A comparison of the function of cultic aima in the Pauline corpus with that of non-rabbinic Judaism and the Mystery cults

he purpose of this dissertation was to compare Paul's use of cultic ;The analysis of the function of cultic blood in Judaism supported the first hypothesis that blood was a symbol (or agent) of purification and restoration in first century Judaism. Related to these concepts was an emphasis upon forgiveness in the Jewish sacrificial system. In extra-biblical Judaism this purificatory emphasis was assigned to human blood. A salvific emphasis also appeared in connection with human blood.;That cultic blood literally conferred a purified and regenerated status upon the Mystery cultist was the second hypothesis. The cult of Magna Mater and Dionysus particularly evidenced a purificatory view of cultic blood. A view that sacrificial blood was efficacious for regenerating the initiate was detected in Mithraism and Magna Mater.;The third hypothesis was that Christ's ;This examination of cultic...