As he expected, Jesus Himself came down to the earth in the flesh to save the souls who sinned, and sacrificed His body as a sin offering for them. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death.” So, in order to save the spirits who sinned, a righteous person without sin must die. According to ancient law, if a man sets a sinner free, he must die instead of the sinner (1 Ki 20:42). From Chapter 13 “The First Adam and the Last Adam,” VISITORS FROM THE ANGELIC WORLD
1. Literal Meaning
Ransom, ‘λυτρον [Lutron]’ in Greek, is a word for money demanded in return for the release of a slave or a captive.
2. Meaning of ransom in history (1 Ki 20:1–43)
When Ahab was king of Israel, he had a war against the army of Ben-Hadad king of Aram. Accompanied by thirty-two kings with their horses and chariots, the king of Aram went up and besieged Samaria [the capital city of Israel] and attacked it. He demanded a surrender from Israel, but King Ahab and the Israelites decided to fight against the king of Aram.
Then a prophet of God came to the king and let him know that God would give the army of Aram into the Israel’s hand [that God would let Israel win over the army of Aram], and Israel won a great victory in the battle.
The king of Aram fled and comforted himself, “Their gods [God of Israel] are gods of the hills. That is why they were too strong for us. But if we fight them on the plains, surely we will be stronger than they.” He strengthened the power of his army and brought about war again the next year.
Israel also amplified its army because the prophet of God had let it know that the army of Aram would surely attack Israel the next year. However, when they marched out to meet the army of Aram, the military strength of Israel was not comparable with that of Aram. It is written, “The Israelites camped opposite them like two small flocks of goats, while the Arameans covered the countryside” (1 Ki 20:27).
The prophet delivered the message of God to the king of Israel. “God said, ‘Because the Arameans think the LORD is a god of the hills and not a god of the valleys, I will deliver this vast army into your hands, and you will know that I am the LORD.'” God helped the army of Israel win the victory. The king of Aram had no choice but to beg the king of Israel to save him and his people. Ahab felt proud for the word of the king of Aram and let him and his people go whom God delivered into Israel’s hands.
Afterward the prophet received a message from God. He disguised himself with his headband down over his eyes into a wounded soldier and went before King Ahab.
“Your servant went into the thick of the battle, and someone came to me with a captive and said, ‘Guard this man. If he is missing, it will be your life for his life, or you must pay a talent of silver.’ While your servant was busy here and there, the man disappeared”(1 Ki 20:39-40).
King Ahab heard him saying, but the king didn’t know that he was talking about the king himself, and said, “That is your sentence. You have pronounced it yourself.”
Ahab let the king of Aram go who was to put to death. God’s word was delivered to Ahab. “This is what the LORD says: ‘You have set free a man I had determined should die. Therefore it is your life for his life, your people for his people.'”
As shown above, ‘to ransom someone’ means that someone who hasn’t sinned die instead of a sinner who is to die.
3. Christ became a ransom
In the Old Testament times, an animal was caught and its blood was sprinkled on the altar to ransom Israelites whenever they sinned. In the New Testament times, it was fulfilled by Christ who shed blood as the reality of every ransom.
Now all souls who believe Jesus’ blood and follow His teachings will not be condemned but saved, being ransomed by Christ.
“. . . just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” Mt 20:28; Mk 10:45
Jesus did not even spare His life to save human beings who committed mortal sins. His sublime love is now engraved in the hearts of the heavenly children and will remain unforgettable forever.