Deuteronômio 21
David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik - When Israel followed God’s instructions for atonement, He honored His word by taking away their guilt. But the removal of guilt was always based on blood sacrifice, on a substitutionary atonement—looking forward to the work of Jesus on the cross for the entire world. Related Resources: What was the Old Testament way of salvation? | GotQuestions.org Baker's Evangelical Dictionary Day of Atonement Atoning Sacrifice Easton's Bible Dictionary Atonement, Day of Atonement Fausset Bible Dictionary Atonement, Day of Atonement Holman Bible Dictionary Day of Atonement Atonement Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Day of Atonement Atonement, Day of Atonement Utley's Special Topic - SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM I. OLD TESTAMENT A. There are primarily two Hebrew legal terms which convey this concept: 1. Ga’al, which basically means “to free” by means of a price paid. A form of the term go’el adds to the concept a personal intermediary, usually a family member (i.e., kinsman redeemer). This cultural aspect of the right to buy back objects, animals, land (cf. Lev. 25, 27), or relatives (cf. Ruth 4:15; Isa. 29:22) is transferred theologically to YHWH’s deliverance of Israel from Egypt (cf. Exod. 6:6; 15:13; Ps. 74:2; 77:15; Jer. 31:11). He becomes “the redeemer” (cf. Job 19:25; Ps. 19:14; 78:35; Prov. 23:1; Isa. 41:14; 43:14; 44:6, 24; 47:4; 48:17; 49:7, 26; 54:5, 8; 59:20; 60:16; 63:16; Jer. 50:34). 2. Padah, which basically means “to deliver” or “to rescue” a. the redemption of the first born, Exod. 13:13, 14 and Num. 18:15–17 b. Physical redemption is contrasted with spiritual redemption, Ps. 49:7, 8, 15 c. YHWH will redeem Israel from sin and rebellion, Ps. 130:7–8 B. The theological concept involves three related items: 1. There is a need, a bondage, a forfeiting, an imprisonment. a. physical b. social c. spiritual (cf. Ps. 130:8) 2. A price must be paid for freedom, release, and restoration: a. of the nation, Israel (cf. Deut. 7:8) b. of the individual (cf. Job 19:25–27; 33:28) 3. Someone must act as intermediary and benefactor. In ga’al this one is usually a family member or near kin (i.e., go’el). 4. YHWH often describes Himself in familial terms: a. father b. husband c. near kin Redemption was secured through YHWH’s personal agency; a price was paid, and redemption was achieved! II. NEW TESTAMENT A. There are several terms used to convey the theological concept: 1. Agorazō (cf. 1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23; 2 Pet. 2:1; Rev. 5:9; 14:3, 4). This is a commercial term which reflects a price paid for something. We are blood-bought people who do not control our own lives. We belong to Christ. 2. Exagorazō (cf. Gal. 3:13; 4:5; Eph. 5:16; Col. 4:5). This is also a commercial term. It reflects Jesus’ substitutionary death on our behalf. Jesus bore the “curse” of a performance-based law (i.e., Mosaic Law), which sinful humans could not accomplish. He bore the curse (cf. Deut. 21:23) for us all! In Jesus, God’s justice and love merge into full forgiveness, acceptance, and access! 3. Luō, “to set free” a. Lutron, “a price paid” (cf. Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45). These are powerful words from Jesus’ own mouth concerning the purpose of His coming, to be the Savior of the world by paying a sin-debt He did not owe (cf. John 1:29). b. Lutroō, “to release” (1) to redeem Israel, Luke 24:21 (2) to give Himself to redeem and purify a people, Titus 2:14 (3) to be a sinless substitute, 1 Pet. 1:18–19 c. Lutrōsis, “redemption, deliverance, or liberation” (1) Zacharias’ prophecy about Jesus, Luke 1:68 (2) Anna’s praise to God for Jesus, Luke 2:38 (3) Jesus’ better, once offered sacrifice, Heb. 9:12 4. Apolytrōsis a. redemption at the Second Coming (cf. Acts 3:19–21) (1) Luke 21:28 (2) Romans 8:23 (3) Ephesians 1:14; 4:30 (4) Hebrews 9:15 b. redemption in Christ’s death (1) Romans 3:24 (2) 1 Corinthians 1:30 (3) Ephesians 1:7 (4) Colossians 1:14 5. Antilytron (cf. 1 Tim. 2:6). This is a crucial text (as is Titus 2:14), which links release to Jesus’ substitutionary death on the cross. He is the one and only acceptable sacrifice; the one who