In Deuteronomy 21:22–23, the Law of Moses stated that if a man was executed and his body was displayed afterward, it was not to remain overnight. The public display signified that this person had fallen under God’s judgment because of sin. The tree did not cause the curse; it signified it, a visible marker of reproach and condemnation.
This background clarifies Paul’s words in Galatians 3:13: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us.” Jesus was crucified, hung upon the “tree,” just as those marked out as accursed were publicly displayed under the Mosaic code. Though He committed no sin, He willingly entered the realm where the curse of sin falls, namely shame and death, in order to redeem us.
This does not mean our guilt was transferred to Christ or that God regarded Him as a sinner. Rather, He offered Himself as the perfect sin-offering, bearing the penalty of sin on our behalf so that we might be reconciled to God. In this way divine justice is satisfied, without Christ ever becoming guilty.
Note: Some describe “the curse” as “separation from the Father.” Scripture does not require the idea that the Father abandoned the Son on the cross. Many read the “My God, My God” cry in the light of Psalm 22 rather than as a literal break within the Godhead.
What Is the Curse?
• Blessing = God’s favor, life, and peace.
• Curse = the consequence of sin, namely condemnation, shame, and death (cf. Gen 3; Deut 27–28).
Thus, when Paul says Christ “became a curse,” he means that by His crucifixion He bore the curse’s consequences for us in order to deliver us from them.
Christ’s Work on the Cross
• He did not become guilty.
• God did not treat Him as a sinner in the sense of imputing guilt to Him; rather, He was made a sin-offering.
• He bore the curse and penalty for us, satisfying divine justice, yet without personal sin.
Instead:
• He gave Himself willingly (John 10:17–18).
• He entered death to destroy death (Heb 2:14).
• He broke down the barrier so we could be reconciled to God (Eph 2:13–16).
In short, Christ bore the penalty for us and, by that offering, removed the cause and the consequence of the penalty for the obedient.
From Curse to Restoration
1. Eden: The curse enters through sin.
2. The Cross: Christ bears the curse and removes its power for the obedient.
3. Heaven: “There shall be no more curse” (Rev 22:3).
Those who are in Christ no longer belong to the realm of death and alienation; they walk in newness of life.
The Invitation
Christ’s sacrifice makes redemption possible, but each person must respond:
• Hear the gospel (Rom 10:17)
• Believe (John 8:24)
• Repent (Acts 17:30)
• Confess Christ (Rom 10:9–10)
• Be baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 2:38; Gal 3:27)
Through obedient faith, we move from the realm of the curse into the realm of blessing (cf. Gal 3:13–14).
