“but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”
without blemish
“Without blemish” means that which constitutes a defect or blemish either in the physical or moral sense. Numbers 6 uses it for the absence of defects in sacrificial animals (Numbers 6:14; 19:2). Jesus presented Himself as an offering without blemish to God (Hebrews 9:14).
In the Old Testament, when Israelites brought their lambs on the Yom Kippur (the most significant day in the Jewish calendar), they dare not bring a blemished lamb. They would never think of bringing a lamb that they could not sell at the market. They would never think of bringing a lamb that was blind or lame.
Just anything was not good enough for God. The lamb had to be “without blemish or without spot.” God did not want any bruise found upon it. Leviticus 22 contains the qualifications for the lamb:
“Those that are blind or broken or maimed, or have an ulcer or eczema or scabs, you shall not offer to the Lord, nor make an offering by fire of them on the altar to the Lord. Either a bull or a lamb that has any limb too long or too short you may offer as a freewill offering, but for a vow it shall not be accepted. You shall not offer to the Lord what is bruised or crushed, or torn or cut; nor shall you make any offering of them in your land. Nor from a foreigner’s hand shall you offer any of these as the bread of your God, because their corruption is in them, and defects are in them. They shall not be accepted on your behalf,” (Leviticus 22:19-24).
Old Testament sacrifices always had to be physically perfect. They could have no scar or limp. God was very particular then, and He was very particular later when Christ came as the Lamb of God. God was very particular about the Lamb to come. He demanded a Lamb without defect and without defilement. That is a qualification for payment of sin.
PRINCIPLE:
Jesus met all of our imperfections with His perfection.
APPLICATION:
God’s Lamb ended all altars and sacrifices. Calvary was the last altar. God’s last sacrificial lamb was the Lord Jesus on the cross. We must come to God by that Lamb, or we will not come to God at all. There is no other way (Acts 4:12).
Jesus did not die upon the cross as a martyr. He did not die upon the cross to show how brave He was. He died to pay for the sins of the world. He died to pay for your sins.
