The Ransom-God's Greatest Gift

HOW JEHOVAH PROVIDED THE RANSOM

Since a perfect human life was lost, no imperfect human could ever buy it back.  (Psalm 49:7, 8) What was needed  was a ransom equal in value to what was lost.  This is in harmony with the principle of perfect justice found in God's Word, which says:  "Soul  will be for soul."  (Deuteronomy 19:21)  So, what would cover the value of a perfect human soul, or life, that Adam lost?   Another perfect human life was  the "corresponding ransom" that was required.  -1 Timothy 2:6. 

How did Jehovah provide the ransom?  He sent on of his perfect spirit sons to the earth. But Jehovah did not send just any spirit creature.  He sent the one most precious to him, his only-begotten Son.  (1 John 4:9, 10)  Willingly, this Son left his heavenly home.  (Philippians 2:7) As we learned in the preceding chapter of this book, Jehovah performed a miracle when he transferred the life of his Son to the womb of Mary. By means of God's holy spirit, Jesus was born as a perfect human and was not under the penalty of sin.  -Luke 1:35.

How could one man serve as a ransom for many, in fact, millions of humans? Well, how did humans numbering in the millions come to be sinners in the first place? Recall  that by sinning, Adam lost the precious possession of perfect human live. Hence, he could not pass it on to his offspring.  Instead, he could pass on only sin and death. Jesus, whom the Bible calls "the last Adam," had a perfect human life, and he never sinned.  (1 Corinthians 15:45) In a sense, Jesus stepped into Adam's place in order to save us. By sacrificing or giving up, his perfect life in flawless obedience to God, Jesus paid the price for Adam's offspring. -Romans 5:19; 1 Corinthians 15:21, 22. 

The Bible describes in detail the suffering that Jesus endured  before  his death. He experience harsh whipping, cruel impalement, and an agonizing death on a torture stake.   (John 19:1,  16-18, 30) Why was it necessary for Jesus to suffer so much?  In a later chapter of this book, we will that Satan has questioned whether Jehovah has any human servants who would remain faithful under trial.  By enduring faithfully in spite of great suffering, Jesus gave the best possible answer to Satan's challenge.  Jesus proved that a perfect possessing free will could keep perfect integrity to God no matter what the Devil did. Jehovah must have rejoiced greatly over the faithfulness of his dear Son! -Proverbs 27:11. 

How was the ransom paid? On the 14th day of the Jewish month Nisan in 33 C.E., God allowed his perfect and sinless Son to be executed. Jesus thus sacrificed his perfect human life "once and for all time."  (Hebrews 10:10)  On the third day after Jesus died, Jehovah raised him back to spirit life. In heaven, Jesus presented to God the value of a perfect human life sacrificed as a ransom in  exchange for Adam's offspring.  (Hebrews 9:24)  Jehovah accepted the value of Jesus' sacrifice as the ransom needed to deliver mankind from slavery to sin and death. -Romans 3:23, 24. 

Next time: The Ransom-God's Greatest Gift/WHAT THE RANSOM CAN MEAN FOR YOU

From the book; WHAT DOES THE BIBLE REALLY TEACH?