The Lord Jesus Christ (Christology) --- Redemption (TBC Carpenter Flock teaching notes)

IV. The Lord Jesus Christ (Christology)

A. Person of the Trinity  B. Incarnation  C. Life and Ministry

D. Redemption

1. We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through His voluntary death on the cross,¹ and that His sacrificial death was a substitutionary²  propitiation (satisfies the wrath of God)³ that provided our redemption.⁴  By His death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus made a perfect atonement for sin,⁵ by which the wrath of God against sinners is appeased⁶ and a ground furnished upon which God can deal in mercy with sinners.⁷  He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place.⁸ He who Himself was absolutely without sin was made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.⁹ 

2. We teach that on the basis of the efficacy (power to produce an effect) of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing sinner is freed from the penalty,¹⁰ the power,¹¹ and one day the very presence of sin;¹² and that he is declared righteous,¹³ given eternal life,¹⁴ and adopted into the family of God.¹⁵

¹ John 10:15;    ² 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18   ³ Romans 3:24-25 ; 1 John 2:2; ⁴ Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12, 15   ⁵ Heb 10:12-14    ⁶ Romans 5:9; 8 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10   ⁷ Titus:3:5-7   ⁸ Galatians 3:13    ⁹ 2 Corinthians 5:21  ¹⁰ 2 Corinthians 5:21   ¹¹ Romans 6:6,14; 8:13    ¹² Hebrews 9:28;  2 Peter 3:13    ¹³ Titus 3:5-7   ¹⁴ John 3:15-16;  Romans 6:23   ¹⁵ John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15;  Ephesians 1:5                              

E. Resurrection     F. Return

His death was….

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His death provided…

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In His death he became…

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Through His death the believing sinner...

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Discussion Questions:

·  Christ's death was voluntary and sacrificial.  What does that mean? How should that example affect our attitude toward Christian service and serving our wives and children?

·  How do we act when we really believe we have been redeemed (bought) by God? (1 Cor. 6:19-20)

·  List several things Christ experienced when He became sin and a curse for us.  How should that affect our attitudes about sin?  Do we just "confess" that or really believe it?

·  What does it mean to be your son (or your father's son)?   What applications can be made to us as sons of God?  What things can we teach our children about God and us through the father-child relationship?

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D. Redemption

1. We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through

His voluntary death on the cross,¹

and that His sacrificial death was

a substitutionary²  propitiation (satisfies the wrath of God)³ that provided our redemption.⁴  

By His death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus made a perfect atonement for sin,⁵

by which the wrath of God against sinners is appeased⁶

and a ground furnished upon which God can deal in mercy with sinners.⁷ 

He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place.⁸

He who Himself was absolutely without sin was made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.⁹ 

Romans 3:24-25 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.

2. We teach that on the basis of the efficacy (power to produce an effect) of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing

· sinner is freed from the penalty,¹⁰ the power,¹¹ and one day the very presence of sin;¹²

· and that he is declared righteous,¹³ given eternal life,¹⁴

and adopted into the family of God.¹⁵

Titus 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

¹ John 10:15;    ² 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18   ³ Romans 3:24-25 ; 1 John 2:2; ⁴ Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12, 15   ⁵ Heb 10:12-14    ⁶ Romans 5:9; 8 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10   ⁷ Titus:3:5-7   ⁸ Galatians 3:13    ⁹ 2 Corinthians 5:21  ¹⁰ 2 Corinthians 5:21   ¹¹ Romans 6:6,14; 8:13    ¹² Hebrews 9:28;  2 Peter 3:13    ¹³ Titus 3:5-7   ¹⁴ John 3:15-16;  Romans 6:23   ¹⁵ John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15;  Ephesians 1:5 

1. We teach that our Lord Jesus Christ accomplished our redemption through

His voluntary death on the cross,¹

and that His sacrificial death was

a substitutionary²  propitiation (satisfies the wrath of God)³ that provided our redemption.⁴  

By His death upon the cross, the Lord Jesus made a perfect atonement for sin,⁵

by which the wrath of God against sinners is appeased⁶

and a ground furnished upon which God can deal in mercy with sinners.⁷ 

He redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in our place.⁸

He who Himself was absolutely without sin was made to be sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.⁹ 

