The manumission of a slave is not necessarily a commercial transaction in God's economy. When God ransomed Israel from Egypt He freed them from slavery - it wasn't transaction where a price was given, God used His power and freed His people. Simple.
Likewise when Jesus said He gave His life as a ransom (aka in redemption or to redeem) for many there is no necessity to see it as a commerical transaction. We say the life of our fallen soldiers is the "price" of our freedom, yet we don't see it as a commerical transaction, we understand the meaning.
Men (as in mankind) are in bondage to sin. God, through His son Jesus Christ, set us free from that bondage - John 8:36 "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed."
That bondage came into this fallen world due to the sin of Adam. Romans 5:12-16
ROMANS 5:15
"But the gift is not like the trespass for if the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God's grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many!"
Sin came into this world through one and so did justification/propitiation come into this world through the One.
The cost was high, but it wasn't a commercial transaction with a kidnapper.
God is entirely Just.
If we say a judge is just, but when sentencing time comes he let's go the person who raped and killed your wife and children without punishment you would be screaming your head off calling that judge unjust and demanding justice be served.. and rightly so.
If we demand appropriate justice on earth, how much more just is a Just God than we are?
As it is written :
"He who justifies the wicked and he who condemns the righteous are both alike an abomination to the LORD." Proverbs 17:15
This is why it took God in the flesh to make propitiation for our sins, and why the Pharisees were more than just a little shocked (declared it blasphemous) when Jesus declared Himself with the authority to forgive sin. Mark 2:7
"Why does this fellow talk like that? He's blaspheming! Who can forgive sins but God alone?"
In other words, there isn't a kidnapper.. only our sin, and our Redeemer; the price was one only He could pay. God is absolutely just, and absolutely merciful - and it's not an oxymoron.
Why would Christ, Paul, Peter, John and the Hebrew write describe as a literal ransom scenario if there is no kidnapper?
People at that time would have been familiar with Caesar being kidnapped at age 21 and a ransom being paid for his release, so when Jesus says: …”to give his life as a ransom for many”, what did Christ communicate to them?
The nonbelieving sinner will remain in bondage unless that ransom is paid and accepted by the kidnapper.
You can not convince “sin” of anything, it cannot listen, but you can possibly convince the nonbelieving sinner to accept Jesus Christ and Him crucified and if he accepts Christ; a child is set free to enter the Kingdom.
I do not know how anyone could consider “accepting Christ and Him Crucified” as a commercial transaction and that is what I am talking about?
A judge on earth has to enforce the civil Law given to him. God is the author of the Law, Judge and father of us all. We are really talking about a “just” parent:
Think about this:
There is a, one of a kind, Tiffany vase on your parent’s mantel that has been handed down by your great grandmother. You, as a young person, get angry with your parents and smash the vase. You are later sorry about it and repent and your loving parent can easily forgive you. Since this was not your first rebellious action your father, in an act of Love, collects every little piece of the vase and you willingly work together with your father hours each night for a month painstakingly gluing the vase back together. The vase is returned to the mantel to be kept as a show piece, but according to Antique Road Show, it is worthless. Working with your father helped you develop a much stronger relationship, comfort in being around him and appreciation for his Love.
Was your father fair/just and would others see this as being fair treatment? Did this “punishment” help resolve the issue?
Was restitution made or was reconciliation made and would you feel comfortable/ justified standing by your father in the future?
Suppose after smashing the vase, repenting and forgiveness, your older brother says he will work with your father putting the vase together, so you can keep up with your social life. Would this scenario allow you to stand comfortable and justified by your father?
Suppose Jesus the magician waved his hands over the smashed vase and restored it perfectly to the previous condition, so there is really very little for you to be forgiven of or for you to do. Would this scenario allow you to stand comfortable and justified by your father?
What are the benefits of being lovingly disciplined?
Suppose it is not you that breaks the vase but your neighbor breaks into your house because he does not like your family being so nice and smashes the Tiffany vase, but he is caught on a security camera. Your father goes to your neighbor with the box of pieces and offers to do the same thing with him as he offered to do with you, but the neighbor refuses. Your father explains: everything is caught on camera and he will be fined and go to jail, but the neighbor, although sorry about being caught, still refuses. The neighbor loses all he has and spends 10 years in jail. So was the neighbor fairly disciplined or fairly punished?
How does the neighbor’s punishment equal your discipline and how is it not equal?
Was the neighbor forgiven and if not why not?
