One question I had after the sermon yesterday was that ransom / payment is made TO someone. You mentioned Origen's idea that we were bought from Satan as being incorrect, but who *were* we ransomed from? Sin / death itself as a personified entity? If we were "bought," who owned us before Jesus bought us?
Tricky question. It's a debated matter for sure. Parts of the historical and ongoing conversation are over my head. But here's my best attempt at describing my own limited understanding:
“Ransom” motif in the Bible emphasizes the actual cost of liberation, not literal payment to a recipient.
There's no Biblical evidence of God owing Satan anything, or Satan ever having any sort of leverage over and against God.
The Bible does indicate that humans are, in their fallen state, enslaved to sin and death. Jesus’ death is the price God himself pays to set us free—breaking those powers, not bargaining with them. A sort of "killing death from the inside" approach.
The Biblical focus isn’t on who got paid, but what it cost God to free us and bring us home.
It does, thanks. Metaphors can obviously only stretch so far -- they are a way to understand one idea by comparing it to another, but the two ideas will eventually diverge. I wondered if perhaps the "recipient" of the ransom might just be where the metaphor no longer fits. In any rate, I appreciate your response, as I'm sure this will come up in my life group! :)
One question I had after the sermon yesterday was that ransom / payment is made TO someone. You mentioned Origen's idea that we were bought from Satan as being incorrect, but who *were* we ransomed from? Sin / death itself as a personified entity? If we were "bought," who owned us before Jesus bought us?
Tricky question. It's a debated matter for sure. Parts of the historical and ongoing conversation are over my head. But here's my best attempt at describing my own limited understanding:
“Ransom” motif in the Bible emphasizes the actual cost of liberation, not literal payment to a recipient.
There's no Biblical evidence of God owing Satan anything, or Satan ever having any sort of leverage over and against God.
The Bible does indicate that humans are, in their fallen state, enslaved to sin and death. Jesus’ death is the price God himself pays to set us free—breaking those powers, not bargaining with them. A sort of "killing death from the inside" approach.
The Biblical focus isn’t on who got paid, but what it cost God to free us and bring us home.
Hope this helps, even a little.
It does, thanks. Metaphors can obviously only stretch so far -- they are a way to understand one idea by comparing it to another, but the two ideas will eventually diverge. I wondered if perhaps the "recipient" of the ransom might just be where the metaphor no longer fits. In any rate, I appreciate your response, as I'm sure this will come up in my life group! :)