Continuing the discussion from yesterday, let’s look at what Galatians says about our worth, and what Peterson says about how this is the key to freedom from slavery to sin and self-doubt.
“We were slaves to the elemental spirits of the universe. But when the time had fully come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4-5
That action-packed sentence is a powerful description of Christ’s great work on behalf of all of us. One word in it tells us what we are worth: redeem.
[Understanding the background of the Greek process for freeing slaves, “to redeem,” shows us why “redeem” reveals so much about our great worth to God and our great worth in Christ. Listen to what Peterson says…]
The word redeem describes this process [freeing slaves]. Sometimes a slave caught the attention of a wealthy free person and for some reason or other — compassion, affection, justice — the free person decided to free the slave. The free person would then go to the temple or shrine and deposit with the priests the sum of money required for manumission. The priests would then deliver an oracle: The god Apollo has purchased this slave so-and-so from owners such-and-such and is now free.The priests then passed the redemption price on to the recent owner.
The ex-slave who all his or her life had been treated as an inferior, useful only for purposes of running someone else’s errands, doing someone else’s work, was no longer subject to such evaluation. The person was free. No price could be put on his head again. The person was valuable not to DO but to BE someone.
That, says Paul, is what happened to each and everyone of us: we have been singled out for redemption. Eugene Peterson, Living the Message
Think about it. Put yourself in the ancient slave’s bare feet. What must it have felt like to the one who was chosen and given his or her freedom? How do you suppose the former slave lived after that? How does that tie in with your story?
