“Then he is gracious unto him, and saith, Deliver him from going to the pit, I have found a ransom.”
(Job 33:24)

What is that which Christ has given for the ransom of men: and from scripture it appears that it was His precious blood; for as redemption is always ascribed to the blood of Christ, as the procuring cause of it, that must be the redemption or ransom-price; and the apostle Peter is express for it; he says, “ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold — but with the precious blood of Christ” (1st Peter 1:18-19); a price sufficient to purchase the whole church of God, to expiate all their sins, and ransom their souls from ruin; and therefore may well be called precious blood; blood of great price and value: hence under the law so much regard was had to blood; it was to be covered with dust, and was not to be eaten, because it made atonement for the soul, though but in a typical way; for not the blood of bulls and goats, but the blood of Christ is our real atonement and ransom-price.

Again, it is clear, that it is the life of Christ that was given for a ransom; He came “to give His life a ransom for many” (Matthew 20:28): life, than which nothing is more dear and valuable, and especially such a life as Christ’s was; a life entirely at His own dispose, which another man’s is not, and which He laid down, and took up again of Himself; it was not forfeited by any act of His own, or forced from Him by another; it was what He freely laid down, and voluntarily gave into the hands of men, justice and death, in the room and stead of His people; and as a ransom-price for them; His life for theirs: moreover, it is said to be Himself that is this ransom; “who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1st Timothy 2:6); and so it is often expressed, that he loved us and gave himself for us, that He might redeem us; and gave Himself an offering and a sacrifice, and offered Himself without spot unto God (Titus 2:14; Ephesians 5:2; Hebrews 9:14), even His soul and body, His whole human nature; and this as in union with His divine person; which union ceased not when he became the ransom-price. And what is contained in this word Himself who can tell? this we may be lure of, it was a sufficient ransom, whereby the law was fulfilled, and justice satisfied. This is a full ransom or redemption from sin, from all sins original and actual, from all the demerit of them; and in consequence of this men are freed from the dominion and power of sin, under which they were held captives, and will be from the being of it; for Christ has by His atoning sacrifice finished and made an end of sin, and put it away for ever, and perfected them that are sanctified: it is a complete ransom of them out of the hands of Satan: the LORD hath ransomed Jacob out of the hand of Him that was stronger than He (Jeremiah 31:11); by virtue of this ransom the prey is taken from the mighty, and the lawful captive is delivered; and even captivity itself, or he that led others captive, is himself led captive by the Saviour and Redeemer of sinners. This is a plenary ransom from the law, its curse and condemnation; Christ has redeemed His that were under it from it, being made a curse for them, and suffering its sentence of condemnation to be executed on Himself; and therefore there is none to them that are in Him; and they may boldly say, “who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died” (Romans 8:1; Romans 8:34); and by dying He gave his life a ransom for them, and so secured them from the curse and condemnation of the law. In a word, it is a ransom from hell, and wrath, and the second death, to which men are liable through sin.

John Gill – 1754