Strong’s Greek 3083, λύτρον, captures the idea of a “ransom” price paid to secure release. In the New Testament the term is applied exclusively to the self-sacrifice of Jesus Christ, underscoring the substitutionary nature of His death and its efficacy in redeeming sinners from bondage to sin and death.

Old Testament Background

The verb group behind λύτρον is rooted in the Hebrew concepts of “redeeming” (gaʾal) and “atoning” (kāpar). In Leviticus 25 the kinsman-redeemer buys back land or family members who have fallen into debt. Exodus 30:12-16 prescribes a half-shekel “ransom” for every Israelite male to avert plague. Isaiah 43:3-4 depicts the LORD giving nations as a ransom for Israel. These passages establish three essential motifs later gathered up in the Gospel: substitution, payment, and liberation.

New Testament Usage

The noun occurs twice, both on the lips of Jesus:
• Matthew 20:28: “just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many.”
• Mark 10:45 (parallel).

In both texts λύτρον governs the mission statement of Christ, coupling humble service with the decisive act of redemption. The prepositional phrase “for many” (ἀντὶ πολλῶν) conveys substitution—His life given in place of the many who could not redeem themselves.

Related Redemption Language

1 Timothy 2:6 employs ἀντίλυτρον (“a ransom for all”), expanding the ransom’s sufficiency to the entire human race while maintaining its efficacy for believers. Other cognates include λυτρόω (redeem, Titus 2:14) and ἀπολύτρωσις (redemption, Romans 3:24). Together they form a coherent soteriological vocabulary: the ransom (λύτρον) paid by Christ (event) secures redemption (λύτρωσις) for the believer (result) and culminates in final deliverance (ἀπολύτρωσις) at His return (Romans 8:23).

Christological Fulfillment

Jesus identifies Himself as both Servant and Ransom. Isaiah’s Servant Songs predict a figure who “bore the sin of many” (Isaiah 53:12). In Matthew 20 and Mark 10, Jesus consciously adopts this role, signaling that His impending death satisfies divine justice and inaugurates the new covenant. By using λύτρον, He frames His passion not as martyrdom but as purposeful payment.

Soteriological Dimensions

1. Substitution: The life of the sinless One is exchanged for the lives of sinners.
2. Propitiation: The ransom appeases God’s righteous wrath (Romans 3:25).
3. Liberation: Believers are “delivered from the domain of darkness” (Colossians 1:13).
4. Covenant Inclusion: The “many” echoes Isaiah 53 and Daniel 9, pointing to a redeemed community drawn from every nation (Revelation 5:9).

Historical Interpretation

Early church fathers (e.g., Irenaeus, Athanasius) stressed Christus Victor—Christ’s death as victory over Satan—yet never divorced it from the payment idea. The Reformation sharpened the penal substitution aspect, aligning λύτρον with the satisfaction of divine justice. Conservative evangelical scholarship continues this trajectory, seeing the ransom as objective, accomplished, and irrevocable.

Practical Ministry Implications

• Preaching: Proclaim Christ’s ransom as both the ground and motive for repentance and faith.
• Pastoral Care: Assure believers of complete forgiveness; the price was fully paid.
• Missions: The universal offer of the gospel rests on a ransom sufficient for all, effectual for those who believe.
• Worship: Hymns and liturgy should celebrate redemption, echoing Revelation 5: “You were slain, and by Your blood You purchased for God those from every tribe.”

Doctrinal Affirmations

• The ransom is historically anchored in the cross and resurrection.
• It is substitutionary in nature, satisfying God’s justice and securing reconciliation.
• It is propitiatory, averting divine wrath and granting peace with God (Romans 5:1).
• It is exclusive; no additional payment is necessary or possible (John 14:6; Hebrews 10:14).

Conclusion

Strong’s 3083 highlights the heart of the gospel: God Himself, in the person of His Son, paid the sovereignly appointed price to free sinners. The term is sparse in usage yet rich in meaning, concentrating the entire redemptive drama into a single word—λύτρον.