Blemish

Blemish [N]

imperfection or bodily deformity excluding men from the priesthood, and rendering animals unfit to be offered in sacrifice ( Leviticus 21:17-23 ; 22:19-25 ). The Christian church, as justified in Christ, is "without blemish" ( Ephesians 5:27 ). Christ offered himself a sacrifice "without blemish," acceptable to God ( 1 Peter 1:19 ).

BLEMISH

blem'-ish:

(1) mum, me'um; momos:

This word signifies no particular skin disease, as has been supposed; but is used generally for any and all disfiguring affections of the skin, such as eczema, herpes, scabies, etc., even for scratches and scars, as in Leviticus 24:19,20; and thence for moral defects, as in Ephesians 5:27. The existence of a blemish in a person of priestly descent prevented him from the execution of the priestly office; similarly an animal fit for sacrifice was to be without blemish. In the New Testament Christ is presented as the antitype of a pure and ritually acceptable sacrifice "as a lamb without blemish and without spot" (Hebrews 9:14; 1 Peter 1:19), and the disciples are admonished to be blameless, "without blemish" (Ephesians 5:27). Rarely the word is used to designate a reprobate person (2 Peter 2:13).

(2) Blemish in the eye, tebhallul (from a root balal, "to overflow"; Arabic balla, balal, "to moisten"), cataract, white spots in the eye (Leviticus 21:20).

H. L. E. Luering