What Did Jesus Sacrifice?

By Ronald R. Day, Senior

Unless otherwise stated, Bible quotations are from the World English (WEB) version of the Bible.

Why did God send his son into the world?

Isaiah 61:1 - The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on Me, because Jehovah has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the meek. He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, and complete opening to the bound ones;
Isaiah 61:1 - to proclaim the acceptable year of Jehovah, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn. -- Green's Literal Translation.

John 3:17 For God didn't send his Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world should be saved through him.

John 12:47 If anyone listens to my sayings, and doesn't believe, I don't judge him. For I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. -- 

Romans 3:21 But now apart from the law, a righteousness of God has been revealed, being testified by the law and the prophets;
Romans 3:22 even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all those who believe. For there is no distinction,
Romans 3:23 for all have sinned, and fall short of the glory of God;
Romans 3:24 being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus;
Romans 3:25 whom God set forth to be an atoning sacrifice, through faith, in his blood, to show his righteousness because of the passing over of the sins done before, in the forbearance of God;
Romans 3:26 to demonstrate his righteousness at this present time; that he might himself be just, and the justifier of him who has faith in Jesus. 

Romans 5:8 God commends his own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

1 Corinthians 15:21 For since death came by man, the resurrection of the dead also came by man.
1 Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.

1 Timothy 1:15 The saying is faithful, and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.

1 John 2:2 And he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world.

1 John 4:14 The Father has sent the Son as the Savior of the world.

What did Jesus sacrifice for us?

He gave his humanity — including his body of flesh — as an offsetting price, which sacrifice he formally presented as a priest after his ascension. – - Hebrews 8:4; 9:24-26; 10:10.

Jesus gave his blood in sacrifice.

Matthew 26:28 for this is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the remission of sins.

Mark 14:24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many.

Luke 22:20 He took the cup in like manner after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, that which is poured out for you.

Acts 20:28 Take heed 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 the blood of his own Son. – Revised Standard Version. See also: Whose Blood?

Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we will be saved from God’s wrath through him.

Ephesians 1:7 in whom we have our redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace.

However, what does Jesus' blood represent? Jesus’ human soul, which he also gave in sacrifice.

Leviticus 17:11 For the life [Hebrew, nephesh - soul] of the flesh is in the blood.

Deuteronomy 12:23 The blood is the life [Hebrew, nephesh - soul].

The human soul consists of the body made from the dust of the ground and the neshamah, activated by spirit of life as received from God. — Genesis 2:7. See also: What is the Soul?

Jesus’ human blood (which represents his human soul/being -- Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 12:23) — was given in sacrifice. (Mark 14:24; Acts 20:28; Hebrews 9:14) Thus his soul — his being — as raised, made alive, from the oblivious condition of sheol was no longer human, but spirit. -- 1 Peter 3:18.

Jesus sacrificed his human body:

Hebrews 10:10 by which will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.
Hebrews 10:11 Every priest indeed stands day by day ministering and often offering the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins,
Hebrews 10:12 but he, when he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
Hebrews 10:13 henceforth expecting until his enemies to be made the footstool of his feet.
Hebrews 10:14 For by one offering he has perfected forever those who are sanctified.

Luke 22:19 He took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and gave to them, saying, “This is *my body which is given [as an offering in sacrifice to God - Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:14] for you*. Do this in memory of me.”

1 Peter 2:24 - who his own self bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live to righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. 

Jesus sacrificed his flesh:

John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down out of heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Yes, the bread which I will give is my flesh, for the life of the world.

Jesus sacrificed his human soul:

Matthew 20:28 even as the Son of Man came not to be served, but to serve, and to give his life [soul] as a ransom [price to offset] for many.

Isaiah 53:12 He *poured out his soul* to death, and was numbered with the transgressors: yet he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.

He died; he was totally dead, ceased to be sentient, else there has been no ransom. His body was given in sacrifice. (Hebrews 10:10; Luke 22:19) Jesus’ soul — his sentiency — was given in sacrifice (Ecclesiastes 9:5) and went into sheol, where there is no work, device, knowledge or wisdom, and wherein one cannot give thanks to, or praise to, Jehovah. -- Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45; Ecclesiastes 9:10; Psalm 6:5; Isaiah 38:18.

To summarize: It was Jesus' human life, including his human blood (representing his human soul -- Genesis 2:7; Leviticus 17:11; Deuteronomy 12:23), his human flesh, his human body, his human soul (sentiency), that Jesus sacrificed to his God to pay the debt for sin. -- Isaiah 53:12; Matthew 22:28; 26:28; Mark 14:24; Luke 22:19,20; John 6:51; Acts 20:28; Romans 5:9; Ephesians 1:3,7; 5:2; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; Hebrews 8:4; 9:24-26; 10:10-12

See also some of our related studies:
Is Jesus Now Flesh?

Originally published May, 2014; Updated 3/17/2022.

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