Unlocking the Door to Freedom: The Meaning of Redemption in the Bible

Redeem is not a word we use often in everyday English. “Redeeming” coupons or gift cards comes to mind, but that’s about it. To redeem simply means to buy, and often it refers to buying back. When soda cans are returned to a store in exchange for money, the cans are redeemed or bought back thereby saving them from the garbage dump.

Old Testament

Redemption is a major theme in the Bible. The word redeem first appears in the book of Exodus when the people of Israel were enslaved in Egypt. God promises to free them with these words:

Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the LORD, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.’ (Exodus 6:6 NIV)

Notice the connection between redemption and freedom. The LORD said, “I will free you” and “I will redeem you.” To be redeemed means to be freed from bondage. What will God use to buy the Israelites out of bondage? He will pay for them “with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment.” Following this promise, God sends ten plagues on the Egyptians leading Pharaoh to release the Israelites. After the people are rescued, Moses and Miriam sing these lyrics:

In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed. In your strength you will guide them to your holy dwelling. (Exodus 15:13)

The next book of the Bible, Leviticus, lays out rules for Israel’s religion and society. Here is one related to redemption:

If one of your fellow Israelites becomes poor and sells some of their property, their nearest relative is to come and redeem what they have sold. (Leviticus 25:25)

In other words, the property should remain in the family so a family member must buy it back. But what if a debtor doesn’t have property to sell? In that case, debtors may sell themselves, thus becoming a slave. Becoming a slave, however, was not permanent. The slave or a family member could buy their freedom.

If a foreigner residing among you becomes rich and any of your fellow Israelites become poor and sell themselves to the foreigner or to a member of the foreigner’s clan, they retain the right of redemption after they have sold themselves. One of their relatives may redeem them: An uncle or a cousin or any blood relative in their clan may redeem them. Or if they prosper, they may redeem themselves. (Leviticus 25:47-49)

This brings us to the story of Ruth. Ruth was a Moabite who pledged loyalty to her Israelite mother-in-law, Naomi. She accompanied Naomi back to the land of Israel after their husbands died. Their situation was dire, forcing Naomi to have to sell her land. One day during this time, Ruth went out to gather leftover grain in a stranger’s field as the law permitted. In the field she met the owner named Boaz. He was a close relative of Naomi’s who had the power to redeem her land so he was called her kinsman-redeemer, or guardian-redeemer, or even family protector. He showed special kindness to Ruth and eventually he redeemed Naomi’s land and married Ruth. Naomi and Ruth were rescued from a life of poverty by Boaz. Naomi’s friends exclaim:

Praise be to the LORD, who this day has not left you without a guardian-redeemer. May he become famous throughout Israel! (Ruth 4:14)

So far, the meaning of redemption has focused on physical or political freedom. But the meaning goes much deeper. God also promises to free us from death.

No one can redeem the life of another or give to God a ransom for them . . . But God will redeem me from the realm of the dead; he will surely take me to himself. (Psalm 49:7, 15)

I will deliver this people from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. (Hosea 13:14)

Finally, God promises to free his people from their sins:

He himself will redeem Israel from all their sins. (Psalm 130:8)

I have swept away your offenses like a cloud, your sins like the morning mist. Return to me, for I have redeemed you.” (Isaiah 44:22)

In summary, to be redeemed means to be rescued from foreign oppressors, poverty, slavery, sin, and death. And that means a redeemer provides the only hope of escape.

New Testament

In the New Testament a great redemption is accomplished by Christ Jesus, but it doesn’t have anything to do with political freedom. In fact, after Jesus is raised from the dead, he walks beside two disciples who think he’s a stranger. Here’s how the conversation unfolds:

He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

“What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. (Luke 24:17-21)

They were hoping for political redemption because the Roman empire ruled over Israel, but that wasn’t Jesus’ mission. He said, “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place” (John 18:36). Instead of driving out the Romans, Jesus was executed by Roman soldiers.

Paul describes the effects of Jesus’ redemption in this way:

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. (Romans 3:23-24)

Although we are sinners, Christ’s redemption makes us innocent. “We are justified freely by his grace.” This fulfills God’s promise to redeem his people from their sins. How did Jesus accomplish this redemption?

• Jesus says, “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
• Paul writes, “For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).
• Paul also states, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Notice the key phrases: he gave “his life,” he “gave himself,” and “through his blood.” Jesus buys us not with money, but with his own life. But how did Jesus’ downfall bring us freedom? Paul writes,

Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a pole.” (Galatians 3:13)

Jesus became cursed, which means he took upon himself the curse of the law or the consequences for disobedience. In this way, his death was for us.

What does Jesus redeem us from? We have already seen that he rescues us from sin and shame. Likewise,

• while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for himself a people that are his very own, eager to do what is good. (Titus 2:13-14)
• For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your ancestors, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. (1 Peter 1:18-19)

Jesus redeems us from “all wickedness” and an “empty way of life.”

In conclusion, being redeemed by Jesus means that he has purchased you at the price of his life. And that purchase frees us from spiritual poverty, slavery to sin, and the fear of death. In the words of Paul, “You are not your own; you were bought at a price” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).