Ransom & Atonement

Bulletin

Dan Peters
02/16/25 - Atonement

Ransom & Atonement

The Old Testament often gives us the meaning of the words of Jesus. Jesus said, ““For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Mark 10:45). Jesus viewed his death as a “ransom”. So look how the word is used in the Old Testament. “Moreover, you shall accept no ransom for the life of a murderer, who is guilty of death, but he shall be put to death.” (Num. 35:31). Therefore God thinks the value of every soul is higher than anyone could ever pay. A murderer could never have enough money to pay for his crime.
Again the next verse:
“And you shall accept no ransom for him who has fled to his city of refuge, that he may return to dwell in the land before the death of the high priest.” (Num 35:32). Here the person who accidentally caused someone to die must move out of his house to one of the six cities of refuge until the High Priest dies. This was to have that person suffer the consequences of accidentally killing someone. Here too, no “ransom” price was possible. A lighter penalty than death is given, because the person didn’t intend to kill, no premeditation being involved here. Yet still, no ransom is good enough to pay off the crime.
Again the next verse:
“You shall not pollute the land in which you live, for blood pollutes the land, and no atonement can be made for the land for the blood that is shed in it, except by the blood of the one who shed it.” (Num 35:33). The previous two verses use the word “ransom”, but here the same idea of the blood of an innocent victim pollutes the land, and “atonement” is needed. The only “atonement” suitable in God’s mind, is the blood of the criminal who murdered his fellow human being.
This now leads me to the value of Jesus.
“God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all…” (Titus 2:3-6). Jesus was a ransom for all, Jesus being also God, is more infinitely valuable than all. A higher price was paid.
Those who do believe what he did, it transforms their lives from the inside out. Knowing the truth about the the God of heaven changes how they think about themselves and the world. They know they owe him. “For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body” (1Cor. 6:20). “To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Eph. 3:21).
Dan Peters