Expositor's Bible Commentary Commentary 2 Corinthians 5:21

"Him who knew no sin he made [to be] sin on our behalf; that we might become the righteousness of God in him." — 2 Corinthians 5:21 (ASV)

Thus far Paul has been content to give the broadest outlines of the drama of reconciliation, stating merely the relationship between the principal actors. Now he explains, so far as human language and imagery permit, the “how” of reconciliation. The fifteen Greek words defy final exegetical explanation, dealing as they do with the heart of the atonement. Perhaps the best way to understand the first section of the verse, particularly the second use of “sin” (GK 281), is to recognize that Christ, treated as if he were a sinner, became the object of God’s wrath and bore the penalty and guilt of sin. So complete was the identification of the sinless Christ with the sin of the sinner, including its dire guilt and its dread consequence of separation from God, that Paul could say profoundly, “God made him... to be sin for us.” Paul’s declaration of Christ’s sinlessness may be compared with other affirmations in Scripture: Hebrews 4:15; 7:26; 1 Peter 2:22 ; 1Jn 3:5. Just as “the righteousness of God” is extrinsic to us, so the sin with which Christ totally identified himself was extrinsic to him. He never had a sinful attitude or did a sinful act.

The glorious purpose of the Father’s act in making Christ “to be sin” was that believers should “become the righteousness [GK 1466] of God” in Christ. This is a bold restatement of the nature of justification. Not only do believers receive from God a right standing before him on the basis of faith in Jesus , but “in Christ” believers in some sense actually share the righteousness that characterizes God himself (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:30).