Homer wrote:According to my theological dictionary, in classical and OT Greek lutron denotes the means or money for a ransom.
Did you ever consider that this might have been a derived meaning, or a later meaning? As we know, language evolves. We see the English language evolving significantly right before our eyes and ears. For example, throughout my life, "unique" meant "one of a kind". Indeed, virtually every English dictionary still gives this meaning. But how many times have you heard people say "very unique" or "more unique than" or "somewhat unique". Obviously, that which means "one of a kind" cannot be qualified. But so many peoples' qualification of the word, seems to make it a synonym for "unusual".
I say, that word which are derived from other words by reason of the same root, carry that roots meaning in some way. Though an author may use the later altered meaning, he may also use the word in its original sense as well. Another example in Greek is the word "ἀφιημι". One of the basic meanings of the word is "to depart" or "to leave". It can also mean "to send away". However, it evolved to mean "forgive", perhaps with the thought of responding to repentance by sending away or allowing to depart any requirement of the part of the offender to atone or make up for his sin. Indeed, I think in some cases when the NT writers used the word in connection with sin, they meant "forsaking" or "leaving" sin, rather than "forgiving" sin. Certainly not in all cases. They clearly used it as forgiving sin as well.
When one one pays a ransom, one is using money to loose a person from being held, or perhaps a person who is in slavery. It is easy to see how the word came to be used in this way. But does it follow that it is
always used in this sense?
When we read that Christ "gave His life as a "λυτρον" in the context of his serving others rather than in the context of his death, the writer may well be using "λυτρον" in the sense of "loosing", since this sense makes sense. How could giving His life in that way be a ransom?
Even in 1 Timothy 2:6, where the translation "ransom" would make sense, one can still see it as "a means of loosing".
