But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. (1 Peter 1:19)

A Lamb Without Blemish

Sacrifice has always been a part of worship. Cain and Abel gave offerings to the Lord because the law of God required it. When giving a sacrifice, the Lord has always wanted the best. This appeals to the nature of man’s pride to give up something of greater value as an offering to the Lord. Abel gave of the firstborn of his flock and of their fat. Cain brought an offering of the fruit of the ground to the Lord. Cain’s offering was rejected because of his heart. Abel’s offering was accepted because he was righteous.

Under the law of Moses, the offerings of a lamb could only be a lamb without blemish. God would not accept any animal that was blind, broken, maimed, or diseased with a tumor, scurvy, or infection. Without blemish meant, the sacrifice was a perfect specimen. God expected nothing less. He wanted the very best a man had and demanded he give of the firstlings of the flock and the lamb that had so spot or blemish. The prophet Malachi condemned the nation of Israel after the Babylonian captivity for offering blind sacrifices and the lame and the sick. They had despised the name of God by offering defiled sacrifices.

The imagery of the lamb without blemish would become the shadow of the greatest sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. Redemption came through the blood of a lamb without spot that was offered by men to appease the wrath of God. Jesus was the divine Lamb who offered Himself as the sacrifice for sin to redeem man from the wrath of God. What set Jesus apart from all men is His perfection. All men are blemished in the metaphorical sense of their relationship with God, which means all men sin. Men are blemished. Even if a man were able to commit one sin in his life, he would still be blemished and unfit for a sacrifice to God. There are some great people in the Bible’s history, but none could offer an unblemished life as proof of God’s love.

Jesus is the only man who lived without sin. There is no blemish in His life – without exception. He never sinned – period. Consider the magnitude of a life where a man never says an ill word, seeks revenge for injustice done against him or others; who always left His life in the hands of the Father. As a teenager, Jesus never disobeyed His parents or acted rebelliously. He never lusted after a woman, used vain language, filled His heart with pride, got angry and sinned, or disobeyed any commandment of God. His life was perfection to perfection.

The blemish so common to all men is never found in Jesus Christ. Like a lamb without blemish, there is nothing in the more than thirty years of Jesus’ life that was not in harmony with the will of the Father. Everything He did, what He said, how He conducted Himself – was perfect. There was not the slightest hint of sin in the life of Jesus. When He stood before the Roman court of Pilate accused by false witnesses, He remained silent. Jesus knew He must die to save all men, including those who lied about Him. His sacrifice was the perfect offering of a sinless life to pay the debt of sinful man. The blood of Jesus is precious because it is without sin. Jesus is a lamb without blemish and without spot. Thank God!