Romans 3:24-25 being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,

1 Peter 2:24 who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness— by whose stripes you were healed.

¹ John 10:15;    ² 1 Peter 2:24; 3:18   ³ Romans 3:24-25 ; 1 John 2:2; ⁴ Colossians 1:14; Hebrews 9:12, 15   ⁵ Heb 10:12-14    ⁶ Romans 5:9; 8 1 Thessalonians 5:9-10   ⁷ Titus:3:5-7   ⁸ Galatians 3:13    ⁹ 2 Corinthians 5:21  5 

1. redemption

His death was——

· voluntary   John 10:17-18

· sacrificial  

· substitutionary    TMHoT p 233

His death provided——

· propitiation TMHoT p  325, 233,

· redemption    TMHoT p 645, 323-324 (110)

· atonement     TMHoT p 138-139

· a ground for mercy

He became a——

· curse of the law   Galatians 3:13   

· sin for us   2 Corinthians 5:21

2. We teach that on the basis of the efficacy (power to produce an effect) of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, the believing

· sinner is freed from the penalty,¹⁰ the power,¹¹ and one day the very presence of sin;¹²

· and that he is declared righteous,¹³ given eternal life,¹⁴

and adopted into the family of God.¹⁵

Titus 3:7 that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will,

¹⁰ 2 Corinthians 5:21   ¹¹ Romans 6:6,14; 8:13    ¹² Hebrews 9:28;  2 Peter 3:13    ¹³ Titus 3:5-7   ¹⁴ John 3:15-16;  Romans 6:23   ¹⁵ John 1:12-13; Romans 8:15;  Ephesians 1:5 

2.

The believing sinner is——

· freed from the penalty, power, & presence

· declared righteous (justified)    p. 326

· adopted   p. 329, 627

p. 138-139

ATONEMENT

In prophecy.  The English word atonement comes from the two words “at” and “onement,” suggesting reconciliation. Although the word atonement is not a New Testament word, it designates what Christ accomplished on the cross through His suffering and death. When John the Baptist declared, “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” John was bringing Old Testament sacrificial offerings to their consummation. Beginning with God’s provision of a lamb in place of Isaac on Mount Moriah (Gen. 22:8), with the provision of the Passover lamb in Exodus 12 to the prophecy of Isaiah 53:7, where the prophet Isaiah indicated Messiah would go to His death, slaughtered like a lamb—the Old Testament sacrifices pointed to Messiah’s atoning death. Undoubtedly, it is the consummation of that theme that John the Baptist describes in John 1:29. Jesus emphasized the same truth in John 6:52–59. He spoke of coming down from heaven and giving His life for the world (John 6:33, 51), the substitutionary atonement being suggested by the preposition “for” (Gk. huper). In this section Jesus taught that His death is vicarious (6:51), provides eternal life (6:53–55, 58), provides union with Christ (6:56, 57), and results in resurrection (6:54).

In history.  The work which Christ came to do comes to a consummation in John 19:30. After six hours on the cross Jesus cried out, “It is finished!” (Gk. tetelestai). Jesus did not say, “I am finished,” but rather “it is finished.” He had completed the work that the Father had given Him to do; the work of salvation was accomplished. The perfect tense of the verb tetelestai could be translated, “it stands finished,” meaning the work is forever finished and the finished results remain.¹³

In 1 John 2:1–2 John explains the provision that Christ has made for sin. Christ is an “advocate” (Gk. parakletos) for those who sin. In this context, advocate means a defense lawyer in a legal case. The believer has Christ as his defense attorney at the divine bar of justice. Moreover, John says Christ is the “propitiation” (Gk. hilasmos) for the sins of the world. The word is used only here, Romans 3:25, and in 1 John 4:10. Propitiation means Christ atoned for sin by paying the price and thereby assuaging the wrath of God. Propitiation is Godward and suggests that while sin had offended the holiness of God, through the death of Christ God the Father is satisfied and is free to show mercy and forgiveness to the believing sinner. John indicates the propitiation is “for our sins...but also for those of the whole world” (1 John 2:2). Christ’s death was a substitutionary death that made provision for believers, but John emphasizes the sufficiency is “for the whole world.” Although the whole world is not saved, because Christ is God His death is sufficient for the entire world; it is, however, effectual only in those who believe.

