The Curse of the Cross

“Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’—” (Galatians 3:13)

This verse can often seem confusing to us. What does it mean that Christ became a curse? Or as 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it, that God “made him to be sin who knew no sin”?

First, we need to remember who Jesus is. He is the Son of God, the holy, sinless God in the flesh. He is perfect and pure and unstained by sin. This sinless God-man took our sin upon himself. And not just the “small” sins of which we rightfully are overcome with guilt and shame, but every single sin of all his chosen people from the beginning of time until the end.

Not only did he have to carry the shame and guilt of these sins, but on the cross he was cut off from the loving presence of God and was faced with the fullness of God’s wrath and justice instead.

This is what it meant for Jesus to become a curse for us. This is what we rightfully deserve. But Jesus took this curse upon himself for the glory of God and the salvation of his people.

Not only that, but he rose to life from the dead and ascended to heaven to intercede for us so that we are free from this curse for all eternity. Let us look to the cross with sorrow for our sins but let us not stay in that sorrow. Let us rejoice for the freedom and salvation from the curse that Jesus Christ has bought for us!