Contemplative Bible Reading

Mark 10:45 (New Living Translation)

45 For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve others and to give his life as a ransom for many.

Let’s think a moment about ransom. If someone kidnapped my wife and told me, “We want a dollar in ransom money.” I use “a dollar” as an example, multiply by whatever number seems appropriate.

If I pay the dollar as ransom, that means I want my wife more than I want the dollar. That is what a ransom is—something I want less than something else.

Now consider Jesus as a ransom for many (I am in the group “many”).

God sent Jesus as a ransom for me. God wants to be with me more than with His own and only Son. There must something wrong in translation here. That is silly. God wants “me” more than his Son? Yes, that is what it says right here in black and white in front of me. God wants to be with pathetic little me more than with His righteous and sacrificial Son.

I’ll have to think on that one a while. Perhaps I should straighten up a bit. Perhaps I should love a bit more. Perhaps… the list will be pretty long.