Jesus in the Old Testament is a series of posts that will offer my readers a chance to consider pictures or shadows of Jesus in the Old Testament. As mentioned in the introduction to this series, some may be obvious, some may be not so obvious, and some may simply be a facet of the Lord those reading may not have considered previously.

I hope as we venture through this series, we will see the Lord in many wonderful pictures throughout the Old Testament.

SEEING JESUS IN

Daniel

Blameless

Daniel 6:22 My God sent his angel and shut the lions’ mouths, and they have not harmed me, because I was found blameless before him; and also before you, O king, I have done no harm.”

Hebrews 9:14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

Back in Jesus in the Old Testament – Daniel – 6, we offered the type of Christ found in Daniel as righteousness. In our passage this morning, we are looking at both men as being described as blameless. I would suggest there is a difference, there is a nuance that may be important to consider.

To be righteous is to balance all the requirements of the law perfectly within your life, obeying all commands without favoring any command, or slighting any command. Complete and perfect obedience. For the Christ this was an absolute and as a disciple of the Lord, Daniels life appeared to be righteous, even though he prayed for his own forgiveness.

Remember Daniel’s prayer in chapter 9? He included himself in the nations sin!

Daniel 9:5 we have sinned and done wrong and acted wickedly and rebelled, turning aside from your commandments and rules.

And yet he was righteous in the eyes of man.

To be blameless is to be without blame. Now for some, that may be synonymous with righteousness, but I beg to differ. It was close to a year back when I published 1 Thessalonian Bits – 2:10, describing a time when I punched Fred in the gut at church – Go read the post if you think I am to blame.

It turns out, I was blameless – well eventually I was blameless, for after this horrible act of mine within this story, I repented, confessed my sin, approached Fred, begged forgiveness and was granted my relationship with him again. I was then blameless before Fred, and before the entire church. No one could blame me for the act of violence I unleashed on Fred in the story, for I had been forgiven, and no one could blame me for the act. (Now I am not suggesting that if this really happened – for it is only a story – that though blameless, I would still be one that many would be careful around.) But I was blameless!

There is a difference.

Now for the sake of this post, let us consider that Daniel has the boldness to say to the king that he was found blameless before the Lord. He had kept short accounts with the Lord, confessing his sins, admitting his wrongdoings, agreeing with God that he had transgressed. And he was blameless.’

Consider the Lord Jesus, who “offered himself without blemish to God”. This term “without blemish” is translated blameless in many many other verses. The passage in Hebrews may be nodding towards the passover lamb, speaking of no blemish, but the writer is translating this to His moral character. Yes Jesus is Righteous, perfectly balanced in the keeping of all the laws of God. And He is blameless also.

Did He have to confess for any wrong He had committed to attain to blamelessness? Of course not, but He did come to rescue us, to deliver us and to take upon Himself our sins.

Consider the baptism of John, a baptism of repentance, that Jesus submitted to. He sought to fulfill all righreousness.

Matthew 3:13-15 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Jesus, in effect may have been providing to the audience a proof of His commitment to God prior to His ministry, an act that would provide a “blamelessness” later on as His ministry exploded. No one could come and blame Him with avoiding John’s ministry. He was all in, and though not required for Himself, this act of baptism was required for others to see.

Daniel was blameless of His own transgressions. Jesus was “without blemish” primarily due to His own perfectly righteous life, and per His association with John’s baptism of repentance.

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