“The wicked shall be a ransom for the righteous and the unfaithful for the upright” (Proverbs 21:18).
One commentator on this proverb points out that “by suffering the very thing they had devised for the righteous, or brought on them, the wicked became their ransom, in the sense of being a substitute in judgment” (The MacArthur Study Bible, p. 907). If this is Solomon’s intended point, “ransom” is a necessary vocabulary word in the Holy Scriptures because of God’s justice.
When all the accounts of humanity are finally settled, the wicked and unfaithful will be punished and the upright who may have been mistreated for righteousness’ sake will be blessed. It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulations those who trouble the righteous. It is manifest proof of Jehovah’s righteousness (2 Thes. 1:5-6).
Because Christ—the Sinless One—gave His life as a substitute for guilty sinners, “ransom” is a necessary vocabulary word in the Scriptures because of God’s love and grace. The truth that God “made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Cor. 5:21) necessitates the usage of the word “ransom”.
“Ransom” is a necessary word in the Scriptures because of God’s justice and righteousness and also because of His grace and love. What a vastly different vocabulary is required in the Holy Scriptures than found in the religious books written by men.
