"For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men--the testimony given in its proper time."
I put these verses together as I think they tend to flow together in Paul's line of thinking and are really creating a general point of Christ as the "only". These verses follow Paul's urging to pray for kings and those in charge so that a society of peace might be created that the gospel might flow through readily. This is desireable as God desires that all men be saved. Paul, then again emphasizes to Timothy how they are saved through "the only".
This was one of those great days were I went over the verse as I left and was actually quite discouraged. The verse (6) was one I knew well and I recited it I had little belief I would be "awed" during this walk. Boy, was I wrong and felt bad for my attitude towards Scripture. I think a believer needs to always approach the Word of God with a feeling that God has something great to share. I didn't leave the house that way, but I did return so.
As I walked, the first word I found my self stuck on was "gave". I thought a lot about this verb and eventually ended up thinking about the idea of a gift. I felt this fit the context well and in exchange, I read the verse to myself "he gifted himself as a ransom for all men". His sacrifice truly was a gift for all mankind. We tend to think of gift when we think of the baby Jesus at Christmas and the "sacrifice" of Christ on the cross. The whole of God's sending from birth, to teaching ministry, to death on the cross and ressurection was all part of the "gift" that God offered up to man. In fact, I would argue that the "gift" of greatest value was his taking my sins on the cross. This idea just wrung with me as I walked. The idea of a gift for every man.
What was the essence of this gift, "a ransom". I did not want to get stuck on all of the issues surrounded with this word in the verse, but I did spend a great deal of time thinking about this word. Luckily, I just finished the book "Downfall, of the Crusader Kingdom". In this book, continually Muslims or Christians were capturing one another and ransoming freedom for money or land. Because of this, the idea of ransom was fresh in my mind. As I thought through this, a story from the book struck very close to home.
During the time of the Crusades, there was a man named Baldwin of Iberia. During a time he had been selected as the proper husband to be for the would be Queen of Jerusalem. In essence, he was eventually going to become the next king of Jerusalem. But then, during a skirmish with the Muslim army he was taken captive. Saladin new the treasure he had in Baldwin and asked for a ransom that literally was unobtainable in the kingdom. Despite this problem, Baldwin promised to find the money and on this promise Saladin released him. He searched the entire kingdom of Outremer and could only come up with a small portion of the needed money. So what did he do? The only thing he could, he sailed to a faraway kingdom, invoking the highest power he knew (The King of England). Because of his place as heir, the King asked Baldwin to sit in a chair, the story then goes that the King had endless sacks of gold brought in and dropped on Baldwin until it covered him head to toe. Because of his place as heir, the King of England was happy to not just provide, but provide above and beyond. Ultimately, he rescued a Baldwin from a life of slavery and he was the only one who could of done so.
This reminded me of the ransom given on our behalf. Of course it is not a perfect analogy and there are limitations, but here is what I found to hold true.
1) This world does not hold the means of our salvation. There is nothing we can do or find here on earth that will free us from our sins and the slavery they have led us to.
2) We to should ultimately come to the conclusion that there is only one place we can look to for our "freedom". The highest power we know.
3) We are "heirs" to a great kingdom and the true king wants to help us realize our rightful, created position.
4) The King (God) doesn't just provide for our need, but lavishes us with more then we could ask. We don't just receive ransom from our sins, but the giving of the Holy Spirit as a sign of our redemption.
5) This ransom rescues us from a life of slavery to sin and an eternity in hell.
Of course, this analogy also has limitations. In truth, the ransom paid by Christ is not to any external foe who owns us, God's creation. He pays the ransom to God the Father himself. He ultimately pays it to uphold the righteousness and justice that Holy God demands as recompense for sin against him. Christ, was the "only mediator" that could possible do this. The only place man has to turn for hope. In every way, the freedom that he provides, is much greater then even that experienced by Baldwin.
I then spent a few minutes on the end of verse 6. Here we are told that God waited until the perfect time to reveal Christ to man. This is interesting because Revelation tells us that he was the "Lamb" slain before the foundation of the world. We also know from Hebrews 11 that many men such as Abraham were counted as "Righteous" before God many years before God chose to reveal Christ to humankind. They were counted righteous because of their "faith" in God and God alone for the promises given to them.
God was working in selected men, producing faith, and salvation through Christ before he even came. Yet there was a time that was perfect for his revelation to all men and God chose it specifically. We should never forget that God is working out a great plan with great timing. Not just in our lives, but throughout History.
We often ask questions about all of those who never heard the name of Christ and sometimes God is questioned in His justice. Yet God assures us here his timing was perfect for all of mankind to best fulfill HIS PURPOSE on earth.
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