Lesson for the Lord’s Day
Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. Galatians 3:13
The reference here to a curse on those who hang on a tree is to Deuteronomy 21, where a person has committed a crime worthy of death. Such people, if they are hangfed on a tree, are cursed, God declares. The two thieves who were crucified on either side of Jesus at Calvary were under such a curse. Their crimes were worthy of death, as one of the malefactors confessed. But the One on the centre cross, as the same thief confessed, had done nothing amiss. But He was still under a curse… not that he had committed a crime worthy of death, but we had. He was there under the curse that each of us deserved. As our Substitute, Jesus was bearing our curse. As we look upon the bread and the cup today, we confess how we deserved that curse, and how the only Man who never deserved that curse bore it willingly for us.
The law had put us into a great debt to God, a debt so great that it was deserving of death. We understand that the soul that sinneth, it shall die. We understand not only that all have sinned, but that I have sinned and am not worthy to be called God’s child. Our only hope of escaping that great debt and of avoiding that curse was to have a redeemer. So we rejoice today at the truth of today’s text that Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law.
What do we see when we consider the Lord Jesus in Gethsemane’s submission to the Father’s will? A Redeemer! What do we see when we consider the Lord Jesus being rejected and despised at Gabatha? A Redeemer! What do we see today when we ponder the agonies of Golgotha’s crucifixion? a Redeemer! And beholding Him there on our behalf, we declare with the hymnwriter, My Redeemer, Thou hast my salvation wrought!
Him Who accepted our curse upon the tree we joyfully bless today, and thank Him for removing forever the curse that we deserved. -Jim MacIntosh