…the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many (Matt 20:28; Mark 10:45).
After two blogs on Jesus’ shed blood, I received an email question from Sam:
In Matthew 20:28 Jesus said that He “did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” What was He speaking about concerning the word many? Did He mean He gave His life as a ransom for all who believe?
Great question.
It is worth noting that the word translated as life is psychē. Jesus laid down His life/soul for us.
But did He lay down His life for all of us or just many of us?
Calvinists see in this verse support for their doctrine of election to everlasting life. However, it doesn’t really support their doctrine since in their view Christ died for only the elect. They believe that “the elect” are few, not many (cf. Matt 7:13-14).
Many can refer to a large number. And it can refer to all.
Scripture must be compared to Scripture. We have many other texts showing that Jesus died for all. Paul directly said that Jesus “gave Himself a ransom [antilutron] for all” in 1 Tim 2:6. He also said that “Christ died for all” (2 Cor 5:14-15). John the Baptist said that Jesus was going to take away the sin of the world (John 1:29). The Apostle John said that Jesus is the propitiation, or satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2). The Lord Jesus said, “And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all to Myself” (John 12:32). John added, “This He said, signifying by what death He would die” (John 12:33).
The word many is sometimes used in Scripture to refer to all (e.g., Matt 26:28, “This is My blood…which is shed for many…”).
Some commentators see this as a statement of unlimited atonement.
However, we should ask what this ransom is for. It is related to the concept of redemption. The word for ransom, lutron, is a cognate of the word for redemption, apolutrosis. By His death on the cross Jesus secured the release from bondage of all who believe in Him for everlasting life (cf. John 8:30-32; Rom 6:17-18). He did not set all free from sin’s bondage. To have this redemption, one must believe in Christ.
A verse that might help us decide whether many refers to all or merely to those who would come to believe in Him is 2 Pet 2:1, which speaks of false teachers who “even deny the Lord who bought them.” He bought them in the sense that He paid the price for their redemption from sin’s bondage. But they do not obtain that redemption because they do not believe in Him.
Therefore, by many, the Lord meant all. He is a ransom for all. But to receive the benefit of His ransom, one must believe in Him for the life He promises.
Lange and Schaff’s comments on Matt 20:28 are helpful:
The expression many is not intended to indicate an exclusive minority, or a smaller number as compared with all,—for the latter expression occurs in Rom. 5:18; 1 Tim. 2:4… The state from which these many are redeemed…[is from] spiritual bondage or slavery. Comp. John 8:34–36; Heb. 2:14 (Matthew, p. 365).
Keep grace in focus and you will enjoy freedom from sin’s bondage, which Jesus paid for by His blood.
