Ransom

According to Oxford dictionary online, a “ransom” is a sum of money or other payment demanded or paid for the release of a prisoner. Historically the greatest ransom paid was that paid for Atahualpa (ateluualpuah), the last emperor of the Incas, to the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro in 1532 at Cajamarca, Peru. It constituted a haul full of gold and silver. It was worth $1.5 billion in modern US dollars. 

Is it really the greatest ransom paid though? I have a candidate for you to consider today—Jesus. He willingly suffered and died, in order to pay a ransom. This isnt because God the Father is an extortionist, rather it’s because man made a choice to sin, therefore accepted the penalty of death and slavery to the same. Jesus willingly, because of His great love for us, paid the penalty and therefore purchased us from the slave market of sin and death. He paid, willingly, without condition. That is real love (John 3.16; 1 John 3.16). For now let’s focus on Mark 10.45 which says, “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” This is a central verse. It is a life verse. It should be a verse you memorize and meditate on weekly. It is why you are spiritually able to read and understand God’s word and praise Him as you should. 

But it’s important we demonstrate what this does not mean. There is no thought in the Bible that Satan had to be paid off to let sinners be saved. This is absolute heresy. What happened to Satan when Christ died was not payment, but defeat. The Son of God became human so, “… through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil.” (Hebrews 2.14). There was no negotiation. 

Now let’s look at what this does mean. When Jesus says that he came “to give his life as a ransom,” the focus is not on who gets the payment. The focus is on his own life as the payment, and on his freedom in serving rather than being served, and on the “many” who will benefit from the payment He makes. If we ask who received the ransom, the biblical answer would surely be God. The Bible says that Christ— “gave himself up for us, [an]…offering…to God” (Ephesians 5.2). Christ— “…offered himself without spot to God…” (Hebrews 9.14). The whole need for a substitute to die on our behalf is because we have, “…all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3.23). And because of our sin, “…we…are under [accountable to] the law…” (Romans 3.19). 

What does this do for us? When Christ gave himself as a ransom for us, the Bible says that we are freed from the condemnation of God. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” (Romans 8.1). And the ultimate captivity from which we need release is the final “judgment of God” (Romans 2.2; Revelation 14.7). He paid the price, so that we would be freed from this. The ransom price of this release from God’s condemnation— is the life of Christ. Not just his life lived, but his life given up in death. This is found in Mark 10.45 when it says, “… to give his life…” The word “give” here is: didomee’, which means ‘to place or offer up as sin an offering, to give up or give from oneself’. Jesus said repeatedly to his disciples, “For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.” (Mark 9.31). In fact, one of the reasons Jesus loved to call Himself— “the Son of Man” (over sixty-five times in the Gospels) was that it had the ring of mortality about it. Men can die. That’s why He had to be one. But not just any life not just any human, Psalm 49.7-8 says, “None of them can by any means redeem his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him: (For the redemption of their soul is precious, and it ceaseth for ever:)” The ransom could only be paid by the Son of Man, because the ransom was a life given up in death, by God Himself.

What does this do for others? How many did Christ effectively ransom from sin? He said that he came, “to give his life as a ransom for many.” Yet not everyone will be ransomed from the wrath of God. We know this from the book of Revelation, much less the countless stories of the New Testament like the other thief on the cross. Even though they won’t all accept it, the offer is for everyone. “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all…” (1 Timothy 2.5-6 emphasis added). No one is excluded from this salvation who embraces the payment paid on their behalf. Redemption is the act of purchasing one out of the slave market; while ransom is the actual price paid. Jesus did both. Ephesians 1.7 says, “In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace;”

What do we do with this? The context of Mark 10.45 is one of: 1) service, and 2) servitude. The word servant is used a couple of different times and in different ways. Let me show you in Mark 10, beginning in verse 43 through 45… “43 Not thus however shall it be among you Instead whoever desires great [megas] to become among you will be your servant [diakonos]. 44- and whoever desires among you to become first [protos] will be of all slave [doulos]. 45- Even for the Son of Man not came to be served [diakonos] but to serve [diakonos] and to give the life of Him as a ransom for many.” 

He tells them to be great (megas) high in rank, power, ability. Which is what the world [gentiles] seek, you must be a “servant”. Other words used in the New Testament for this are: higher, exalted, and majestic. Used as the word “chief”. He tells them to be first (protos) first, foremost, most important. Which is what the world [gentiles] seek, you must be a “slave”. The opposite would be attention to oneself, first in line, get benefited or noticed first…”first”. So one who desires to be ‘chief’ ought to be a servant (diakonos) which is basically a waiter, one who performs a service. And not lazy about it, because the literal usage of that term in the first century was—‘one who kicks up dust’. And one who desires to be “first” ought to be a slave (doulos). The term is literally one who is without any ownership rights of their own. This is then both:His command and His example to us. He needed no service from us. He was the giver, not the receiver. “No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again…” (John 10.18). Notice that the price was not coerced from Him. The price was paid freely, and not forced. He wanted to serve in this sacrificial way. Which brings us again to his love…He freely chose to rescue us, at the cost of His own life. 

Are we willing to be like Jesus? Are we willing to stop seeking for ourself, and start seeking for others first? Matthew 16.23 states, “But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.” But please look at the context of that verse. Look at the two verses before (verses 21 and 22), “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee.”

When Jesus said in 23, “savourest” He was showing Peter his true heart condition. Is it your’s? Savourest means to think-on so much, that it changes the way you plan and act in your life out. We are His children and His inheritance. Our minds and hearts should be so focused on Him and His plan…that it changes us. I mean it should change the way we see things, the way we see His working. He paid an enormous price for you, why wouldn’t you savor Him more than anything else? Can you think of someone who has paid a greater price? This is our calling because of the precious price that had to be paid. 

Value the Cost that was paid. It was and is very precious.