Saint Paul on the Redemption

Extract

It is the word of God himself, declaring his merciful purpose to Moses and the people on Sinai, that tell us the principal elements in the concept of ‘redemption’ as significant for ancient Israel. ‘You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings, and brought you in to me. Now if you will heed my voice and keep my covenant you shall be my own special possession from among all the peoples…’ (Ex. 19.4f). The first element is God's entirely gratuitous act of intervening in history to liberate the Hebrews from Egypt. The second characteristic, just as unconditional, is shown by the words ‘and brought you in to me'. To set the enslaved people free, only to abandon them in the desert to starve or to be re-taken by their oppressors, would not be redemption. The notion is rather that of a slave redeemed and adopted as a son into the redeemer's household.