ransom Summary and Overview

the price or payment made for our redemption, as when it is said that the Son of man "gave his life a ransom for many" (Matt. 20:28; compare Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:23, 24; 1 Cor. 6:19, 20; Gal. 3:13; 4:4, 5: Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14; 1 Tim. 2:6; Titus 2:14; 1 Pet. 1:18, 19. In all these passages the same idea is expressed). This word is derived from the Fr. rancon; Lat. redemptio. The debt is represented not as cancelled but as fully paid. The slave or captive is not liberated by a mere gratuitous favour, but a ransom price has been paid, in consideration of which he is set free. The original owner receives back his alienated and lost possession because he has bought it back "with a price." This price or ransom (Gr. lutron) is always said to be Christ, his blood, his death. He secures our redemption by the payment of a ransom. (See REDEMPTION T0003084.)

RAN'SOM , the price paid to purchase the freedom of a captive or slave. Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45; 1 Cor 6:19-20; 1 Tim 2:6. Under the Levitieal law, an offering was required of every Israelite over twenty years of age at the time the census was taken. This offering is called a ransom or atonement-money. Ex 30:12-16. It amounted to half a shekel, or about twenty-five cents. It was to be made upon penalty of the plague; and every person, rich or poor, was required to give that sum, and neither more nor less. 1 Pet 1:18-19.

Greek lutron, antilutron (1 Timothy 2:6). ("A price paid for freeing a captive".) Anti implies vicarious, equivalent substitution, "a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Peter 1:18-19). Man was the slave of Satan, sold under sin. He was unable to ransom himself, because absolute obedience is due to God; therefore no act of ours can satisfy for the least offense. Leviticus 25:48 allowed one sold captive to be redeemed by one of his brethren. The Son of God therefore became man in order that as our elder brother He should redeem us (Hebrews 2:14-15). frontREDEEM.)