God's mercy is freely given because of Christ taking the Redeemer-Kinsman role.
Duties of Kinsman-Redeemers
By Wendy Anderson, eHow Contributor
The kinsman-redeemer is an important concept in both Jewish and Christian theology. For the Jew, the position of kinsman-redeemer was a legal one, with specific qualifications and specific responsibilities. For the Christian, this Jewish legal concept translates into a description of the purpose of the incarnation and a foreshadowing of the role of Jesus in the redemption of sinners.
Qualifications
To be a kinsman-redeemer, a man had to meet four specific criteria. He had to be a near kinsman, as set forth in Leviticus 25:25 and 48-50. He must, himself, be free. He must be able to perform the redemption. And he must be willing to perform the redemption. The qualifying process is illustrated in the book of Ruth, where both Boaz and another man qualified as near kinsman to redeem the land and Ruth. But the other man, though nearer in kinship, was unwilling to perform the redemption for fear of jeopardizing his own inheritance.
Rescue from Slavery
One responsibility of a kinsman-redeemer was to rescue his kin from slavery or captivity, or pay their way to freedom. This duty is detailed in Leviticus 25, though it was clearly a common custom prior to the codification of the Mosaic Law. Abraham fulfilled this responsibility when he rescued his nephew Lot from the Canaanite kings in Genesis 14.
Securing the Family Estate
If land belonging to the family had to be sold by a family member, the kinsman-redeemer was permitted, at any time, to restore it to the family. Land, in ancient Israel, could not be permanently sold. It reverted to the original owner at the year of Jubilee. However, a kinsman-redeemer could redeem the land prior to that time. In the book of Ruth, the land of Ruth's father-in-law, Elimelech, was one of the items at issue between Boaz and the other kinsman.
Avenger of Wrongs
The nearest kinsman was responsible to avenge the blood of a murdered kinsman. Leviticus 35:12-28, Deuteronomy 19:1-13, and Joshua 20:1-9 give the rules under which manslaughter (unintentional killing) was to be prosecuted and penalized. The Israelites were to establish cities of refuge to which a person convicted of manslaughter could flee. The killer had to remain in that city until the death of the high priest. If he left before that time, the kinsman-redeemer had the right to put him to death to avenge the wrongful death of his relative.
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Wonderful find, Gazelle. I hadn't even thought of bringing up the nearest kinsman.
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