dies for “all” (cf. John 1:29; 3:16–17; 4:42; 1 Tim. 2:4; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 2 Pet. 3:9; 1 John 2:2; 4:14). B. The theological concept in the NT implies: a. mankind is enslaved to sin (cf. John 8:34; Rom. 3:10–18; 6:23). b. mankind’s bondage to sin has been revealed by the OT Mosaic Law (cf. Gal. 3) and Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (cf. Matt. 5–7). Human performance has become a death sentence (cf. Col. 2:14). c. Jesus, the sinless lamb of God, has come and died in our place (cf. John 1:29; 2 Cor. 5:21). We have been purchased from sin so that we might serve God (cf. Rom. 6). d. By implication both YHWH and Jesus are “near kin” who act on our behalf. This continues the familial metaphors (i.e., father, husband, son, brother, near kin). e. Redemption was not a price paid to Satan (i.e., medieval theology), but the reconciliation of God’s word and God’s justice with God’s love and full provision in Christ. At the cross peace was restored, human rebellion was forgiven, the image of God in mankind is now fully functional again in intimate fellowship! f. There is still a future aspect of redemption (cf. Rom. 8:23; Eph. 1:14; 4:30), which involves our resurrection bodies and physical intimacy with the Triune God. Deuteronomy 21:9 "So you shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD. So you shall remove: De 19:11-13 when: De 13:18 2Ki 10:30,31 Deuteronomy 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passage: Deuteronomy 19:11-13 “But if there is a man who hates his neighbor and lies in wait for him and rises up against him and strikes him so that he dies, and he flees to one of these cities, 12 then the elders of his city shall send and take him from there and deliver him into the hand of the avenger of blood, that he may die. 13 “You shall not pity him, but you shall purge the blood of the innocent from Israel, that it may go well with you. So - Therefore. Term of conclusion. Concluding the matter of the "mysterious murder." You shall remove the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the eyes of the LORD - The innocent blood of course is the person who has died. Doing what is right is carrying out the procedure described in Dt 21:1-8. Coates - This ritual signifies the need for Israel to deal with all bloodguilt matters, even in cases where the perpetrator was not known. The land was to remain undefiled, and this ritual was the prescribed means of removing bloodguilt in unsolved murder cases.
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik writes that "These elders were responsible to make the sacrifice to atone for and cleanse the murder-polluted land."
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik - This washing of the hands, done in the presence of the sons of Levi, who by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled, was a powerful proclamation by the elders: “We have done all we could to settle this case, but cannot. We are clean from all guilt in the matter of this slain man.” Of course, this ceremony of washing the hands over the sacrificed animal meant nothing if the elders had in fact not done what they could to avenge the murder; apart from that, this washing of the hands was just as much an empty gesture as Pilate’s washing of his hands at the trial of Jesus (Matthew 27:24).
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik- double portion - This was the right of the firstborn in ancient Israel; the firstborn son was to receive twice as much inheritance as any other son. For example, if there were three sons, the inheritance would be divided into four parts, with the firstborn receiving two parts, and the other three sons each receiving one part. NET NOTE - double portion - Heb “measure of two.” The Hebrew expression פִּי שְׁנַיִם (piy shénayim) suggests a two-thirds split; that is, the elder gets two parts and the younger one part. Cf. 2 Kgs 2:9; Zech 13:8. The practice is implicit in Isaac’s blessing of Jacob (Gen 25:31–34) and Jacob’s blessing of Ephraim (Gen 48:8–22). NET NOTE on beginning of his strength - Heb “his generative power” (אוֹן, ’on; cf. HALOT 22 s.v.). Cf. NAB “the first fruits of his manhood”; NRSV “the first issue of his virility.”
