“Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto,
but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.”
(Matthew 20:28)
Matthew 20:28 reveals the heart of Christ’s mission: He came to serve and to give His life as a ransom sufficient to satisfy God’s justice and secure salvation for God’s elect. John Owen notes, “Christ’s death, as a ransom, is the perfect satisfaction for sin, meritorious in its infinite worth.”
As a king may choose to accept a substitute’s payment for a traitor, so God, in His boundless mercy, accepts Christ’s sacrifice for us. And because divinity took on humanity in sinless form, Christ’s sacrifice as the spotless Lamb of God was infinitely sufficient to satisfy God’s wrath for the sin of the world, as Romans 3:24 affirms: “Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” He owed no debt, yet He paid ours in full.
Christ’s sacrifice is not only sufficient but meritorious. And this merit is twofold: for us, by bearing our penalty, and for God, by fulfilling the divine plan and earning grace and favor for His people. His perfect obedience, infinite love, and role as the “faithful and true witness” (Rev. 3:14) amplify the worth of His sacrifice. As Acts 20:28 declares, He “purchased” the church with His blood, securing for us an eternal inheritance (Eph. 1:14).[1]
This ransom satisfies my sin’s debt in full, a debt which I could never pay. As I John 4:9-10 tells me, “God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him… to be the propitiation for our sins.” Yet, I confess my failure to fully grasp the depths of His sacrifice, often living as if my works could add to His finished work. My heart strays, seeking validation apart from His grace, and I falter in reflecting His love. Such a ransom demands my repentance, humility, and worship, for His sacrifice alone redeems me.
Christ’s ultimate ransom calls me to confess my unworthiness, to trust His merit, and to live in gratitude for His love. His sacrifice, infinite in value, assures me of forgiveness and eternal life and therefore compels me to honor Him in all I do. I must rest in His completed work, rejecting self-reliance and praising the God who paid my debt through His Son.
Contemplations:
- A reflection of divine justice and mercy. Matthew 20:28 reveals Christ’s ransom as a balance of justice and mercy. That is to say, God accepts His sacrifice for my sin, though I deserve punishment. I must therefore trust His mercy and praise His grace that redeems me.
- The unmatched worth of Christ’s sacrifice. Christ paid a debt He did not owe, as Philippians 2:7 shows. This degree of love humbles me. Do I live worthy of such a cost, or take it lightly? Lord, help me live in a way that honors Your ultimate sacrifice with my life.
- The depth of God’s love in Christ’s sacrifice. I John 4:9-10 displays God’s love through Christ’s propitiation for my sin. Lord, help me reflect that same love to the world in a way that glorifies the sacrifice You made for me.
- The merit of Christ’s death. Acts 20:28 and Ephesians 1:14 clearly affirm Christ’s purchase of my salvation. So instead of attempting to earn favor with my own merits, I must confess my self-reliance and trust in His completed work.
- The excellence of Christ’s person. John 3:34 reveals Christ’s unparalleled worth, in that He was filled with the Spirit beyond measure. Lord may I never undervalue the sacrifice You made but ever be found worshiping such infinite love.
Prayer (Confession):
O Lord, You are the God of infinite mercy, whose Son gave His life a ransom for many, as Matthew 20:28 declares. I confess that I have not always grasped the depth of Christ’s sacrifice, nor lived in the light of Your grace. My heart has sought validation in my own works, as if I could add to His finished ransom. Forgive me for my pride, for thinking my efforts could merit Your favor when only Christ’s blood suffices.
I confess my failure to honor the unmatched worth of Your Son’s sacrifice. He paid a debt He did not owe, yet I have lived carelessly, not reflecting the love of 1 John 4:9-10. My selfishness has overshadowed Your call to live for others. Forgive me for resisting Your love and for clinging to sin when Your grace offers freedom.
John 3:34 reveals Christ’s infinite worth and yet my indifference to His excellence has dulled my reverence, and my actions have not always glorified His sacrifice. Forgive me for treating Your gift lightly, for seeking worldly favor over Your approval. Acts 20:28 declares that He purchased me with His blood, yet I have strayed from living as His own.
Your mercy is my hope. Cleanse me, as Romans 3:24 promises, through the redemption in Christ Jesus. Renew my heart to trust His merit, to love as He loved, and to worship His infinite worth. Let my life testify to Your grace, purchased by His ransom.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Matthew 20:28:
Phil. 2:7, 1 Tim. 2:6, Luke 22:27, Isa. 53:11.
[1] Andrew Willet, Hexapla, (S.l.: Cantrell Legge, printer to the University of Cambridge, 1611), 270.
