This week a WNBA player who was arrested for a drug offense and recently sentenced to prison in Russia was released in a prisoner exchange for a convicted arms dealer held in U.S. custody. Objections have been raised regarding the exchange since a Marine who has been held as a Russian prisoner for four years was not first in line for consideration in the exchange. While there is always more going on behind the scenes in such an exchange, it makes one wonder about the logic of such a decision.

What took place in that exchange reminds us once again that if we put our hope in the logic used to make political decisions, we will quickly become very disappointed. There was only one prisoner exchange in all of human history that was accomplished with pure motives. That exchange happened when Jesus took our place on the cross and died for our sins.

There have emerged some squirrely interpretations of what that exchange meant, but it is mostly the result of theologians with too much time on their hands. Theology might best be interpreted by people of the type described in Acts 4:13, “Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” Perhaps being with Jesus in an intimate relationship creates better theology than the best of our education institutions can provide.

When an exchange in this world takes place that seems unjust and politically or financially motivated, let it be an opportunity for us to reaffirm the beauty of Jesus’ sacrifice. I attached a photo of our Lord on the cross for a reason. I want to always be able to look past the horrible suffering He endured to see the beauty and power of the love He demonstrated when He exchanged places with us and offered us the truest and purest kind of freedom. 

Scripture is clear regarding what happened when that exchange took place.

“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit” (I Peter 3:18).

“Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification” (Romans 4:25).

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us”(Romans 5:8).

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” (Romans 8:22).