By Means of His Own Blood

Hebrews 9:12 (ESV) … “he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.”

Jesus’ redemptive work consisted of offering his own blood, not the blood of goats and calves. Jesus had given himself. The blood of Jesus our High Priest was far more precious than the blood of animals. His was a once for all offering that never needed repeating. Christ’s offering required no daily or even annual repetition. A single offering was eternally effective.

Some interpreters emphasize the idea that Christ took his blood into heaven as if our redemption depended on something which Jesus did after the cross. The statement that Jesus had obtained eternal redemption suggests that Jesus has accomplished redemption at the cross. It was by the blood shed at the cross that he entered heaven. All of Jesus’ work for our salvation occurred at the cross, not subsequent to it.[1]

[1] Lea, T. D. (1999). Hebrews, James (Vol. 10, p. 168). Broadman & Holman Publishers.