Redemption

We're going to talk a little about the concept of 'redemption' on Sunday.

When I was a kid, soda used to come in returnable 10- and 12-ounce bottles, and you could redeem them - that is, take them back to the store for .10 each. The store redeemed them by buying them back.

The theological term is just a little different. It denotes an act that secures the release of a person by paying a ransom.

So here's my question: To whom was the ransom paid that secured our release and so our redemption?