is wrong, opinionated and dangerous.

  And Yes, we symbolically get a transfusion from Christ, the major difference is, it's of Eternal Qualtiy and duration! 1 John 5:9-13, John 3:6

  Shalom
• 

  Pterist

  John 6

  53 Jesus said to them, “Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day. 55 For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56 Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in them.....,,

  Does this offend you? 62 Then what if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63 The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you—they are full of the Spirit [e] and life. 64 Yet there are some of you who do not believe.” For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65 He went on to say, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled them.”
• 

  cofty

  Yadda - putting my JW hat on I think it would be easy to dismiss your challenge by simply saying that blood can only be used in sacrifice which is offered to Jehovah.

  I see where you are coming from but I don't think it works as apologetics.
• 

  EdenOne

  Oh man, I've been having so much to deal with in my work and I'm building something in my backyard (a recording studio), and i really haven't had lately the quality time to sit down, research and write. I've published the introduction and the first four parts, but the meat of it is yet to come. I'm just a bit too tired right now.

  Eden
• 

  mP

  Was Jesus an IPAD or Android man ?
• 

  tec

  It's a spiritual blood transfusion.

  The ban on blood transfusions also shows a lack in understanding mercy.

  "If you had known what these words mean, 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice,' you would not have condemned the innocent." Matthew 12:7

  Peace,

  tammy
• 

  yadda yadda 2

  That's a good point Cofty, but one could respond by noting that all the blood sacrifices to Jehovah involved the death of the animal/Jesus. Blood transfusions fall into a separate category because there is no death involved, only blood giving life. In other words, its the same as an organ transplant. There is no spiritual symbolism associated with a transfusion in God's eyes because no soul, no life has been lost.

  Tec, yes thats an even bigger reason for why the JW's stance is wrong.
• 

  Qcmbr

  There is no need to twist this into some contorted pseudo magical world of faith and spirit. Its generally only JWs and ex JWs who even see blood transfusion as an issue. It's not unless you have a rare blood type or have a cummunicable blood disease.

  The concept of a blood sacrifice for sin is abhorrent and mature, grown up people should understand that the very concept is vile and immoral. There is no glory in the pretend concept of arbitrary sin being paid for by the real blood sacrifice of anyone. The myth of Christ is nothing to do with blood transfusions or magical kingdoms, it is simply a way for people to control other people and to soothe their conscious minds regarding the inevitability of death and the fear of pain.

  I ache when I see otherwise sensible people give themselves so completely to a crazy delusion that they are incapable of seeing why what they say is bonkers and then allow their baser selves free reign via their delusion. I don't want to shun you but my god demands it.