The Church Fathers on this verse
THEOSIS
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Leviticus 17:11Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Because 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.

Douay-Rheims

כִּ֣י נֶ֣פֶשׁ הַבָּשָׂר֮ בַּדָּ֣ם הִוא֒ וַאֲנִ֞י נְתַתִּ֤יו לָכֶם֙ עַל־הַמִּזְבֵּ֔חַ לְכַפֵּ֖ר עַל־נַפְשֹׁתֵיכֶ֑ם כִּֽי־הַדָּ֥ם ה֖וּא בַּנֶּ֥פֶשׁ יְכַפֵּֽר׃

Hebrew (Masoretic text)

The Church Fathers on this verse

3 Church Fathers comment on this verse

John Chrysostom

4th centuryChurch Father

Observe the distinction between the formation of this remarkable intelligent being and that of the mute creatures. God decrees, “Let the water bring forth reptiles, a living soul” (Genesis 1:20), and immediately, living creatures emerge from the waters. Similarly, for the earth, it is said, “let the earth bring forth a living soul” (Gen. 1:24). However, the creation of man unfolds differently; first, a body is shaped from dust, and subsequently, the divine life force is breathed into it, creating the essence of the soul.

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Therefore, concerning the mute creatures, Moses declares, “the soul of the body is in the blood.” In humanity, there exists a spiritual and everlasting nature that holds a significant superiority over the physical body, reflecting the rightful primacy of the spiritual over the material.

Furthermore, to affirm that the essence of man is not found in blood, heed the words of Christ, who states: “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body, but of those who cannot kill the soul” (Matthew 10:28).

Cyrill of Alexandria

5th centuryChurch Father

Palladius. You speak well; however, please clarify this: the law prohibits the consumption of blood, and rightly so, but what is the significance of this command? Cyril. If it pleases you, let us refer to what is prescribed in the book of Leviticus, where it states: “If any man of the house of Israel, or of the stranger that dwelleth among you, shall eat any blood, I will turn my face upon the soul of him that eateth blood, and I will destroy her out of her people: for the soul of the body is in blood, and I have appointed it unto you for an altar to purify your souls: for this blood purifieth the soul: wherefore I said unto the children of Israel, No soul of you shall eat blood, neither shall any stranger that dwelleth among you eat blood.

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If any of the children of Israel, and of the stranger that dwell among you, catch a beast or a bird to eat, he shall let its blood run out, and cover it with earth: for the soul of every body is its blood, it is its soul: therefore I said unto the children of Israel, Ye shall not eat blood of any body: for the soul of every body is its blood: whosoever shall eat thereof shall be destroyed” (Lev. 17:10-14). Observe how clearly blood symbolizes the soul. Palladius. I comprehend. Cyril. Hence, the law distinguishes and separates blood from the bodies of those to be nourished, teaching us the essential truth, accepted by faith and venerated in the churches, that the rational soul of humanity is to be seen and depicted as immortal, which does not perish along with earthly bodies at death, but rather is severed, liberated, and redeemed from suffering by the Creator, granting it participation in everlasting life: “for in the beginning man was created ‘unto a living soul,’ since God put into him ‘the breath of life,’ as it is written” (Gen. 2:7). We would then be blaming the life that animates all creation for powerlessness if we claim that what it has fashioned for existence ceases with the mortal bodies. On the contrary, we would be adorning ourselves with a splendid crown of wisdom by affirming that the soul is eternal, as it aligns with the will of the Creator of all, from whom “we ... live and move and exist” (Acts 17:28). This, in my view, is the essence of the commandment regarding it.

Theodoret of Cyrus

5th centuryChurch Father

God prohibited the consumption of blood and provided the rationale for this decree. It is written: "For the soul of all flesh is his blood, and I have given it to you at the altar to plead for your souls. For this cause I say unto the children of Israel, Let not every soul of you drink blood, neither let the stranger that is in you drink blood" (Leviticus 17:11-12). Just as you possess an everlasting soul, the mute creature possesses blood in place of a soul. Thus, the Lord instructs you to present the life of the voiceless animal—that is, the blood—as a substitute for your immortal and rational soul. Consuming blood equates to consuming the soul, for blood stands in for the rational soul. This is why it is deemed as spilling blood. Consequently, He forbids the eating of carcasses, as the blood remains within the body at that time.

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Passages read together with this verse.