Bring This Man's Blood Upon Us

 [This is my Faith Post for May 2025.] 

In my congregation this past weekend we read Acts 5:12-32, a passage which recounts the preaching and teaching of the Apostles Peter and John in Jerusalem.  They are preaching in a post-resurrection and post-Pentecost context.  That gives Peter and John plenty of life-saving content to share and also supreme confidence and hope in what they are doing.  They get to preach about the Author of Life.  They get to heal the sick, drive out demons, and enjoy a front-row seat at being a part of the Kingdom of God ushering into this world.  They get to see the full power and authority of Jesus on display through their own fingertips and words.

In contrast to the Apostles are the Jewish authorities. What a disappointment.  The high priest and the party of the Sadducees give us a true example of spiritual blindness and deafness.  They exemplify for us all that is wrong with party politics.  They are so set in their worldview and the beliefs of the "party" that they can't possibly fathom the real truth even when it is staring them in the face.  These authorities are well versed with the ministry of Jesus.  They are fully aware of the well documented evidence of the raising of Lazarus.  They are surely aware of the more recent event of Jesus' crucifixion, the darkening of the earth, and the gruesome display of his death.  An event which, by the way, even the Roman Centurion rightly witnessed and perceived to make clear "This man is the Son of God."  And now these authorities are also aware of the regular reports of the empty tomb and the many eyewitnesses who have seen Jesus alive.  

Despite all of that, they haven't budged an inch.  The high priest is still adamantly against Jesus, the Sadducees still deny the resurrection, and now they imprison the Apostles who are healing the sick in the name of Jesus. Quite a side they have picked!

When the authorities finally confront Peter and John in front of the Council of the people they make this statement in Acts 5:28 "We strictly charged you not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and you intend to bring this man's blood upon us. (emphasis added)"  You see what they worry about the most?  It wasn't about truth.  It wasn't about love.  It was about their worries of power.  If these teachings continue to make the people think we are guilty of this man's blood it might risk turning them against us.  

Here's the thing: firstly, all Christians should acknowledge that we are all guilty of Jesus ending up on the cross and dying for our sins.  We all share in the guilt and shame. So pointing fingers and attributing fault benefits no one.  But there's something more to consider when you think about the idea of "this man's blood upon us."  What if it wasn't about blame or guilt?  What if it was about the very things the Scriptures say about the blood of Jesus and it being upon us.

The Passover Lamb in Exodus 12 (a foreshadowing of Jesus) was all about putting the blood of that Lamb on the doorposts of the people.  They needed that blood of the lamb on their homes.  Jesus speaks similarly of His own blood in the Words of Institution, "This is my blood of the new covenant given and shed for you for the remission of sins."  John in his letter 1st John says it this way "...and the blood of Jesus cleanses us from all sin."

The blood of Jesus upon us is life for us.  It makes the statement of the Jewish authorities all the more ironic.  Peter and John with their preaching of the Good News were really preaching about the blood of Jesus being upon everyone.  So in a roundabout way, they did wish to bring the blood of Jesus upon the high priest and the Sadducees.  But in the way of the love of Jesus with the intention of faith and forgiveness of sins and life eternal.  

It's amazing how the truth and love of Christ can heal all things, mend all things, restore all things.  In our earthly lives we allow ourselves to become so divisive, we take sides, we hold grudges, we make enemies.  Yet it is Jesus who continues to come to us, with the sacrifice of His own blood, His own life, on the cross, to bridge the divides and restore us in fellowship.  He is the one who makes all things new again.

To God be the glory.

Mark Witte is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church.
You can contact him at pastorwitte@gmail.com