The slave-market analogy shows that the human race, lost in Adam, is in Satan's slave market and must be bought back — and Christ's blood is the price that buys believers out and sets them free.
Les Feldick uses the Roman slave market to illustrate redemption. God had us in Adam until Adam fell, and then He lost the human race and had to pay a price to get it back, which He did at the cross. The slave-market picture shows that without redemption people remain in Satan's slave market, but redemption through Christ's blood removes them from it and grants freedom.
Romans 3:24 — Paul links justification by grace to the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, the biblical foundation for the slave-market analogy.
1 Peter 1:18-19 — Peter identifies the redemption price as the precious blood of Christ, which Les cites in his explanation.
The Bible speaks of redemption as something God provides through Christ. In Romans 3:24, Paul writes that believers are 'justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.' The same redemption is connected to the blood of Christ in 1 Peter 1:18-19, where Peter says believers were not redeemed with corruptible things like silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, 'as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.' This is what Scripture itself says about the reality of redemption: it is through Christ and through His blood.
Les Feldick brings the Roman slave market into Paul's word 'redemption.' He explains that the Greek word agorazo was a slave-market term, and that wealthy Romans would buy slaves as a pastime. Les applies this to the human race: God had humanity in Adam, but when Adam fell, God lost the race and set in motion a plan to buy it back. Every descendant of Adam is, in Les's words, a slave of sin in the slave market of Satan. God cannot force anyone out because He gave humans a free will, so the price must be paid, and people must be willing to be rescued. That price was paid when Christ went to the cross and shed His blood. In Les's illustrations — the pawned boat and the rich Roman buying the young slave — redemption means being bought out of the market and then being set free. The purchased servant, as in his illustrations, often chooses to stay with the Master out of gratitude.
Les explains that Paul's use of 'redemption' in Romans draws directly from the Roman slave market. The Greek word agorazo was a slave-market term used by wealthy Romans who would buy slaves, sometimes leaving them in the market. In the Roman world, slavery was part and parcel of everyday living, and Roman legions brought back captured people as slaves. Les uses this physical setting to show what redemption meant: buying someone out of the slave market.
Les teaches that mankind was originally God's 'in Adam' until Adam fell. When Adam fell, God lost the human race, and the only way to get it back was to pay the price of redemption. As sons of Adam, all human beings are slaves of sin and are in the slave market of Satan, whether they realize it or not. This is why redemption is necessary.
Les says the price was paid when Christ went to the cross. In Romans, Paul connects justification by grace with redemption in Christ Jesus (Romans 3:24). Les also points to Peter's statement that believers were not redeemed with silver and gold, but with the precious blood of Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19). The Bible says redemption is through the blood of Christ, and Les emphasizes that this is the payment that buys us back.
Yes. In Les's illustration, after a rich Roman buys a young slave, he cleans him up and gives him light duty, then one day tells him he is free to go anywhere in the Roman Empire. Being bought out of the slave market removes the believer from anything that ties him to the market. The servant, however, often chooses to stay with the master because he loves him — Les says this is exactly how salvation works. So redemption is both being bought out and being set free.
Les emphasizes that God will do everything He can to bring people out of the slave market, but He cannot force anyone because He gave humans a free will. There are constant invitations and doorways of escape along the river of life, but a person must agree to want to get out. The Lord Jesus can buy us out of the slave market only if we are willing.
Les tells the story of a boy who made a boat, lost it, found it in a pawn shop, and worked to buy it back. As he carried the boat home he said, 'Little boat, you're twice over mine. I made you and now I've bought you back.' Les applies this to mankind: God made us, lost us in Adam, and then bought us back at the cross. That, he says, is redemption.
Paid Twice Over
Les uses the story of a boy buying back his own boat to show that mankind was God's in Adam, lost at the fall, and then bought back when Christ paid the price on the cross.
Agorazo: The Slave-Market Word
Les explains that the Greek word for redemption is agorazo, which goes back to the Roman slave market, where wealthy Romans could buy a slave and leave him in the market.
Slavery in the Roman World
Les notes that slavery was part and parcel of everyday living in the Roman Empire, and Roman legions brought captives back from their conquests — the backdrop for Paul's redemption language.
Satan's Slave Market
Les teaches that unbelievers, as sons of Adam, are slaves of sin in the slave market of Satan, and that God will not force anyone out; they must be willing.
Bought Out and Set Free
Les says a redeemed believer is totally removed from anything tying him to the slave market, and when the Master sets him free, the servant willingly chooses to stay with Him — exactly how salvation works.
Doorways of Escape
Les describes the constant invitations God gives to leave the slave market of sin; the Lord Jesus can buy us out, but only if we agree to want to be rescued.
The Rich Roman's Purchase
Les illustrates both being bought out and being set free with the story of a wealthy Roman who buys a beaten young slave, takes him home, cares for him, and then grants him freedom.
Redemption at a Price
Les shows that redemption means buying something back — just as redeeming a pawned item requires paying the price — and that the human race, lost by Adam's fall, was bought back when Christ paid with His blood.
Romans 3:24: Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:
Paul introduces the word redemption in his explanation of salvation by grace through Christ.
1 Peter 1:18: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
Peter contrasts corruptible payment with the precious blood of Christ.
1 Peter 1:19: But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
This is the redemption price Les says Peter points to — the blood of Christ.
Les says the Greek word agorazo, used for redemption, goes back to the Roman slave market. In that setting people were bought out of slavery, and Paul uses that picture to show that God buys sinners back out of Satan's slave market.
Les explains that mankind was God's in Adam until Adam fell. When Adam fell, God lost the human race, and every descendant of Adam is a slave of sin in Satan's slave market.
Christ went to the cross and paid the price. Peter says believers were redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, not with silver and gold, and Les points out that redemption requires a price to be paid.
Les shows that redemption is one of the great terms of salvation — it means being bought with a price. It's not just removal from the slave market; the Master also gives the redeemed person freedom, and the believer willingly serves Him.
Watch the Teaching: Romans 3: Why No One Can Be Saved by the Law