‘Ransom’ and ‘Redeemed’ – Defined
Clay Curtis

Ransom

In scripture the price paid for freedom is called the ransom.

God's people sinned. Death had a lawful hold on them. Christ Jesus came to give his life a ransom to free them from death. He paid by dying in their place. His life was the ransom. Since he paid the ransom they are free. They can never die. The Lord Jesus said that he came to give his life a ransom for many (Matthew 20: 28.)

Redeem

In scripture the word redeem is very similar to the word ransom. For example, I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death (Hosea 13:14.)

In scripture, when a person owed money they would sell their things. Sometimes the person sold himself. He would become another person's servant. God made a way for the person to be freed. First, the proper price had to be paid. This was called the redemption price. After the redemption price was paid, the person or things were freed or redeemed. In scripture the one who paid the redemption price was called the redeemer. When the person could not pay, then their nearest of kin became their redeemer.

The children of God lost everything when they sinned. They could not redeem themselves so their nearest of kin, God's Son, paid all their debt for them. Christ is the Kinsmen-Redeemer.