Matthew 20:28
“Even
as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister,
and to give his life a ransom for many.”
Christ declares that He came to give His life “a ransom for many.” The word many is deliberate—it points to a definite people, not an undefined mass. His death was not vague or merely potential; it was purposeful and effective for those He came to save.
Consider a simple illustration: if a man buys a bag of oranges and later finds that many are spoiled, it does not mean all are spoiled—but it does indicate a particular number within the whole. In the same way, Scripture speaks precisely when it says many, not all without exception.
Read Exodus 30:12–16
Here, each Israelite was required to give a ransom for his life to the Lord so that no plague would fall upon them. Every individual was counted, and each paid the atonement money. This act pointed forward to Christ.
Notice carefully:
the
ransom was given only
for Israel,
not for the surrounding nations. This was not accidental—it was a
shadow of a greater reality. In the same way, Christ gives His life
as a ransom for His people—the true, spiritual Israel of God—those
whom He has chosen, numbered, and whose names are written in the
Lamb’s Book of Life.
Leviticus 25:47–49
This passage gives a vivid picture of redemption. If an Israelite became poor and sold himself into slavery to a stranger, a near relative—a kinsman—could redeem him by paying the price to set him free.
This is more than history; it is gospel truth in picture form.
We were once in spiritual
bondage—
walking according to the course of this world,
enslaved to sin, and under the power of darkness (Ephesians
2:2). By
nature, we were poor, wretched, and helpless—unable to redeem
ourselves.
Yet the grace of God appeared.
Christ, though rich, became poor for the sake of His people:
2 Corinthians
8:9
“Though
he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his
poverty might be rich.”
He came down, took on our nature, and paid the price we could never pay. He lifted us from the dunghill and raised us to inherit the throne of glory—from beggars to a royal priesthood.
Some suggest that Christ paid the ransom to Satan. That idea collapses quickly—if Satan received the ransom, then Satan would be the victor. But Scripture is clear: Satan was defeated at the cross, and victory belongs to Christ.
The true issue is this:
we
were in bondage because we had violated
the law of God.
The offense was against God, and we stood under His righteous wrath.
Sin is a debt owed to God’s justice.
We could not pay it.
It
was an infinite debt against an infinite God.
But Christ stepped in as our substitute. On behalf of His people, He paid the debt in full. He satisfied divine justice and removed the record that stood against us.
Redemption required a kinsman—one who is near of kin.
Christ became that Kinsman. He took on human flesh, entering into our race, so that He might lawfully redeem His people. As Scripture declares:
Matthew 1:21
“Thou
shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their
sins.”
He did not make salvation merely possible—He accomplished it for His people.
He laid down His life for
His sheep.
He knows them, and they hear His voice.
The work of Christ is full and complete:
We were enemies
Christ became our Mediator
We were redeemed by His blood
We are now reconciled to God
Romans 5 declares that we are justified by faith and now have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
This isn’t a partial salvation—it’s a finished work. Christ did not attempt redemption; He secured it.