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik - This law was clearly intended to protect the social order of ancient Israel. No society can endure when the young are allowed to make war against the old. Perhaps just the presence of this law was deterrent enough; we never have a Scriptural example of a son being stoned to death because he was a stubborn and rebellious son.. “Yet the Jews say this law was never put into practice, and therefore it might be made for terror and prevention, and to render the authority of parents more sacred and powerful.” (Poole)i. “Stoning was the punishment appointed for blasphemers and idolaters; which if it seem severe, it is to be considered that parents are in God’s stead, and intrusted in good measure with his authority over their children; and that families are the matter and foundation of the church and commonwealth, and they who are naughty members and rebellious children in them, do commonly prove the bane and plague of these, and therefore no wonder if they are nipped in the bud.” (Poole). “If such a law were in force now, and duly executed, how many deaths of disobedient and prolifigate children would there be in all corners of the land!” (Clarke) So you shall remove (purge - baar) the evil from your midst - Remove ba'ar literally means to burn, but most uses in Deuteronomy describe the state or action of destroying an entity into non-existence as a figurative extension of fire consuming an object. Thus it often means to kill. The first 3 uses in Deuteronomy describes Mt Sinai = "the mountain burned with fire to the very heart of the heavens." (Dt 5:23, 9:15).What will be removed or purged? False prophet (Dt 13:5), false worshiper (Dt 17:7), one who show contempt for a judge (Dt 17:12), murderer (Dt 19:13), false witness (Dt 19:19), people's bloodguiltiness for an unsolved murder (Dt 21:6), a stubborn, rebellious son (Dt 21:21), girl who lied when she married and was not actually a virgin (Dt 22:21), kidnapper (Dt 24:7). Evil (07451) רַע raʿ, רָעָה rāʿāh: An adjective meaning bad, evil. The basic meaning of this word displays ten or more various shades of the meaning of evil according to its contextual usage. It means bad in a moral and ethical sense and is used to describe, along with good, the entire spectrum of good and evil; hence, it depicts evil in an absolute, negative sense, as when it describes the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Gen. 2:9; 3:5, 22). Hard Sayings of the Bible = Dt 21:18–21 Stone a Stubborn and Rebellious Son? At first glance this law seems pitiless in its demands both of a society with incorrigibly delinquent children and of the emotionally torn parents of such ruffians. But a second glance would question if our pity is well placed. Shall we pity the criminal or the community? Does Scripture side with the offender or the offended? The issue is not abstract or antiquated. It haunts modern society as well as the Christian community. The case represented here particularizes the fifth of the Ten Commandments. The sanctity of the family is at the heart of this command to honor one’s parents. Accordingly, God’s plan for the family in its origin, function and perpetuity was not to be measured by humanistic or societal conventions but by the counsel of God. Children were to honor their parents as God’s earthly representatives. To rebel against these representatives was equal to rebelling against God. In practice, obedience to parents (a command strictly qualified by “in the Lord”) could then be transferred as obedience to God, for the parents taught the children the law of God. Parents were to impress the commandments of God on their children’s hearts while sitting together at home, walking along the road or getting up (Deut 6:6–7). What happened when a serious case of juvenile delinquency appeared in the community? Should the family strike out in wrath to rid themselves of this embarrassment? Deuteronomy 21:19–21 limits the power of the family. Parents were restricted to chastening and disciplining their children. They were never given power to kill or to abort life. Only under Roman law, as R. J. Rushdoony points out, was the parent the source and lord of life. In Scripture God is the source and Lord over life. Thus, when anyone in the extended family rebelled and refused to obey his or her parents (son does not restrict this law to sons, for it also included daughters and, by extension, all relatives), the rest of the family was to align themselves with God’s law and not with the recalcitrant family member. In fact, the family order was so sacred to the fabric of society and the plan of God that the accusing family members were not considered the complaining witnesses as in other cases. Ordinarily witnesses were required to participate in the execution by throwing the first stones (Deut 17:7). In this case, however, “all the men of his town” were required to participate, for the complaint was a complaint by the community against one of its members. What disrupted one family in the community attacked the whole community. Moreover, if the parents had refused to bring the guilty and incorrigible individual to the elders, they would have been guilty of condoning and, in a sense, participating in the defiant son’s crimes. Did the town actually kill one of its own members just for being rebellious? Such behavior came under the curse of God himself, so serious was the charge of parental abuse by children or their defiant refusal to listen to them (Deut 27:16). However, for each crime