Red is the color for blood. The world associates red with war, cruelty, and slaughter. The Church sees red as a meet color for her martyrs. It reminds us of the wounds of Christ and the stripes by which we are healed (Is 53:5; 1 Pet 2:24). Red is for us a remembrance of the everflowing fount of divine love and forgiveness. The harlot, Rahab, who helped Joshua's spies escape from Jericho was told to bind a scarlet cord in her window so that her and her father's household might be saved from the coming destruction; an act reminiscent of the saving blood of the Passover lamb (Josh 2:1-24; 6:17-25; Ex 12).
Red is the color of riches, power, and royalty (2 Sam 1:24; Lam 4:5; Rev 18:12, 16). Christ, the divine king, came at Christmas time. But red is also the color of lust for undeserved power; selfish greed; and unbridled passion. At Christmas time, the color red reminds us that Herod slaughtered the innocents (Mt 2:16-18). During His Passion, Roman soldiers stripped Jesus of His simple clothes and placed a scarlet robe upon His shoulders so that they might mock this one whom wisemen had sought as the "King of the Jews" (Mt 27:28).
Red is associated with the heart and the emotions, especially feelings of love and suffering, and the Christian virtue of Charity. Red is the color of the God of Love who suffered for humankind. It is the color of His courage and His sacrifice. It is also the color of perverted love or lust, and the evil passions. The same color which represents a consuming desire for righteousness, and the cleansing tide of Christ's blood, also stands for those sins which are ingrained and intensely desired; even deeds so terrible that they cry out for justice and punishment. Isaiah writes, "Come now, and let us reason together," says the LORD, "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall be as wool" (Isa 1:18). Scarlet women and scarlet letters are famous symbols of the adulteress.
The color of the sun, red is also reminiscent of fire, heat, creativity, life and the full moon. The Church naturally associates it with the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit witnessed at Pentecost and with the flames of hell (Acts 2:1-2).
Its association with fire and bloodshed make red a sign of danger. In Ancient Egypt, red was the color of evil Set and demons. Egyptian scribes used red ink when writing the names of hated beings. The red donkey was feared both in this life and in the next. Even today, the "red donkey" refers to a violent and wicked person. The scarlet beast of Revelation is believed to be a red donkey (Rev 17:3-4). Satan is often depicted as red.
"Red" or "ruddy" is sometimes used as a synonym for "handsome" or "beautiful." It indicates youth, enthusiasm, immortality, and good health. David and the Shulamite's lover were "ruddy" (1 Sam 16:12; 17:42; Song 5:10). In good times, the Nazarites of Jerusalem were "more ruddy in body than rubies" (Lam 4:7).
Unless otherwise indicated all scripture quotes are from the NKJV Bible.
Comments© 1997 by Suzetta Tucker
To cite this page:
Tucker, Suzetta. "ChristStory Christmas - The Color Red."
ChristStory Christian Bestiary. 1997. http://ww2.netnitco.net/users/legend01/red.htm
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