What Blood Type Was Jesus? (A, B, AB, O?)

The blood of Jesus is mentioned several times in the New Testament. Some references are to the blood that he shed on the cross when he was crucified (e.g. Col. 1:20). Other verses describe the theological importance of his blood (e.g. Rom. 5:9-10). This leads many people to wonder about Jesus’ blood type.

The Bible doesn’t say what Jesus’ blood type was. While his blood has great significance in the New Testament, whether it was A, B, AB, or O isn’t theologically relevant to biblical studies or Christian living. Any guesses as to what Jesus’ blood type was isn’t grounded in the revealed Word of God.

When were blood types discovered? Is there a common blood type found among Jews in Israel today? What does the Bible say about Jesus’ blood? Keep reading to learn the answers to these questions and others.

Also see What Was Jesus Christ’s Personality Type? to learn more.

When were blood types discovered?

The ABO blood group was discovered in 1901 by an Australian physician named Karl Landsteiner. Blood “types” refer to a certain antigen found on the surface of red blood cells.

Antigens are substances to which a person’s immune system responds. The differences in A, B, AB, and O, create restrictions on a person with one blood type donating to a person with a different kind.

Blood types weren’t discovered for 1,900 years after Jesus shed his blood on the cross. Jesus’ blood type — or anyone else’s — would not have been common knowledge for anyone in the first century, even for a physician like Luke (cf. Col. 4:14).

Some may argue that God could have supernaturally revealed Jesus’ blood type to a person, such as Luke. or another disciple or Gospel writer. While that’s possible, there is no report of such a revelation occurring anywhere in the New Testament.

Furthermore, Jesus’ blood type isn’t mentioned in any first-century literature outside the Bible either (e.g. Josephus) or in any Christian writings from any other century for that matter.

Also see What Kind of Clothes Did Jesus Christ Wear? to learn more.

Is there a common blood type found among Jews in Israel?

According to recent data, Jews in Israel have different blood types.

• 32% have O+ blood
• 34% have A+ blood
• 17% have B+ blood
• 7% have AB+ blood [1]

Jews in Germany have the following blood types:

• 42% have O+ blood
• 41% have A+ blood
• 12% have B+ blood
• 5% have AB+ blood [2]

Jews in Poland have the following blood types:

• 33% have O+ blood
• 41% have A+ blood
• 18% have B+ blood
• 8% have AB+ blood [2]

At this time, there is no reliable data about the blood types of Jewish people living in America.

Also see How Many Prophecies Did Jesus Christ Fulfill? to learn more.

Bible verses about Jesus’ blood

When the New Testament teaches that the blood of Christ (e.g. Rom. 3:25; Eph. 1:7) justifies and redeems people, and atones for their sins, its referencing the death of Christ, not his literal blood.

To see Jesus’ blood as having mystical properties, whether associated with a certain blood type or not, is to misunderstand how New Testament writers describe the forgiveness Christ won for sinners at the cross.

Pagan worldviews teach that blood itself contains supernatural properties, but the Bible doesn’t. “In the New Testament, no magical power is attributed to the blood itself and there is no trace of blood mysticism. Salvation is not linked to to the blood itself, but to the bloodshed, i.e. to the death of Christ.” [3]

• Matthew 26:28, “For this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.”

• 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.”

• Hebrews 9:22, “Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.”

• Ephesians 1:7, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace”

• Romans 3:25, “whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins.”

• 1 John 1:7, “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”

• Revelation 12:11, “And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death.”

• 1 Peter 2:24, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.”

• Leviticus 17:11, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”

• Acts 20:28, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood.”

• Revelation 1:5, “And from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins by his blood.”

• 1 Peter 1:2, “According to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.”

“The blood of Jesus unfailingly cleanses the believer from his sin at all times. There could be no sin that the blood does not cover, confessed or not confessed. Though our sins were taken care of in the cross of Christ, and by His blood being spilled for us, it is applied immediately in time to every sin we commit the nano-second we commit it.” – Jim Eliff

Also see Is Jesus Christ Returning to Earth Soon? to learn more.

References:
[1] Source
[2] Source
[3] New Dictionary of Biblical Theology. p. 403.