Buying Back

Did you know that another way to say redeem is "buying back"? So when we say Jesus is the Redeemer, we are saying he bought us back. Back from what you may wonder? Back from sin and a death away from God.

But, I've also heard Jesus often referred to as the kinsman-redeemer. Do you know what a kinsman-redeemer is? I had only a vague idea until I read Lois Tverberg's book, Listening to the Language of the Bible.

Think back to the days of the Bible. Do you ever read about insurance companies? Or, benevolent people and organizations restoring homes? Or, the government using tax money to help the people recuperate in any way? There were no funds to help you rebuild after a storm tore up your field, or house, or place of business. So, the place people went to for help was their family. Relatives, as a kinsman-redeemer, were expected to come to the aid of family members in need.

In this way, if a person had to sell their portion of the family farm because of bad investments or bad crop growth then the kinsman-redeemer would buy the land to keep it in the family. Or, if someone got so indebted that they became a slave the kinsman-redeemer would buy them back.

The family member would remain obligated to his redeemer and belong to him, but not as a slave. He would be like a close family member. The example Lois Tverberg gave was the story of Boaz and Ruth. Boaz bought the land from Naomi in order to keep it in the family and this included Ruth, whom he took as his wife.

So, Jesus bought us back by his death and resurrection. We are in a sense indebted to him for the price he paid. But, he doesn't see us as his slave or servant. He sees us as family members who've been saved from being eternally separated from the heavenly realm. How awesome is that?