The modern church has by and large underestimated the importance of John 19:34 – the flow of blood and water from the pierced side of Christ. Not only is the culmination of John’s extensive water motif it is connected with the gospels multiple allusions to marriage. The flow itself is a capstone, binding these two motifs together in an allusion to the creation of Eve.
1. The Early Church Father’s recognized in John 19:34 an allusion to the creation of Eve.
The blood and water that flowed from Christ’s wounded side drew attention of many church fathers and were occasionally connected in patristic thinking to the Genesis account of Adam and Eve’s creation by God and subsequent fall into sin. Many church fathers view the church, composed of all who were baptized into Christ, as the new Eve. The first Eve, creation from Adam’s rib, sinned. The second Eve – the church – is created from Christ’s pierced side, from the water (baptism) and blood (the Eucharist) that flowed from Christ’s body.
Origen wrote,
Christ has flooded the universe with divine and sanctifying waves. For the thirsty he sends a spring of living water form the wound which the spear opened in His side. From the wound in Christ’s side has come forth the Church, and He has made her His Bride.
Terullian – on the Soul
For as Adam was a figure of Christ, Adam’s sleep shadowed out the death of Christ, who was to sleep a mortal slumber, that from the wound inflicted on His side might, in light manner (as Eve was formed), be typified the church, the true mother of the living
Augustine – Exposition on Psalms 127
When He slept on the Cross, he bore a sign, yea, He fulfilled what had been signified in Adam: for when adam was asleep, a rib was drawn from him and Eve was created; so also while the Lord slept on the Cross, His side was transfixed with a spear, and the Sacraments flowed forth, whence the Church was born, For the Church the Lord’s Bride was created from the side of Adam. But as she was made from his side no otherwise than while sleeping, so the church was created from his side no otherwise than while dying. Augustine – Exposition on Psalm 127
This second Adam bowed His head and fell asleep on the cross, that a spouse might be formed for Him from that which flowed from the sleeper’s side. Augustine tractate on John 19:31-20:9
2. The interpretation is bolstered by John’s multiple and consistent allusions to Marriage.
John has created a book in which every time Jesus interacts with a woman there appears to be an allusion to marriage.
The Mother of Jesus and the Wedding of Cana
The Samaritan Woman and a Bride for Isaac
Martha and Mary and the Brides of Jacob
Mary and the Shulamight woman
3. Like the side of Adam, the blood and Water from Christ’s side are two elements God uses to form the Church.
John’s water motif suggests that blood and water are the human divine natures of Christ – the materials God used to form the church.
Unlike the Church Father’s however I don’t believe the blood and water exactly figure Eucharist and Baptism. I’ll come back to this in my next post.