The resurrection.  John describes the resurrection scene in John 20 to show that the atonement of Christ has come to a climax in the resurrection. The atonement of Christ does not end with His death but with His resurrection; the resurrection is necessary to vindicate the Son (Rom. 1:4). John vividly describes the race with Peter to the tomb. John arrived first, glanced into the tomb, and did not notice anything.¹⁴ Peter entered, theorized what had happened, and then John also looked and understood. They saw the graveclothes lying in the grave and still retaining their shape as though the body were in them. The face-cloth was still wrapped in a circular shape (20:7), but the body was gone. John “saw and believed” because he understood only one thing could possibly have happened—the body had passed through the linen wrappings. Jesus had risen. John provides a clearer, more detailed description than the synoptic gospels of precisely what happened at the resurrection. John later describes how Christ passed through closed doors in His physical body and appeared to the apostles in His resurrected body (John 20:19, 26). John verifies the reality of the bodily resurrection of Christ, showing that Christ in His final work had overcome death and thereby brought hope and life to believers (John 11:25–26).

p. 233

DEATH OF CHRIST³⁴

Substitution. There are a number of theories concerning the significance of Christ’s death. The emphasis of the New Testament, however, is that Christ died a substitutionary death on behalf of sinners. His death is also called vicarious, meaning, “one in place of another.” The pronouns in Isaiah 53 stress the substitutionary nature of Christ’s death: “But He was pierced through for our transgressions. He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we  are healed.” The tenor of 1 Peter 2:24 is similar: “and He Himself bore our  sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.”

Two Greek prepositions teach the substitutionary aspect of Christ’s death. The preposition anti, translated “for” and meaning “instead of,” teaches substitution. Matthew 20:28 states, “the Son of man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for (anti) many” (cf. Mark 10:45). The usage of anti in Luke 11:11 indicates that “instead of” (substitution) is the basic meaning of this preposition. A second preposition, huper, meaning “in place of” also emphasizes substitution. First Timothy 2:6 states that Christ “gave Himself as a ransom for (huper) all.” Galatians 3:13 also teaches this truth: “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for (huper) us.” By dying on the Roman cross Christ died as a substitute for all humanity (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18). This doctrine is important inasmuch as the righteous demands of a holy God were met completely through Christ’s complete payment for sin. It is on this basis that God may declare believing sinners righteous and accept them into fellowship without any compromise on His part. All the believer’s sins are placed on Christ, who completely atoned for them and paid for them through His death.

Redemption. A related truth is that Christ’s death provided redemption. First Corinthians 6:20 states that believers “have been bought with a price.” Bought is the Greek word agorazo, which pictures a slave being purchased in the ancient public slave market. Christ purchased believers out of the slave market of sin and set them free (cf. 1 Cor. 7:23; Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Rev. 5:9; 14:3, 4).

A further result of Christ’s death is that man is reconciled to God, meaning that man, who was estranged and alienated from God, is now at peace with Him. The enmity and hostility has been removed (Rom. 5:10). Through his rebellion in the garden, man moved out of fellowship with God and needed to return to fellowship. Reconciliation is God providing peace where previously there was enmity, and God restoring man to fellowship with Himself (cf. 2 Cor. 5:18–20).

Propitiation. The death of Christ also provided propitiation, meaning that the righteous demands of a holy God were fully satisfied. Romans 3:25 explains that “God displayed (Christ) publicly as a propitiation [Gk. hilasterion] in His blood through faith.” Christ provided a satisfactory payment for sin through His death. God was satisfied, His holiness was upheld, and His divine wrath was averted.

Forgiveness. Christ’s death resulted in forgiveness for sinners. God could not forgive sin without a proper payment; Christ’s death provided the legal means whereby God could forgive sin. Colossians 2:13 declares that God has “forgiven [Gk. charisamenos] us all our transgressions.” The word forgiveness comes from the root word for grace; thus, forgiveness means “to forgive out of grace.” The common word for forgiveness (Gk. aphiemi) means “to send away” (cf. Matt. 6:12; 9:6; James 5:15; 1 John 1:9).

Justification. A further result of Christ’s death is justification for the believing sinner. Justification is also a legal act in which God the Judge declares the believing sinner righteous. Romans 5:1 explains: “Therefore having been justified [Gk. dikaiothentes] by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” The word justified (Gk. dikaioo) has both a negative and positive aspect. Negatively, it means the removal of the believer’s sins; positively, it means the bestowal of Christ’s righteousness upon the believer (cf. Rom. 3:24, 28; 5:9; Gal. 2:16). See the Doctrine of Salvation for a further discussion of the significance of the death of Christ.

p. 321-326

Correct Meaning of the Atonement

Although there are some points of merit in the previously discussed views concerning the death of Christ, the views are incomplete or deficient in their evaluation of His death. The foundational meaning of the death of  Christ is its substitutionary character. He died in place of sinners that He might purchase their freedom, reconcile them to God, and thereby satisfy the righteous demands of a holy God. The following terms explain the meaning of Christ’s death.

