Lutrwthv" is found only in Acts 7:35 tou'ton ( Mwush'n ) oJ qeo;" kai; a[rconta kai; lutrwth;n ajpevstalken .
The whole group of words, it will be seen, with the exception of the single occurrence of luvtron in the Synoptic narrative, is confined to the Epistles of St Paul and writings (including 1 Peter) which are strongly coloured by his language. They are entirely absent from the writings of St John.
The conception of redemption lies in the history of Israel. The deliverance from Egypt furnished the imagery of hope. To this the work of Christ offered the perfect spiritual antitype. This parallel is of importance, for it will be obvious from the usage of the LXX. that the idea of a ransom received by the power from which the captive is delivered is practically lost in lutrou'sqai , & c. It cannot be said that God paid to the Egyptian oppressor any price for the redemption of His people. On the other hand the idea of the exertion of a mighty force, the idea that the redemption costs much, is everywhere present. The force may be represented by Divine might, or love, or self-sacrifice, which become finally identical. But there is no thought of any power which can claim from God what is not according to the original ordinance of His righteous compassion.
It follows that the discussions which have been raised on the question To whom was the ransom for man's redemption paid are apt to be misleading. The deliverance of man from the debt, the captivity, the bondage of sinhowever we express the imagecould only be through the satisfaction of the claims of a violated law. These claims regarded under the light of punishment present a twofold aspect. To him who rebels against the divine law, they are simply pain: to him who humbly submits himself to it, they are a salutary discipline. The first aspect includes the truth which was expressed by the patristic conception that Christ paid the ransom of man to the devil: the second includes the truth expressed by the later view that the ransom was paid to God. Each view however is essentially incomplete, and it is perilous to attempt to draw conclusions from limited interpretations of Scripture.
The idea of redemption, deliverance, in the spiritual order requires to be supplemented by the idea of purchase. Man has no power of standing by himself. His freedom lies in his complete acceptance of the will of God. When therefore he is redeemed from the power of evil he is also purchased, so as to become wholly in the hands of God. The idea of purchase, though of less frequent occurrence in the N. T. than the idea of redemption, is more widely spread. It occurs in St Paul, 2 Peter, and the Apocalypse ( ajgoravzein, ejxagoravzein ).
1 Cor. 6:20
oujk ejste; eJautw'n, hjgoravsqhte ga;r timh'"
.
Cor. 7:22 f. oJ ejleuvqero" klhqei;" dou'lov" ejsti Cristou' . timh'" hjgoravsqhte mh; givnesqe dou'loi ajnqrwvpwn .
2 Pet. 2:1
to;n ajgoravsanta aujtou;" despovthn ajrnouvmenoi
.
Apo c. 5.9 ejsfavgh" kai; hjgovrasa" tw'/ qew'/ ejn tw'/ ai{mativ sou ejk pavsh" fulh'" kai; glwvssh" kai; laou' kai; e[qnou" ....