Jesus, Thy Blood and Righteousness
Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
This hymn exemplifies Lutheran justification theology by proclaiming that Christ's blood and imputed righteousness—not personal merit—constitute the believer's sole confidence before God. It captures the exchange formula central to Lutheran soteriology: Christ takes our sin, we receive His righteousness.
History & Background
Written by Moravian Count Zinzendorf in 1740, this hymn was translated into English by John Wesley the same year and became a cornerstone of Methodist hymnody. It has remained central to Lutheran worship since its adoption in German hymnals and subsequent English translations.
Hymnal Appearances
- Evangelical Lutheran Worship — 622
- Lutheran Book of Worship — 302
- Lutheran Service Book — 563
- Lutheran Worship — 362
- Trinity Hymnal — 520
- The Lutheran Hymnal — 371
Translation
Bulletin Note
Written by Moravian count Nicolaus Zinzendorf in 1740, this hymn became a cornerstone of Lutheran hymnody, expressing justification by faith through the vivid image of Christ's blood and imputed righteousness as our only acceptable garment before God.
Preaching Connection
This hymn concentrates the entire arc of Law and Gospel into the image of clothing and covering: the Law exposes our nakedness; the Gospel clothes us in Christ's righteousness as the believer's sole standing before God.
Stanza Arc
The narrative or theological arc traced by this tune's stanzas: From the proclamation of Christ's boundless love (stanza 1), through the believer's total consecration and response (stanza 2), to the sufficiency of Christ for all conditions of life (stanza 3), and finally to faith's perseverance through suffering and earthly loss (stanza 4). The arc moves from gift received to gift lived out in all circumstances.
Themes
Justification by faith Christ's substitutionary atonement Imputed righteousness Gospel comfort