The Christus Victor view of the atonement is also referred to as the ransom view. Several scriptures also speak of Jesus’ life being a ransom.
“The son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mk. 10:45, ESV
He “gave Himself a ransom for all.” 1 Tim. 2:6, NKJV
The same Greek word translated “ransom” in these verses is also translated as “redeemed” in several others. Ransom has a similar idea to redeem. A ransom is money paid to release someone who is being held captive. If Jesus was a ransom, who was paid? Who is the captor?
Early in church history, it was thought that Jesus’ death was a ransom given to the devil to buy back humanity. This emphasized, and empowered, devil. He was the one in control of the destiny of humanity. This empowerment of the devil is partly why Anselm developed his Satisfaction Theory because it then de-emphasized the devil. His atonement theory, the satisfaction of God’s wrath, was a response to the ransom idea that over-emphasized the devil.(1) Jesus came to defeat more than just the devil…to free us from the yoke of, not just the devil, but sin, death, the flesh and the Law. In fact, Paul argues more for the defeat of the law than the defeat of the enemy.
So, who is the captor and who is the Redeemer? Who is the one who is held, who is holding captive, and who is the Ransom? Who received the ransom?
There is a scene in C.S. Lewis’ book, “The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe,” that helps us understand the answer to those questions. Edmund had been rescued from the Witch after his traitorous action. Aslan had talked with him and things seem to be righted. But, then the Witch shows up.
“You have a traitor there, Aslan,” said the witch.
“Well,” said Aslan. “His offense was not against you.”
“Have you forgotten the Deep Magic?” asked the Witch.
“Let us say I have forgotten it,” answered Aslan gravely. “Tell us of the Deep Magic.”
“Tell you?” said the Witch, her voicing growing suddenly shriller. “Tell you what is written on that very Table of Stone which stands beside us? Tell you what is written in letters deep as a spear is long on the fire-stones on the Secret Hill? Tell you what is engraved on the scepter of the Emperor-beyond-the-Sea? You at least know the Magic which the Emperor put into Narnia at the very beginning. You know that every traitor belongs to me as my lawful prey and that for every treachery I have a right to kill….And so, that human creature is mine. His life is forfeit to me. His blood is my property….unless I have blood as the Law says all Narnia will be overturned and perish in fire and water.”
“It is very true,” said Aslan, “I do not deny it.”
“Oh, Aslan!” whispered Susan in the Lion’s ear, “can’t we—I mean, you won’t will you? Can’t we do something about the Deep Magic? Isn’t there something you can work against it?”
“Work against the Emperor’s Magic?” said Aslan, turning to her with something like a frown on his face. And nobody every made that suggestion again.”(2)
Aslan is not demanding Edmund’s death; He is not demanding punishment. The witch is, but the only reason she has any claim is because of the Deep Magic put in place by the Emperor, the creator of Narnia. The Deep Magic has given her power over Edmund’s life…or any traitor. In the same way, God is not demanding punishment for sin. The enemy may have, but the only reason he has claim is because of the Law, the Law the Israelites requested at Mt. Sinai. It is the Old Covenant Law, which the Israelites themselves requested, that demanded punishment for sin. The Law could not simply be disregarded, even for forgiveness. God obligates Himself to the Covenant He is in. Therefore, He couldn’t “work against the Emperor’s Magic.” He couldn’t just forgive sin. If He violated the law/covenant He was in, even to forgive, He would not be righteous. But, He could create a new covenant, in which He could forgive…one in which forgiveness would not violate His identity as a just and righteous God. But, He could fulfill what the Law demanded, and in so doing, ransom us from its demands. Then, He could create a new law in the new covenant that allowed for forgiveness. And that is what He did.
He created an entirely different covenant complete with a new priesthood. Jesus was a priest after the order of Melchizedek; the Old Covenant included a priesthood after the Levitical order. A new priesthood necessitate a new Law.
