A Ransom for Many vs. A Ransom for All

Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

1 Timothy 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

In Mark, Jesus Christ is talking to the twelve disciples and is telling them that He came to minister or to serve and to give His own life a ransom for many. In Matthew 21:43, Christ tells the leaders of Israel at that time that He will take the kingdom of God away from them and will give it to a nation bearing the fruits of it. He said He will give it to a nation, not nations. The nation is still the nation of Israel, but He will give it those in Israel who believe in His name, who believe that He is the Messiah. That will be the twelve disciples/apostles. Matthew 19:28 says that the twelve apostles will reign with Christ over the twelve tribes of Israel.

Paul says in Galatians 4:4 that Christ, in his earthly ministry, came to redeem those who were under the law. The law was given to Israel. They (Israel) were under the law. Paul also says about Israel in Romans 9:6 that “they are not all Israel who are of Israel.” So, Israel (the believing remnant of Israel) is the “many” that Christ is talking about in Mark 10:45. Christ, according to prophecy, came to redeem Israel, who was His chosen nation.

Christ later, according to His heavenly ministry, revealed to Paul that He (Christ) gave Himself a ransom for all. That was testified in due time. When? To the Apostle Paul. Now, while Gentiles could be saved under the law, at the same time they had to become a Jew in order to be saved. However, now it is revealed to Paul that because of Israel’s fall, not their rise, salvation has come to the Gentiles (Rom. 11:11).

Since salvation has now come to Gentiles, because of Israel’s fall, there is now no difference between Jew and Gentile (Gal. 3:28). God has concluded us all in unbelief, that He might have mercy upon us all (Rom. 11:32). God has broken down that middle wall of partition or separation that was between us (Eph. 2:14). God has reconciled both Jew and Gentile in one body through the cross (Eph. 2:16). So, you don’t have to become a Jew anymore to be saved. God is not dealing with man on a national basis. He is dealing with us on an individual basis. If anyone believes that Christ died for their sins personally, was buried, and rose again the third day, then they will be saved (1 Cor. 15:1-4; Acts 16:31). It doesn’t matter whether your Jew or Gentile, bond or free, male or female. All that matters is do you believe in Christ as your personal Savior? Do you believe that He died for you on your behalf? Christ died for all our sins! He died for everyone. He gave His life a ransom for all, in this Dispensation of Grace in which we live today.

This is one example that shows the importance of rightly dividing the word of truth (2 Tim. 2:15).