Our Curse On the Cross
Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us– for it is written, “CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE”– in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:13-14 NASB)
There are three key elements to this passage we need to appreciate in order to grasp what took place on Good Friday and what makes it so good for us.
Christ – Curse – Cancelled
Christ. Glory to His name that the name Christ has been written here. It is not your name, my name, or the name of any organization or authority. Just the fact that is says Christ should evoke a sense of expectation, confidence and assurance to read on. Christ means Messiah which is more than a name, it is His title describing the work for which He came to do. We would yet be a pitiful humanity if anything else were to be substituted for the name Christ. Sadly, some still have their own name and work there as the means of establishing a relationship with God.
Curse. Christ’s name is at the beginning of this verse but each of our names is written under this curse. Prior to the cross of Calvary we were under a curse. This is not a curse cast upon humanity as from some dark element in a Harry Potter novel. This is the curse of the Law…this is serious business. It describes our relationship with God and what stands in the way. The Lord is the Law Giver. This curse is powerful and all encompassing. No one is exempt from it, for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. No one can escape it for the wages of sin is death. No one should entertain to satisfy it because without faith it is impossible to please God. Even those who deny the Law Giver’s existence and those ignorant of this curse are under its shadow. It hangs over humanity with its full force at death. This curse is horrible. So horrible that it would crush Jesus Christ.
Cancelled. Jesus Christ redeemed us from the curse. This is why He did sweat drops as of blood in Gethsemane’s Garden. This is the bitter cup for which He prayed removal of if there could be any other way. To be redeemed is to be purchased back. Jesus would buy us back from the curse on the cross. The purchase price He agreed upon to pay was Himself. He set us free from the curse by becoming a curse for us. Meditate on this for a moment this Good Friday. Notice this is written in the past tense. It has happened already. Notice too He did not merely take our curse to the cross; indeed Jesus became our curse. This is a substitutionary work that has taken place. Paul refers back to Deuteronomy 21:23, to show to all that Jesus actually became a curse for us who are Gentiles, as well as for the Jew. We are all now covered, not by the curse, but by the blood of Christ. Jesus is over us.
Oh dear unbelieving reader or you who cower under the guilt of your sin, this is Good Friday: the day your curse was cancelled. Jesus took it. Instead, we get the promise of the Holy Spirit to abide with in when we believe in Jesus.