SUBSTITUTION

The death of Christ was substitutionary—He died in the stead of sinners and in their place. This is also described as vicarious from the Latin word vicarius meaning “one in place of another.” The death of Christ “is vicarious in the sense that Christ is the Substitute who bears the punishment rightly due sinners, their guilt being imputed to Him in such a way that He representatively bore their punishment.”² There are many passages that emphasize Christ’s substitutionary atonement in the place of mankind. Christ was a substitute in being made sin for others (2 Cor. 5:21); He bore the sins of others in His body on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24); He suffered once to bear the sins of others (Heb. 9:28); He experienced horrible suffering, scourging, and death in place of sinners (Isa. 53:4–6).

There are two Greek prepositions that emphasize the substitutionary nature of Jesus’ death. The preposition anti, translated “for,” means Christ died “instead of” sinners (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). The preposition huper, also translated “for,” means Christ died “in behalf of” or “in place of” sinners (Gal. 3:13; 1 Tim. 2:6; 2 Cor. 5:21; 1 Pet. 3:18). Philemon 13 shows that huper must mean “in place of.”

The doctrine of substitution is important in that through Christ’s death the righteous demands of God have been met; it was a legal transaction in which Christ dealt with the sin problem for the human race. He became the substitute for humanity’s sin.

REDEMPTION

The word redemption comes from the Greek word agorazo and means “to purchase in the marketplace.” Frequently it had to do with the sale of slaves in the marketplace. The word is used to describe the believer being purchased out of the slavemarket of sin and set free from sin’s bondage. The purchase price for the believer’s freedom and release from sin was the death of Jesus Christ (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; Rev. 5:9; 14:3, 4).

Because the believer has been bought by Christ, he belongs to Christ and is Christ’s slave. “The redeemed are paradoxically slaves, the slaves of God, for they were bought with a price.…elievers are not brought by Christ into a liberty of selfish ease. Rather, since they have been bought by God at terrible cost, they have become God’s slaves, to do His will.”³

A second word related to the believer’s redemption is exagorazo, which teaches that Christ redeemed believers from the curse and bondage of the law that only condemned and could not save. Believers have been purchased in the slave market (-agorazo) and removed from (ex-) the slave market altogether. Christ set believers free from bondage to the law and from its condemnation (Gal. 3:13; 4:5). “A curse rests on everyone who does not fulfill the law; Christ died in such a way as to bear or be a curse; we who should have been accursed now go free...(moreover, this is) a legally based freedom.”⁴

A third term that is used to explain redemption is lutroo which means “to obtain release by the payment of a price.”⁵ The idea of being set free by payment of a ransom is prevalent in this word (Luke 24:21). Believers have been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ (1 Pet. 1:18) to be a special possession for God (Titus 2:14).

Redemption is viewed sinward; mankind was in bondage to sin and in need of release from bondage and slavery to sin.

RECONCILIATION

The emphasis of reconciliation is that of making peace with God. Man who was estranged from God is brought into communion with God. Sin had created a barrier between man and God and rendered man hostile toward God (Isa. 59:1–2; Col. 1:21, 22; Ja. 4:4). Through Christ that enmity and the wrath of God was removed (Rom. 5:10). Reconciliation may thus be defined as “God removing the barrier of sin, producing peace and enabling man to be saved.” There are two parts to reconciliation. The objective aspect of reconciliation is that in which man is reconciled to God prior to faith and man is rendered savable (2 Cor. 5:18a, 19a). This is provisional reconciliation. The subjective aspect of reconciliation is that in which man is reconciled to God when he believes (2 Cor. 5:18b, 19b). This is experimental  reconciliation.

