Lovers of Truth series
No. 2
THE 
BLOOD TRANSFUSION
ISSUE

 
What The Watchtower has said
beginning with 
its first president, C.T.Russell...
... A similar thought attaches to the prohibition of the use of blood. To the Jew it was forbidden. ... These prohibitions had never come to the Gentiles, because they had never been under the Law Covenant; but so deeply rooted were the Jewish ideas on the subject that it was necessary for the peace of the church that the Gentiles should observe this matter also.   [ WATCHTOWER REPRINTS, APRIL 15, 1909, p.4374. ]

So why the big issue about blood transfusions today?

A BRIEF HISTORY....

1945: Blood transfusions pagan and God-dishonouring, according to The Watchtower, July 1, 1945, pp.198-201.

1958: A matter of individual judgment where vaccines, serums or blood fractions are accepted. Not included in God's expressed will forbidding blood as food. (W/T Sept. 15, 1958, p.575.)

1959: Storage of own blood for use in transfusion later considered wrong. (W/T Oct. 15, 1959, p.640.)

1961: The Watchtower makes having a blood transfusion a disfellowshipping offence. Donating organs (eyes) is a matter of conscience. (W/T Aug. 1, 1961, p.480.)

1963: Anything derived from blood considered as a nutrient not to be used medically. (W/T Feb. 15, 1963, p.124.) This reverses the 1958 statement.

1967: Organ transplants a form of cannibalism and are to be shunned. (W/T Nov. 15, 1967, pp.702-4.) This reverses the 1961 statement.

1974: Serums believed to be wrong, but left as a matter of conscience. (W/T June 1, 1974, p.352.)

1977: Blood transfusions now considered the same as organ transplants. (J.W's and the question of Blood, 1977, p.41.)

1978: Taking a serum injection becomes a 'grey-area,' and a personal matter. (W/T June 15, 1978, pp.30-1.)

1980: Organ transplants now a matter of conscience. (W/T March 15, 1980, p.31.) [So why not have a blood transfusion, as that was considered as an organ transplant? (See 1977 & 1967 quotes.)]

1982: Whole blood, packed red blood cells, white blood cells, platelet administration and plasma not allowed. But albumin, immune globulins and haemophiliac preparations a matter of conscience. (Awake! June 22, 1982, pp.25-27.)

1984: Bone-marrow transplant now a matter of conscience. (W/T May 15, 1984, p.31.)

1993 Erythropoietin (EPO) hailed as "bloodless treatment" wonder drug. (Awake! Nov. 22, 1993, p.24.)

1994: The Watchtower says:

"Would it be proper to accept a vaccination or some other medical injection containing albumin derived from human blood?"
Then later it admits:
"Currently a small amount of albumin is also used in injections of the synthetic hormone EPO (erythropoietin)." (W/T Oct. 1, 1994, p.31.)


NB 1998: The latest information is that Hospital Liaison Committees in both America and England are seriously debating The Watchtower's stand on blood transfusions, and are trying to change the ruling, so that it becomes a matter of conscience, without fear of disfellowship [excommunication].

The Watchtower argument, in brief, is: The Rainbow Covenant was given to Noah, and as we all come from him, we are also under the blood law. (Genesis  9:4,16.) The law covenant prohibited feeding on blood. (Leviticus 17:14; 7:26,27.) Prohibition repeated to Christians. (Acts 15:28,29; 21:25.)

The Watchtower argument

[This material is taken from the W/T Bible Topics for Discussion.]

A. Transfusions violate sacredness of blood.

B. Question of saving life does not justify breaking God's law.
  • Obedience is better than sacrifice. 1 Samuel 15:22; Mark 12:33.
  • Putting one's life ahead of God's law is fatal. Mark 8:35,36.
  • Genesis 9:4 says:
    But flesh with the life thereof, which is the blood thereof, shall ye not eat. (KJV)
    A straight reading of Genesis 9:4 reveals this to be an instruction to make sure the animal was dead before eating its flesh, by pouring out its blood.

    The Matthew Poole Commentary, p.23, tells us that Genesis 9:4 means 'while it lives.' The Jamieson, Fausset & Brown Commentary, p.7, says it means not eating flesh of living animals.

    Genesis 9:15-16: And I will remember my covenant, which is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh; and the waters shall no more become a flood to destroy all flesh. And the bow shall be in the cloud; and I will look upon it, that I may remember the everlasting covenant between God and every living creature of all flesh that is upon the earth. (KJV)
    Genesis 9:15,16  shows that theRainbow Covenant was to do with God's promise not to bring a flood, and nothing to do with the law on blood.

    Leviticus 17:14; 7:26,27
    This was strictly given to Israel, and while The Watchtower tells us they are no longer under the law, they choose to keep this law. Yet they do not keep the associated law which was to "eat neither fat nor blood."

    Leviticus 3:17: It shall be a perpetual statute for your generations throughout all your dwellings, that ye eat neither fat nor blood. (KJV)
    Acts 15:28,29; 21:25
    Some commentators suggest that the Jewish Christians continued to place themselves under the Mosaic law (Acts 21:20), and therefore were not happy when Gentile Christians, having never been under the law, didn't keep certain Jewish dietary rules. Others say that it was a genuine attempt to reconcile the two peoples, Israelite and Gentile, in the one faith.

    THE SCRIPTURAL STATEMENTS.

    John 8:32,36 - And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed. (KJV)
    Jesus wants to free us from works based upon law-keeping. But just what was meant by the animal sacrifices in the first place?
    Leviticus 17:11 - For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. (KJV)
    The animals sacrificed on the altar, and especially the Passover Lamb, symbolized the coming of Jesus, 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world' (see John 1:19).
    Hebrews 9:20 says that if blood is not poured out there is no forgiveness. After Christ shed His blood there were to be no more animal sacrifices on the altar, to make atonement, or else we would be saying that Christ's sacrifice was not sufficient. So sacrifices passed away.
    Colossians 2:20,21 -  Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, Touch not; taste not; handle not; (KJV)
    Hebrews 10:10-12 - By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; (KJV)

    CUTTING OFF does not mean putting to death. 1 Samuel 14:32-35 gives a clear example of the way the blood law was broken, yet no one was put to death.
     
     
    BLOOD TRANSFUSIONS are not included in the blood law, for the law was a dietary one, reminding the Jewish people of the blood to be poured out in atonement for them. In fact, it could be argued that to obey Genesis 9:5,6, which says:
    Genesis 9:5,6 - "And surely your blood of your lives will I require; at the hand of every beast will I require it, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man's brother will I require the life of man. Whoso sheddeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed: for in the image of God made he man." (KJV)
    would mean preserving a person's life at all costs, thus including the giving of blood transfusions.

    WHAT DEFILES?

    Matthew 15:11 - Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man. (KJV)
    Let us not be so concerned about the dietary laws of blood that we forget the pouring out of Christ's blood for you and for me. (See 1 Timothy 4:3-5)

    LIFE THROUGH CHRIST'S OUTPOURED BLOOD.

    John 6:53 - Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. (KJV)
    1 John 1:7 - and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (KJV)

    Finally......


    Author: Bill Browning