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Understanding the cases and how they relate to the sentence is extremely important to fully understanding what is being expressed by the author. Since in the Greek language, case is governed by function, not by form, it is important to also look at other aspects of the sentence to determine which case the noun is being used in and then in what way that case is being expressed. Prepositions are also a very significant part of the sentence and often limit the nouns to a specific case because of the function of the preposition. When it comes to the blood of Christ there are many different views; however, the more predominate ones are whether it is figurative or literal. Did Jesus shed His blood on the cross for all mankind or is the blood only being used figuratively of the work of Christ on the cross? In order to understand if a concept is figurative or literal we need to understand how it is being used in the sentence and whether the function is restricted to either figurative or literal all the time. If it is not restricted to one concept or the other, we then need to look at the meaning of the case and the context to determine if it is figurative or literal in application.  As we study Scripture it becomes very clear that the blood of Christ is literal and was shed for the sins of mankind. We see this through the different cases and preposition that are used with the blood of Christ. Each case has its own sphere of understanding and expressed a completely different concept that often times must be taken literal in order to be understood. This is a more technical look at this subject because as we understand that underlying principles of the language and how they work, we can then base our understanding upon real facts; facts that are supported by the language and often clear up any misunderstanding in the application of the Word.

        1. The Genitive Case’s Use Pertaining to Blood
          1. The Case of description: when a word appears in the Genitive it specifies or qualifies the noun. The Genitive limits a noun much like an adjective, but the qualifying force of the Genitive is more emphatic than the adjective
          2. Fellowship of the blood, 1 Corinthians 10:16
            1. Blood’s relationship to Fellowship – limits the fellowship as to type
              1. Fellowship is sharing in common
              2. This is a fellowship that only pertains to the blood of Christ
              3. The sharing in common of those who are under a covenant that is made by the blood of Christ, Hebrews 9:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 11:25
            2. We, who are of the fellowship that pertains to the blood
              1. Share in a new covenant, Hebrews 8:6
              2. Have specific promise not related to any other fellowship, Hebrews 7:12; 8:6
          3. Liability of the blood, 1 Corinthians 11:27
            1. Limits the liability of the one not discerning the body when taking communion
            2. Communion is an acknowledgement of the sharing in common of all saints in the body and blood of Christ
              1. The body – we are all part of the body of The Christ
              2. The blood – we are all under a new covenant
              3. Taking of the cup and bread while ignoring the body will result in punishment, 1 Corinthians 11:28-30
            3. Christ partook of flesh and blood, Hebrews 2:14
              1. The partaking of flesh and of blood requires Jesus to have an actual human body with human blood
              2. The use of the genitive describes what He took part in
            4. Dia – through(source or agency), on account of (Used with the Ablative, Genitive, and Accusative cases)
              1. Used with the Genitive to show the intermediate agency ( through)
              2. Obtained the Church through His blood, Acts 20:28
                1. The blood of Christ is the agency by which Christ purchased for himself the Church
                2. The Genitive limits the acquiring agency of the church to only blood
              3. Redemption through His blood, Ephesians 1:7
                1. Redemption – paying of a ransom
                2. The Genitive limits the purchase price of the church to only blood
                3. The Spiritual death of Christ on the cross is not part of the purchase price
              4. Peace through His blood, Colossians 1:20 (Reconciled all things to Himself)
              5. Overcoming the accuser through His blood, Revelation 12:11
              6. Christ entered the Holy of Holies through His own blood, Hebrew 9:12
              7. Sanctification through His blood, Hebrews 13:12
        2. The Ablative Case’s Use Pertaining to Blood
          1. The Case of Separation – the basic idea of the Ablative is that of separation. It is that from which something departs or is separated from.
          2. choris – apart from
            1. An adverb that is used for separation
            2. Apart from blood the high priest could not enter the Holy of Holies, Hebrews 9:7
            3. A covenant is not without blood, Hebrews 9:18
            4. No remission of sin apart from the shedding of blood, Hebrews 9:22
          3. Ek – out from
            1. Only used with the Ablative case
            2. The harlot drunk with the blood of the saints, Revelation 17:6
              1. Not the saints of the Church
              2. These are the saints who die during the Millennial Kingdom
        3. The Instrumental Case’s Use Pertaining to Blood
          1. The Case of Means – Usually this use expresses impersonal means. It can express cause, motive, or occasion, and often indicates the method by which an action is carried out.
          2. Purchased by the precious blood of Jesus, 1 Peter 1:19
          3. En – in, by, with (Used with the Locative and Instrumental cases)
            1. Justified by the blood of Christ, Romans 5:9
            2. Jesus is a propitiation by His blood to God the Father, Romans 3:25
            3. A new covenant was made by His blood, 1 Corinthians 11:25
            4. We are brought near to God by the blood of Christ, Ephesians 2:13
            5. We enter into the Holy of Holies by His blood, Hebrews 10:19
            6. Jesus was raised by the blood of an eternal covenant, Hebrews 13:20
            7. Washed from our sins by His blood, Revelation 1:5
            8. Purchased men from every tribe, language, and people. Revelation 5:9
        4. The Locative Case’s Use Pertaining to Blood
          1. The Case of position or location – used to express spatial limitations, a point in time, or sphere.
          2. The saved in the Great tribulation wash their robes in the blood of the lamb, Revelation 7:14
          3. Having a garment dipped in blood, Revelation 19:13
          4. We have come to the heavenly temple, Hebrews 12:22-24
            1. To the assembly of the first born
            2. To the sprinkled blood
              1. Sprinkled upon the altar
              2. Results in sanctification, 1 Peter 1:2
        5. The Accusative Case’s Use Pertaining to Blood
          1. The case of limitation or extension – the Accusative limits in an indirect way and functions as an adverbial modifier.
          2. Drink my blood and eat my flesh, John 6:54 – 57
            1. The use of flesh and blood are literal
            2. The implication or application is figurative – Eternal life comes through Jesus, not through what is eaten on earth.
          3. Eis
            1. Into, unto, with reference to, because of, against
            2. Only used with the Accusative case
          4. Used once during the tribulation of the water turning into blood, Revelation 11:6
        6. The Substantial Value of the Blood of Christ
          1. The use of the Genitive case with blood
            1. Shows the agency by which
              1. The Church was redeemed
              2. We have peace with God
              3. Christ’s human body was able to enter the Holy of Holies
              4. The saint is sanctified
            2. Shows that we share in common the blood of Christ
              1. Refers to the new covenant that all those who are in Christ are under
              2. Limits the fellowship to the blood of Christ and therefore eliminates all other blood (or sacrifice)
            3. The Son of God partook in literal flesh and blood
          2. The use of the Ablative case with blood
            1. Emphasis that without the blood certain things cannot happen
              1. A human cannot enter the Holy of Holies
              2. Remission of sin
              3. The making of a covenant
            2. Shows that the blood of false church during the tribulation will crave the blood of the saints
          3. The use of the instrumental case with blood
            1. Show the means by which
              1. We are justified
              2. Jesus is a propitiation to the Father
              3. We are brought close to God
              4. A new covenant was made
              5. We are able to enter the Holy of Holies
              6. Our sins are washed away
            2. States the purchase price for the Church