He Ransoms Many

For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. -Mark 10:45

I've long been fascinated by the many "mission statements" of Jesus. He gave several, including among others, Luke 19:10 and John 18:37 (in Jesus' answer to Pilate). However, the one that has long interested me is the one in Mark 10:45.

This verse has been used for many purposes, as a justification for us to serve more and be humble, as a symbol of the love of God, but the most obvious point of this passage is that Jesus intentionally gave up His own life to ransom many sinners from the entrapment of sin and death. It was not a plan B that sent Christ to the cross. He knew what His purpose was all along. His followers knew too, if they had only listened. But then again there were so many reasons for them to think otherwise.

However, Jesus was true to His mission. He gave up His life to ransom many sinners. As gruesome as it is, the cross was the intentional work of God to redeem. It was needed to bring glory to God through the salvation of many sinners.

The cross is not merely an example of God's love for us. The cross is an example of how bad our sin was that God's Son had to die to ransom sinners. Yet He did it. And in the cross then we know that God loves those "with whom he is pleased." (Luke 2:14) What pleases God is understanding the need we have because of our sin and trusting Christ's work to take away our sin and credit to us His standing with God.

The death of Jesus was needed. It could not be subverted. It could not be avoided. He died for our ransom.