John Calvin Commentary Galatians 3:13

"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:" — Galatians 3:13 (ASV)

Christ has redeemed us. The apostle had made all who are under the law subject to the curse, from which arose the great difficulty that the Jews could not free themselves from the curse of the law. Having stated this difficulty, he addresses it by showing that Christ has made us free, which further aids his purpose. If we are saved because we have been freed from the curse of the law, then righteousness is not by the law. He next points out the manner in which we are made free.

It is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree. Now, Christ hung upon the cross; therefore, he fell under that curse. But it is certain that he did not suffer that punishment on his own account. It follows, therefore, either that he was crucified in vain, or that our curse was laid upon him, in order that we might be delivered from it. Now, he does not say that Christ was cursed but, which is still more, that he was a curse, intimating that the curse “of all men was laid upon him” (Isaiah 53:6). If anyone thinks this language harsh, let him be ashamed of the cross of Christ, in the confession of which we glory. It was not unknown to God what death his own Son would die when he pronounced the law, “He that is hanged is accursed of God” (Deuteronomy 21:23).

But how does it happen, it will be asked, that a beloved Son is cursed by his Father? We reply, there are two things which must be considered, not only in the person of Christ, but even in his human nature. The one is that he was the unspotted Lamb of God, full of blessing and of grace; the other is that he placed himself in our stead and thus became a sinner and subject to the curse—not in himself indeed, but in us—yet in such a manner that it became necessary for him to occupy our place.

He could not cease to be the object of his Father’s love, and yet he endured his wrath. For how could he reconcile the Father to us if he had incurred his hatred and displeasure? We conclude that he “did always those things that pleased” (John 8:29) his Father. Again, how would he have freed us from the wrath of God if he had not transferred it from us to himself?

Thus, “he was wounded for our transgressions” (Isaiah 53:5), and had to deal with God as an angry judge. This is the foolishness of the cross (1 Corinthians 1:18) and the admiration of angels (1 Peter 1:12), which not only exceeds, but swallows up, all the wisdom of the world.