Matthew 20:28 reads, Even as the Son of man came not to me ministered unto, but to minster, and to give his life a ransom for many. The Greek word used for minister is to serve, diakoneό, pronounced dee-ak-on-eh’-o. Therefore, Jesus is stating that he did not come to be served, but to serve. The Greek word used for life is actually soul, the element that animates the body and cannot be seen, psuché, procnounced psoo-khay’. The Greek word used for ransom is basically redemption money, or money used in exchange for slaves, lutron, pronounced loo’-tron. In other words, this passage could also read as Even as the Son of man came not to be served but serve and give his soul as a monetary exchange for many who are in bondage.
So, what is the significance of such specificity?
The importance of this realization is the understanding of the greatest reason that you have to be thankful for each day you awaken. It does not matter whether you believe in God and his redemptive work or not, this applies to sinners and saints equally.
The greatest importance; however, is the understanding that the physical death of the body of Christ on the cross, at Calvary was not sufficient to pay the ransom for the slavery of mankind. While both the physical body and soul are in a state of corruption, it is the soul in which that corruption originated and brought the physical body under corruption. It is for this reason that once the soul is converted, its’ sanctification is extended to the flesh, hence Paul explains in Romans 8, But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dewelleth in you. What needs to be understood, is that it’s not the conversion of the soul that extends to the physical body, but it is the benefits or blessings of the converted soul that are attributed to the body. In other words, all the blessings of Christ bestowed upon salvation to the soul are now available to the physical body, hence deliverance of mental dispositions as well as physical maladies. Also, it needs to be understood that the physical body will remain a slave unto its carnal nature. This will be the case until the day that God transforms it into something new upon the day when the believer sees Christ face to face. 1 Corinthians 15: 52- 53 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. Until the day that a believer dies or sees Christ face to face, this will be the continual situation they must deal with, regardless of the conversion of the soul, Romans 8:7 Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be.
The reason for establishing the fact that the conversion of the soul does not extend to the physical body is to reinforce the necessity of the ransom paid by Christ. In other words, the destruction and burial of the physical body of Christ was not adequate to meet the conditions to free the many from their bondage that originated from the soul, not the body. The destruction of the physical body of Christ only met part of the condition. 2Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. This is significant in the fact that unlike us, Jesus had a sinless body created by the Holy Spirit and also his soul was without sin. It was upon the cross that this verse was accomplished, and our savior died a sinner in both soul and body. Once again, we must understand the reason Jesus emphasized that his soul was the ransom, is its part it plays in the true nature for the manifestation of sin. First, let’s look at the various warnings about the soul: Matthew 15: 18, 19 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man. For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies, Jeremiah 17: 9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it?, Proverbs 4: 23 Keep thy heart with all diligence; for out of it are the issues of life. While in both the Hebrew and Greek the word for heart translates to the inner man or simpler, the seat of emotions, or the will. Our will resides within the soul. The free will of man is what is influenced by the desires of the physical body. We understand that the natural inclination of that physical body is not to glorify God. Because of this, the soul becomes corrupted as the will yields to the natural desires of the body when they conflict with the will of God. As a result, both body and soul are under corruption and thereby taken into bondage.
With this foundation we understand the dangers of this through Jesus’ warning to his disciples. Matthew 10: 28 And fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Again, the Greek word used for soul is the same that was used for life in Matthew 20: 28, psuché. This is reinforcement of the fact that the soul of Christ was the ransom for the many in bondage. The word used for the punishment of the unconverted soul and physical body in the Greek is geenna, pronounced Gheh’-en-nah. Also, when we read in Revelation we find that this translates as the lake of fire. Rev 20: 13, 14 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them; and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. Realize that the word used for hell in this passage in Revelation in the Greek is, Hades.
Why did I feel the need to emphasize that? The reason is, that while the Lake of fire or Gehenna is the ultimate punishment for the unconverted soul and physical body, Hades is the punishment for the unconverted soul. In other words, Hades is the debt that every unconverted soul owes to God for its corrupted state by birth and by willful continuance in it. How do we know this? We know this through this very detailed encounter explained in Luke 16 : 19 -31. Verses 22 - 24 read And it came to pass, that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom: the rich man also died, and was buried; And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments, and seeth Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame. The word used for hell in this passage is none other than the one used in Matthew 10:28, Hades. What we understand here is that this rich man’s soul was in extreme agony due to the flames from which he was under continuous torment.
Do you realize what this means?
The debt or exchange that Jesus made for us was not a mere physical death. Hebrews 9:27 explains that death is inevitable, “And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” That death is more so one of the physical body. Revelation explains to us that the true second death takes place by the casting of body and soul into the Lake of fire and brimstone after the Great White Throne judgment. So even Hades is merely an intermission for the condemned soul until that final death comes to fruition. The realization I am speaking of is that once Jesus experienced physical death after taking upon him the sins of us all, he became that exchange or ransom the moment his soul plunged into the depths of Hades and experienced the torment of those flames. Yes, not only was he obedient to death on the cross but the ultimate fate of all damned souls, the flames of Hades. This was the debt that no man could pay for himself because we were all born into sin. However, here is the greatest part of it all, Acts 2: 24 Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. It was not possible for him to be held of it because as we read in 2Corinthians 5: 21, he was made sin for us that we might be set free from our bondage, because he redeemed us. He redeemed us by taking the place of our soul and undergoing a punishment and suffering that we could not undertake and thereby appeased the wrath of God. Isaiah 53: 10 reads Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him; he hath put him to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see his seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.
Regardless of whether you accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and personal savior or not, the redemption of your bound soul has been paid in full by the suffering soul of Jesus Christ in Hades. Not only that but the brutal mutilation of his physical body and subsequent death was for the physical and mental ailments of the body. Isaiah 53: 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
No matter what state you may find yourself in in this life you have much to be thankful for. No, Jesus never asked if you wanted to be redeemed, but he laid down his life regardless of whether you wanted it or not. Either way salvation is freely available for the taking and it is our natural birth right as the only creation that God made in his own image. I encourage you to enter this time of Thanksgiving with consideration for how much you truly have to be thankful for.
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