The word reconciliation comes from the Greek word katalasso, which means “to effect a change, to reconcile.”⁶ God is the one who initiated this change or reconciliation; He moved to reconcile sinful man to Himself (2 Cor. 5:18, 19). On the other hand, man is the object of reconciliation. It was man who had moved out of fellowship with God; therefore, man needed to be restored. This reconciliation has been provided for the whole world, but it is effective only when it is received by personal faith.⁷

Reconciliation is manward: man was the one that had moved out of fellowship because of sin, and man needed to be reconciled to renew the fellowship.

PROPITIATION

Propitiation means that the death of Christ fully satisfied all the righteous demands of God toward the sinner. Because God is holy and righteous He cannot overlook sin; through the work of Jesus Christ God is fully satisfied that His righteous standard has been met. Through union with Christ the believer can now be accepted by God and be spared from the wrath of God.

The Old Testament word kaphar means “to cover” ; it involved a ritual covering for sin (Lev. 4:35; 10:17). The Greek verb hilaskomai, meaning “to propitiate,” occurs twice in the New Testament. In Luke 18:13 the repentant tax collector prayed for God to be propitiated, or that God would provide a covering for sin. In Hebrews 2:17 it declares that Christ has made propitiation for sin. The word also occurs three times in the noun form (hilasmos—1 John 2:2; 4:10; and hilasterion—Rom. 3:25).

Propitiation is related to several concepts. (1) The wrath of God. Because God is holy, His wrath is directed toward sin and must be assuaged to spare man from eternal destruction. (2) God provides the remedy. God provides the solution to sin by sending Christ as a satisfaction for sin. (3) Christ’s death assuages the wrath of God. The gift of Christ satisfied the holiness of God and averted His wrath.

Propitiation is Godward; God is propitiated—His holiness is vindicated and satisfied by the death of Christ.

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is the legal act of God whereby He removes the charges that were held against the sinner because proper satisfaction or atonement for those sins has been made. There are several Greek words used to describe forgiveness. One is charizomai, which is related to the word grace and means “to forgive out of grace.”⁸ It is used of cancellation of a debt (Col. 2:13). The context emphasizes that our debts were nailed to the cross, with Christ’s atonement freely forgiving the sins that were charged against us.

The most common word for forgiveness is aphiemi, which means “to let go, release” or “send away.” The noun form is used in Ephesians 1:7 where it stresses the believer’s sins have been forgiven or sent away because of the riches of God’s grace as revealed in the death of Christ. Forgiveness forever solves the problem of sin in the believer’s life—all sins past, present, and future (Col. 2:13). This is distinct from the daily cleansing from sin that is necessary to maintain fellowship with God (1 John 1:9).

Forgiveness is manward; man had sinned and needed to have his sins dealt with and removed.

JUSTIFICATION

Whereas forgiveness is the negative side of salvation, justification is the positive side. To justify is to declare righteous the one who has faith in Jesus Christ. It is a forensic (legal) act of God whereby He declares the believing sinner righteous on the basis of the blood of Christ. The major emphasis of justification is positive and involves two main aspects. It involves the pardon and removal of all sins and the end of separation from God (Acts 13:39; Rom. 4:6–7; 5:9–11; 2 Cor. 5:19). It also involves the bestowal of righteousness upon the believing person and “a title to all the blessings promised to the just.”⁹

Justification is a gift given through the grace of God (Rom. 3:24) and takes place the moment the individual has faith in Christ (Rom. 4:2; 5:1). The ground of justification is the death of Christ (Rom. 5:9), apart from any works (Rom. 4:5). The means of justification is faith (Rom. 5:1). Through justification God maintains His integrity and His standard, yet is able to enter into fellowship with sinners because they have the very righteousness of Christ imputed to them.

Justification is manward; man had sinned and broken God’s standard. Man was in need of receiving the righteousness of God to enter into fellowship with Him.

Enns, Paul P.: The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, Ill. : Moody Press, 1997, c1989, S. 81

1 Cor 3.13

Verse thirteen. The word redeemed is from exagorazo (ἐξαγοραζο), the general significance of which is “to redeem from slavery.” It means “to buy up.” It is used frequently in the LXX, with the idea that such deliverance involves cost of some kind, effort suffering, or loss to the one who effects the deliverance. It conveys the figure of a ransom. Men needed a ransom, for the law had left them prisoners under sentence of death.

There are three Greek words translated by the words bought or redeemed. These three tell the story of redemption. The first is agorazo (ἀγοραζο) (I Cor. 6:20), which means to buy in the slave market. We are slaves of sin. Our ransom price was paid by the Lord Jesus, His precious blood. Peter in his first epistle (1:18) says that we were not redeemed with little silver and gold coins used to buy a slave out of slavery, but with precious blood, highly honored, as of a lamb without spot or blemish, the blood of Christ. Thus, believers become bondslaves of the Lord Jesus by right of purchase. The word doulos (δουλος), bondslave, translated servants in Romans 6:18, refers to one born in slavery.

The second word is the one Paul uses in the verse we are studying, exagorazo (ἐξαγοραζο), to buy a slave out of the market-place. The bondslave of the Lord Jesus is bought not only to be His bondslave, but he is bought out of the slave market, never to be put up for sale in any slave market. He becomes the bondslave of the Lord Jesus for time and for eternity.

The third word is lutroo (λυτροο) (I Peter 1:18; Titus 2:14). The noun having the same root means “ransom money used to liberate a slave.” The verb means “to set free by the payment of a ransom.” The bondslave of the Lord Jesus is set free from his former slavery to sin, to realize in his life that for which God created him, to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

The curse here is that which the legalistic passages of the Mosaic law pronounced upon those who did not perfectly obey its demands. The law pronounced a blessing and a curse. But the blessing proved barren, for the law made no allowance for human sin and frailty. The curse, which involved the wrath of a righteous God, brought condemnation upon the offender. From this hopeless state of condemnation in which the sinner was not only helpless to redeem himself, but helpless to satisfy the just demands of the law and thus find acceptance with God, Christ redeemed us by satisfying the just demands of the law which we broke, paying the penalty in our stead, leaving a holy God free to bestow mercy on the basis of justice satisfied.

A vivid picture of it all is given us in the three expressions, under the curse (3:10), made a curse for (above) us (3:13), and redeemed us out from under the curse (3:13). Sinners were under the curse. Christ came above us, thus between us and the curse. He took the blow of the Damascus blade that hung over us, and took us out from under the curse, having become a curse about us. The word above is the root meaning of huper (ὑπερ), the preposition of substitution, used already in this epistle by Paul to speak of the substitutionary character of our Lord’s death.

The word us refers to the Jewish nation. The Mosaic law was given to the Jew only. That is not to say however that the Gentile is not held responsible by God under the all-inclusive principles of right conduct that inhere in God’s character and in His dealings with the human race. Thus the Jew was under the curse, and being redeemed by Christ from the curse, the blessing of Abraham, justification by faith, which in the plan of God was to flow through Israel to the Gentiles, was at liberty to flow out to the latter.

The words being made are from genomenos (γενομενος) which means “to become.” It is a participle of means, expressing the method by which Christ redeemed us from the curse. In the words “Cursed is everyone that hangeth on a tree,” Paul is quoting from Deuteronomy 21:23. They are introduced by Paul to support his statement to the effect that Christ became a curse. The Deuteronomy passage has reference to the dead body of a criminal who had been put to death by stoning, and which was hung upon a tree. There is no reference here to Roman crucifixion, which was unknown at the time of Moses. Paul quotes from the LXX and omits the words of God after cursed, since our Lord was in no sense accursed by God in His crucifixion. It was the curse of the Mosaic law that descended on Christ, subjecting Him to the death of a malefactor. The law satisfied its demands upon the Lord Jesus, and thus thrust Him out of the pale of its legal jurisdiction. Believers, being identified with Him in His death in which He paid our penalty, are likewise cast out with Him, and are therefore no longer under curse.

Translation. Christ delivered us by the payment of ransom from the curse of the law by becoming a curse in behalf of us, because it stands written, Accursed is every one who is suspended upon a tree.

Wuest, Kenneth S.: Wuest's Word Studies from the Greek New Testament : For the English Reader. Grand Rapids : Eerdmans, 1997, c1984, S. Ga 3:13

3:13. The positive side of Paul’s argument emphasized that there is hope for all who have broken the Law and are therefore under its curse. That hope is not in man but in Christ who redeemed us from the curse of the Law. But how did Christ redeem (exēgorasen, lit., “buy out of slavery”; cf. 4:5; see chart “New Testament Words for Redemption” at Mark 10:45) man? The answer is by becoming a curse for us. This is a strong declaration of substitutionary redemption whereby Christ took the penalty of all guilty lawbreakers on Himself. Thus the “curse of the Law” was transferred from sinners to Christ, the sinless One (cf. 1 Peter 3:18), and He delivered people from it. The confirming quotation from Deuteronomy 21:23 refers to the fact that in Old Testament times criminals were executed (normally by stoning) and then displayed on a stake or post to show God’s divine rejection. When Christ was crucified, it was evidence He had come under the curse of God. The manner of His death was a great obstacle to faith for Jews until they realized the curse He bore was for them (cf. Isa. 53).

Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:598

II Corinthians 5:21

Him who knew no sin (τον μη γνοντα ἁμαρτιαν [ton mē gnonta hamartian]). Definite claim by Paul that Jesus did not commit sin, had no personal acquaintance (μη γνοντα [mē gnonta], second aorist active participle of γινωσκω [ginōskō]) with it. Jesus made this claim for himself (John 8:46). This statement occurs also in I Peter 2:22; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; I John 3:5. Christ was and is “a moral miracle” (Bernard) and so more than mere man. He made to be sin (ἁμαρτιαν ἐποιησεν [hamartian epoiēsen]). The words “to be” are not in the Greek. “Sin” here is the substantive, not the verb. God “treated as sin” the one “who knew no sin.” But he knew the contradiction of sinners (Heb. 12:3). We may not dare to probe too far into the mystery of Christ’s suffering on the Cross, but this fact throws some light on the tragic cry of Jesus just before he died: “My God, My God, why didst thou forsake me?” (Matt. 27:46). That we might become (ἱνα ἡμεις γενωμεθα [hina hēmeis genōmetha]). Note “become.” This is God’s purpose (ἱνα [hina]) in what he did and in what Christ did. Thus alone can we obtain God’s righteousness (Rom. 1:17).

Robertson, A.T.: Word Pictures in the New Testament. Oak Harbor : Logos Research Systems, 1997, S. 2 Co 5:21

5:21. Paul now summarized the basis of this message. The Cross epitomized the love of God (John 3:16) and of Christ (John 15:13; Rom. 5:8). The Savior was sinless: He had no sin. He was “without sin” (Heb. 4:15), and “in Him is no sin” (1 John 3:5). He took on Himself the sin of the world (John 1:29; 1 Peter 2:24; 1 John 2:2). God made Him . . . to be sin for us (cf. Isa. 53:4-6, 10). The sins of the world were placed on Him so that, in turn, His righteousness could be given those who trust Him (Rom. 5:17) and are thus in Him. That gift of righteousness is obtainable only by faith (Rom. 3:22; 6:23; Eph. 2:8-9; Phil. 3:9).

Walvoord, John F. ; Zuck, Roy B. ; Dallas Theological Seminary: The Bible Knowledge Commentary : An Exposition of the Scriptures. Wheaton, IL : Victor Books, 1983-c1985, S. 2:568

Voluntary Death of Jesus Christ

Isa 50:6
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not my face from shame and spitting. (KJV)

Isa 53:12
12 Therefore will I divide him a portion with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors. (KJV)

Matt 26:24
24 The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born. (KJV)

Matt 26:39
39 And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. (KJV)

Matt 26:42
42 He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. (KJV)

Matt 26:53-54
53 Thinkest thou that I cannot now pray to my Father, and he shall presently give me more than twelve legions of angels?
54 But how then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that thus it must be? (KJV)

Mark 14:36
36 And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt. (KJV)

Mark 14:39
39 And again he went away, and prayed, and spake the same words. (KJV)

Luke 9:51
51 And it came to pass, when the time was come that he should be received up, he steadfastly set his face to go to Jerusalem, (KJV)

Luke 12:50
50 But I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished! (KJV)

Luke 22:15
15 And he said unto them, With desire I have desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer: (KJV)

Luke 22:42
42 Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. (KJV)

John 10:17-18
17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. (KJV)

John 18:5
5 They answered him, Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus saith unto them, I am he. And Judas also, which betrayed him, stood with them. (KJV)

John 18:8
8 Jesus answered, I have told you that I am he: if therefore ye seek me, let these go their way: (KJV)

John 18:11
11 Then said Jesus unto Peter, Put up thy sword into the sheath: the cup which my Father hath given me, shall I not drink it? (KJV)

John 19:11
11 Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin. (KJV)

Phil 2:8
8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. (KJV)

Heb 7:27
27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. (KJV)

Heb 9:26
26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. (KJV)

http://abbagod.org/VoluntaryDeathofJesusChrist.html