"His blood be upon us and on our children"

Such was said by the Jewish crowd gathered before Pilate and recorded by Matthew (Mt 27:24–25). Many non-Christians and even some Christians today impugn the inspiration of this verse, believing as they do that this is an early example of anti-Semitism in the Christian Church. According to this way of thinking, the writer of this verse, be it Matthew or some redactor, has it out for the Jews: The Jews killed Christ, and their punishment in 70 AD at the hands of the Romans is God's wrath for what they did some forty years earlier: crucify God.

I long thought this to be the proper interpretation of this verse. And indeed, it is possible that this be the interpretation of some early Christians: because they deny and even crucify Christ, the non-Christians Jews are forever under God's curse. Jesus prophesied the destruction of the Jewish Temple, and God fulfilled Jesus' prophesied in wrath when the Romans tore down the Temple brick by brick.

But, all this is now very odd to me. Up to this point, I always have read this verse, that is, "His blood be upon us and on our children," as a CURSE: the people taking upon themselves the guilt and consequent punishments for the unjust murder of Christ. Old Testament references would seem to suggest this. Just a few days ago, however, the thought struck me: this verse is a curse, but, in a paradoxical sense, is in truth a BLESSING!

Before you think me crazy, consider the words concerning Caiphas, the high priest, in Jn 18:14: Now Caiaphas was he, which gave counsel to the Jews, that it was expedient that one man should die for the people. Verbal irony here abounds: Caiphas counsels this because he believes by the death of Christ the people will be saved from error. Yet, there is a second meaning, unbeknownst to Caiphas: the death of Christ will be the true salvation of Israel. May not Mt 27:24-25 also be an instance of verbal irony? In this verse, there are two important points: firstly, the calling of blood; and secondly, the calling of blood on future generations.

Where else do we see blood in the New Testament? The Blood of the New Covenant. Christ's Blood, in the Eucharist. The Apostle John writes, "we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin" (1 John 1:7). Christians have fellowship to the greatest degree when they commonly partake in the Eucharist, the same Blood that Christ shed on the Cross and even before the final Trial, when already Christ had been flogged and crowned with thorns. If you draw your attention to the second portion of Mt 27:24-25, the blood on future generations, you will find another significant link to the Old Testament. God's early promise to Abraham is key: Look up at the heavens and count the stars—if indeed you can count them...So shall your offspring be. (Gen 15:5) God blesses not only Abraham but his descendants as well. Future generations, offspring--it is the same idea; the Covenant extends beyond the initial persons blessed to their children. Interestingly, when God curses in Genesis, after Adam and Eve eat the forbidden fruit, God only curses the Serpent and the ground; he does not curse Adam and Eve, and the sufferings God enunciates are only mentioned in reference to Adam and to Eve; no direct mention is made of their descendants or offspring. When the suggestion is made of future generations, in Adam naming his wife Eve ("mother of the living") it is the opposite of what is expected. Adam and Eve disobeyed God and are suffering the consequences of their actions; and yet, immediately after their entrance into a fallen world filled with death and dying, Eve brings forth not the dead but the living. Who but the Theotokos, the New Eve, brings the true Light and Life into the world? I digress.

In the light of all the above, interpreting the Jewish crowd at the Trial as representative of the Jews in a collective sense is not detrimental to Jews but in fact affirmative and life-giving: even though the Jews present at the Trial reject Christ, God has not forgotten them, and He in fact He blesses them with their own words. The Gentile Romans stand rather clueless as to Jesus' identity. The Jews know who He claims to be, but they do not accept it...at least not at this point in the narrative; Christ will soon arise from the Dead. God is in control all along. As Christ says to Pilate: you have no authority except that given from above. Salvation truly comes from the Jews, since they are the ones whom God blesses with the Blood of his only Son.

I could write more, but I do not want to become too speculative, and I will defer to anyone who can show me in the wrong in some or several points. I will end with the words of Paul: Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree". (Galatians 3:13)