“For the priesthood being changed, of necessity there is also a change of the law.” Heb. 7:12
There was still the debt demanded by the Old Covenant that must be dealt with. That is where the ransom element of atonement enters. Jesus ransomed us from the Old Covenant…the Law. His life was the ransom “paid” to the Law to release its claim on our lives. The Law was the captor.
“We were held captive under the law, imprisoned until the coming faith would be revealed.”(Gal. 3:24)
Just like the Deep Magic of Narnia, the Old Covenant Law demanded punishment…the wages of sin are death and it held us captive to it. It was the law that needed to be satisfied. God could not just forgive sin under this covenant. He needed a new covenant so He could do that which was already in His heart…forgive.
“…among the powers which hold men in bondage he(the Apostle Paul) ranges the Law. The triumph of Christ is the dethroning of the Law and the deliverance of man from bondage to it.(3)
The Law is a hostile power not only because it condemns sin but the real reason is deeper. Legal righteousness, which the Law demands, can never lead to salvation and life. It can only lead to bondage and death. Any reward gained is as a debt being paid, not grace given.
“Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.” Rom. 4:4, NKJV
“I was alive once without the law, but when the commandment came, sin revived and I died.” Rom. 7:9, NKJV
The Law is an enemy that held us captive to it and Christ redeemed us from it…ransomed us from the demands of the Law.
“Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us…” Gal. 3:13
“And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us(the Law), which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.” Col. 2:13-14
“He is the mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant.” Heb. 9:15
Jesus came and took on the curse of the Old covenant dying as a new covenant sacrifice to replace it. He is the ransom that freed us from the Old Covenant. It wasn’t given to the devil, to rescue a kidnapped human race, but to rescue His own people who were living under a guardian(the Law). So, the Law received the ransom.
New covenant…new priesthood…new law…forgiveness. Now, with the debt to the Law gone, within this new covenant forgiveness is the law and righteousness demands forgiveness rather than punishment. God is faithful to the covenant He binds Himself to…this was why He acted in the manner He did in the Old Testament..He was faithful to the covenant and Law the Israelites requested; Now, He is faithful to the New covenant of forgiveness. Within the Old Covenant, it would be unrighteous to simply forgive sin; within the New Covenant, it would be unrighteous to not forgive sin. Within the Old Covenant, sin was met with punishment, even death; within the New Covenant, sin is met with forgiveness.
It is easy to understand how punishment and appeasement/satisfaction became part of the story of the cross…a doctrine of atonement. It’s what happens when we read the word through our modern understanding and cultural norms. That’s why it’s important to read the word through a historical contextual hermeneutic…allowing the text to remain faithful to its message to its ancient readers…and then extrapolating the application to our day.
We lack the understanding of covenant today and it causes us to misunderstand some of God’s actions in the Old Testament. Without thinking seriously about its ramifications, we say, “Well, He’s God. He can do as He pleases.” While true to some extent, that would also make Him more of a tyrant than a righteous God. He obligated Himself to the covenantal Law the Israelites requested…even though it marred His reputation. He will exalt…honor…His word above His name(Ps. 138:2). He will keep His word though it may ruin His reputation. Without an understanding of covenant, we can easily see God as the one demanding punishment…whose wrath needed to be appeased. When we understand the covenant, and God’s commitment to it, we realize it was the covenant/law that has demands which must be satisfied, not God. He is willing to forgive…He simply needed a covenant/law in which He could forgive sin and still be just and righteous….the New Covenant in which we now live.
Endnotes:
1. Welton, Dr. Jonathan. 2014. .Understanding the Whole Bible. Rochester, NY,: Jon Welton Ministries, p. 295-296
2. Lewis, C.S. 1950. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe. New York, NY: HarperCollins, p. 141-142.
3. Aulen, Gustaf. 1931. Christus Victor. London, UK: Society for Promoting Christian Knowledge, p. 67-68
