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time", the references is still to the market place, but in the sense of "forestalling", being
as keen for the Lord as those who queue up at the bargain counter.
This leaves the word lutroo and its derivatives. Let us trace the usage of this word
from its primitive source, luo. This word means to loose as opposed to deo to bind, and
is used of the loosing of a colt, of the string of the tongue, then by an easy transition, for
the loosing of souls from the bondage of sin, for the "breaking" of a commandment, for
the "breaking down" of the middle wall of partition, and for the "melting" and
"dissolving" of elements with fervent heat.
Lutron. We now come to the means of loosing, and here the reference is entirely to
the sacrificial loosing from sin, it is translated "ransom" in Matt. 20: 28 and Mark 10: 45
where it is followed by the preposition anti, the preposition of equivalence. In
I Tim. 2: 6, the preposition is incorporated with the word lutron, and followed by huper
"on behalf on". Lutron always means "the price paid for the liberation of those in
bondage", and is employed by the LXX as a translation of the Hebrew gaal in
Lev. 25: 51 and elsewhere. Matt. 20: 28 carries the typical teaching of Num. 35: 31
over into Christian reality. Lutroo literally means "to bring forward a ransom" the active
being used not of him who gives, but of him who receives it, hence "to release on receipt
of a ransom". In the middle voice it means "to release by payment of a ransom, to
redeem", and in the passive "to be redeemed, ransomed" (Cremer). There are three
occurrences in the N.T.:
"He which should have redeemed Israel" (Luke 24: 21).
"That He might redeem us from all iniquity" (Titus 2: 14).
"Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things" (I Pet. 1: 18).
Lutrosis is the consequent redemption, the act of freeing or releasing by a ransom
(Luke 1: 68; 2: 38; Heb. 9: 12). Lutrotes is of necessity the redeemer and liberator, and
is referred to Moses in Acts 7: 35.
Apolutrosis or "releasing by ransom" (Exod. 21: 8). It is used in Luke 21: 28 for
the national redemption already referred to in Luke 1: 68; 2: 38 and in 24: 21, and in
Heb. 11: 35 of release from suffering and persecution, the remaining eight references
having a direct bearing upon redemption by sacrifice. We give the eight references here:
"The redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Rom. 3: 24).
"The redemption of our body" (Rom. 8: 23).
"Who of God is made unto us . . . . . redemption" (I Cor. 1: 30).
"In Whom we have redemption" (Eph. 1: 7).
"The redemption of the purchased possession" (Eph. 1: 14).
"Sealed unto the day of redemption" (Eph. 4: 30).
"In Whom we have redemption" (Col. 1: 14).
"For the redemption of the transgressions" (Heb. 9: 15).
Here, it will be seen that redemption in all its aspects is presented. Redemption from
sin and from death, and the future redemption of the purchased possession. The two
references in Eph. 1: 7, 14 stand related together as the Passover in the book of Exodus,
is to Kinsman Redeemer in the book of Ruth. Eph. 1: 7 being the initial redemption by