THEOSISEphraem the Syrian
"Be courageous; you shall not consume blood, for blood represents the soul. This means do not presume to investigate the essence of God, who is the light, the soul, and the life of all rational creations."
Deuteronomy 12:23Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers
Only beware of this, that thou eat not the blood, for the blood is for the soul: and therefore thou must not eat the soul with the flesh:
רַ֣ק חֲזַ֗ק לְבִלְתִּי֙ אֲכֹ֣ל הַדָּ֔ם כִּ֥י הַדָּ֖ם ה֣וּא הַנָּ֑פֶשׁ וְלֹא־תֹאכַ֥ל הַנֶּ֖פֶשׁ עִם־הַבָּשָֽׂר׃
The Church Fathers on this verse
2 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Theodoret of Cyrus
Why does Moses frequently prohibit the consumption of blood (Deuteronomy 12:23)? The Lawgiver declared that the blood of an animal represents its life (ibid.). However, I believe the law addresses additional concerns, particularly aiming to rectify the violent tendencies of the Israelites. If consuming the blood of irrational creatures equates to consuming their life, then it is far more grievous to detach a rational soul from its body.
Cross references
Passages read together with this verse.
- Lev 17:11Because the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you, that you may make atonement with it upon the altar for your souls, and the blood may be for an expiation of the soul.
- Gen 9:4Saving that flesh with blood you shall not eat.
- Lev 17:13Any man whosoever of the children of Israel, and of the strangers that sojourn among you, if by hunting or fowling, he take a wild beast or a bird, which is lawful to eat, let him pour out its blood, and cover it with earth.
- Lev 17:14For the life of all flesh is in the blood. Therefore I said to the children of Israel: you shall not eat the blood of any flesh at all, because the life of the flesh is in the blood, and whosoever eateth it, shall be cut off.
- Lev 3:16And the priest shall burn them upon the altar, for the food of the fire, and of a most sweet savour. All the fat shall be the Lord's.
- Lev 3:17By a perpetual law for your generations, and in all your habitations: neither blood nor fat shall you eat at all.
- Deut 12:16Only the blood thou shalt not eat, but thou shalt pour it out upon the earth as water.
- Rev 5:9And they sung a new canticle, saying: Thou art worthy, O Lord, to take the book and to open the seals thereof: because thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God, in thy blood, out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation: