Became A Curse
© 01.23.24 By David Eric Williams
For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them." But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for "the just shall live by faith." Yet the law is not of faith, but "the man who does them shall live by them." Christ has 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"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith (Galatians 3:10-14).
Imagine yourself on a long trip lasting many days. First, you ride a bus for several days to catch a train. After boarding the train, you travel for many more days, finally arriving at the end of the line. There, you are scheduled to take an airplane for the remainder of your trip. The fact is if you want to continue your journey, you have no choice. For, the train tracks end at the airport; it would be difficult to make headway once the train has run off the track! Thus, to insist the journey continue via the rail-line results in catastrophe.
No analogy is perfect but this story outlines the situation concerning the law as Paul saw it. As I have said, the Mosaic dispensation was the "great parenthesis." It was a train ride with a limited run. Later in the letter, Paul will cover in some detail the purpose of the Law and he makes it clear the Mosaic dispensation ceased to be useful once Jesus Christ arrived on the scene. As David deSilva wrote, "In trying to keep the Sinai covenant alive after Christ in the way that was appropriate before Christ, they actually used the law in a manner contrary to the purposes of the God who gave it, the purpose revealed in that very law itself (Galatians, NINTC).
Now, it was possible to be "blameless" under the Mosaic dispensation; Paul says, concerning the righteousness which is in the law, [I was] blameless (Philippians 3:6b, brackets added). Nevertheless, that did not mean one could be justified before God by observing the law and ritual. It was never meant to be that way. The Mosaic stipulations provided for failures in observance but there was never an endless line of track bypassing the airport. God had always intended the realization of the covenant promises in the Eternal Son incarnate, Jesus the Christ. Anyone unwilling to be part of God’s eternal plan is forever in exile apart from fellowship with God.
That plan included the death of the Son in place of others. All the punishment of the Law fell upon Jesus. He shouldered the curse of sin and separation (Matthew 27:46) and took it to the grave with him. In this new age of the Son of Man, we enjoy right relationship by faith in the faithful one, Jesus Christ. We apprehend the blessings of Abraham and comprehend those blessings by the power of the Holy Spirit. Why would anyone choose a train run off the tracks instead?
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