Lesson 27 Explore 1: How Is Jesus’ Sacrifice “a Ransom for Many”?—Matthew 20:28
How Is Jesus’ Sacrifice “a Ransom for Many”?
The Bible’s answer
Jesus’ sacrifice is the means by which God delivers, or saves, humankind from sin and death. The Bible refers to the shed blood of Jesus as a ransom price.
(Ephesians 1.7: By means of him we have the release by ransom through the blood of that one, yes, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his undeserved kindness.)
(1 Peter 1.18, 19: For you know that it was not with corruptible things, with silver or gold, that you were set free from your futile way of life handed down to you by your forefathers. But it was with precious blood, like that of an unblemished and spotless lamb, that of Christ.)
Thus, Jesus said that he came “to give his life a ransom for many.”- King James Version.
(Matthew 20.28: Just as the Son of man came, not to be ministered to, but to minister and to give his life as a ransom in exchange for many.”)
Why was “a ransom for many” needed?
The first man, Adam, was created perfect, or without sin. He had the prospect of living forever but lost it by choosing to disobey God.
(Genesis 3.17-19: And to Adam he said: “Because you listened to your wife’s voice and ate from the tree concerning which I gave you this command, ‘You must not eat from it,’ cursed is the ground on your account. In pain you will eat its produce all the days of your life. It will grow thorns and thistles for you, and you must eat the vegetation of the field. In the sweat of your face you will eat bread until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken. For dust you are and to dust you will return.”)
When he had children, he passed on to them the defect of sin.
(Romans 5.12: That is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because they had all sinned—.)
For this reason, the Bible indicates that Adam “sold” himself and his children into slavery to sin and death.
(Romans 7.14: For we know that the Law is spiritual, but I am fleshly, sold under sin.)
Being imperfect, none of them could buy back what Adam lost.-
(Psalm 49.7, 8: None of them can ever redeem a brother Or give to God a ransom for him, (The ransom price for their life is so precious That it is always beyond their reach);)
God felt compassion for Adam’s descendants in their hopeless situation.
(John 3.16: “For God loved the world so much that he gave his only-begotten Son, so that everyone exercising faith in him might not be destroyed but have everlasting life.)
However, God’s standard of justice required that he not simply overlook or excuse their sins without a valid basis.
(Psalm 89.14: Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; Loyal love and faithfulness stand before you.)
(Romans 3.23-26: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and it is as a free gift that they are being declared righteous by his undeserved kindness through the release by the ransom paid by Christ Jesus. God presented him as an offering for propitiation through faith in his blood. This was to demonstrate his own righteousness, because God in his forbearance was forgiving the sins that occurred in the past. This was to demonstrate his own righteousness in this present season, so that he might be righteous even when declaring righteous the man who has faith in Jesus.)
God loves mankind, so he provided the necessary legal means for their sins to be not only forgiven but also eliminated.
(Romans 5.6-8: For, indeed, while we were still weak, Christ died for ungodly men at the appointed time. For hardly would anyone die for a righteous man; though perhaps for a good man someone may dare to die. But God recommends his own love to us in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.)
The ransom is that legal basis.
How does the ransom work?
In the Bible, the term “ransom” involves the following three elements:
1. It is a payment.-
(Numbers 3.46, 47: As the ransom price of the 273 of the firstborn of the Israelites who are in excess of the Levites, you are to take five shekels for each individual, according to the standard shekel of the holy place. A shekel is 20 gerahs.)
2. It brings about a release, or redemption.-
(Exodus 21.30: If a ransom is imposed on him, he must give as the redemption price for his life all that may be imposed on him.)
3. It corresponds to the value of what is paid for, or covers it.
Consider how these elements apply to the ransom sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
1. Payment. The Bible says that Christians were “bought with a price.”
(1 Corinthians 6.20: for you were bought with a price. By all means, glorify God in your body.)
(1 Corinthians 7.23: You were bought with a price; stop becoming slaves of men.)
That price is the blood of Jesus, with which he “bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation.”-
(Revelation 5.8, 9: When he took the scroll, the four living creatures and the 24 elders fell down before the Lamb, and each one had a harp and golden bowls that were full of incense. (The incense means the prayers of the holy ones.) And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, for you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought people for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,)
2. Release. Jesus’ sacrifice provides a “release by ransom” from sin.-
(1 Corinthians 1.30: But it is due to him that you are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousness and sanctification and release by ransom,)
(Colossians 1.14: by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins.)
(Hebrews 9.15: That is why he is a mediator of a new covenant, in order that because a death has occurred for their release by ransom from the transgressions under the former covenant, those who have been called may receive the promise of the everlasting inheritance.)
3. Correspondence. Jesus’ sacrifice corresponds exactly to what Adam lost-one perfect human life.
(1 Corinthians 15.21, 22: For since death came through a man, resurrection of the dead also comes through a man. For just as in Adam all are dying, so also in the Christ all will be made alive.)
(1 Corinthians 15.45, 46: So it is written: “The first man Adam became a living person.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. However, what is spiritual is not first. What is physical is first, and afterward what is spiritual.)
The Bible says: “Just as through the disobedience of the one man [Adam] many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one person [Jesus Christ] many will be made righteous.”
(Romans 5.19: For just as through the disobedience of the one man many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one person many will be made righteous.)
This explains how the death of one man can pay the ransom for many sinners. In fact, Jesus’ sacrifice is “a corresponding ransom for all” those who take the steps necessary to benefit from it.-
(1 Timothy 2.5, 6: For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, a man, Christ Jesus, who gave himself a corresponding ransom for all—this is what is to be witnessed to in its own due time.)
[End of article.]