demanding capital punishment (except premeditated murder) there was a substitution or ransom that could be offered (Num 35:31). Thus, while the penalty marked the seriousness of the crime, the offer of a ransom would mitigate some of the severity in the actual sentencing. Scripture suggests no proper ransom or substitute in this case, but it likely was similar to contemporary sentences that require community service for a specified time. Could pity play any part in the sentencing of these crimes? Not if that pity were directed toward the violator rather than the violated or the word of God. Pity could distract people from serving God and honoring his word. There was to be no pity, for example, for the idolatrous worshipers of Canaan (Deut 7:16), the subverter of the faith (Deut 13:6–9) or the coldblooded murderer (Deut 19:11–13). Instead, our affection ought to be toward the living God and what he has spoken. Any love, loyalty or pity which preempts that love is itself a lawless and faithless love. Deuteronomy 21:22 "If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, Jos 8:29 10:26 De 19:6 22:26 1Sa 26:16 Mt 26:66 Ac 23:29 25:11,25 26:31 worthy of death: 2Sa 4:12 hang: 2Sa 21:6,9 Lu 23:33 Joh 19:31-38 Deuteronomy 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Outline Firstborn Inheritance Rights Dt 21:15-17 Miscellaneous Dt 21:22-22:12 HANGING A DEAD BODY ON A TREE Chapter 21 begins with an unsolved murder and ends with capital punishment and a man put to death. If a man has committed a sin worthy of death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree - Note the progression - he is put to death. Then his dead body is hung on a tree. This was not hanging like in a gallows but his corpse exposed for all to see and just like the stoning of the stubborn son this would be sending a message not to commit this same crime. The Hebrews understand this of hanging a man up after he was stoned to death; which was done for some heinous malefactors. We have the examples of Rechab and Baanah, who, for murdering Ish-bosheth, were slain by David's commandment, their hand and feet cut off, and then hanged up. So in Nu 25:4, we read, "And the Lord said unto Moses, Take all the heads (chief men) of the people, and hang them up before the Lord against the sun, that the fierce anger of the Lord may be turned away from Israel." Among the Romans, in after ages, they hanged, or rather fastened to the tree ALIVE; and such was the cruel death of our blessed Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. (See What is the history of crucifixion? What was crucifixion like?) McIntosh - Even such an offender is not to be treated in death as human garbage. The body of such a man might in certain cases be hung on a tree as a display of justice and to serve as a deterrent to lawlessness (cp. Nu 25:4; Josh. 8:29; Josh 10:26-27; 2 Sa 21:5-9). Stoning, not hanging, was the means of execution in Israel. (Holman Old Testament Commentary) Guzik - In the thinking of ancient Israel there was something worse than being put to death. Worse than that was to be put to death and to have your corpse left exposed to shame, humiliation, and scavenging animals and birds. Hang him on a tree does not have the idea of being executed by strangulation; but of having the corpse mounted on a tree or other prominent place, to expose the executed one to disgrace and the elements. Deuteronomy 21:23 his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance. he who is hanged is accursed of God, De 7:26 Nu 25:4 Jos 7:12 2Sa 21:6 Ro 9:3 Ga 3:13 1Co 16:22 2Co 5:21 land: Lev 18:25 Nu 35:33,34 Deuteronomy 21 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Related Passages: Galatians 3:13-14+ Christ 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”–in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. Acts 5:30+ “The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom you had put to death by hanging Him on a cross. Acts 10:39+ We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. Acts 13:29+ “When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb. Deuteronomy 27:26 ‘Cursed is he who does not confirm the words of this law by doing them.’ And all the people shall say, ‘Amen.’ HANGING A CORPSE ON A TREE WAS LIMITED TO A DAY his corpse shall not hang all night on the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is accursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the LORD your God gives you as an inheritance - NET = "his body must not remain all night on the tree; instead you must make certain you bury him that same day, for the one who is left exposed on a tree is cursed by God. You must not defile your land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance." Hanged not like with a rope but as a corpse placed on a tree - NCV "anyone whose body is displayed on a tree." McIntosh - By proper burial of even such a person, Israel would not desecrate the land God was giving them as an inheritance. (Holman Old Testament Commentary) Deere - The criminal was under God’s curse not because his body was hung on a tree but because he had broken God’s Law by committing a crime worthy of death (Bible Knowledge Commentary) Guzik on bury the same day - if anyone was executed and deemed worthy of such disgrace (and you hang him on a tree), the humiliation to his memory and his family must not be excessive. This was a way of tempering even the most severe judgment with mercy.
Deuteronômio 21
Guzik - For he who is hanged is accursed of God: The punishment of being hanged on a tree, and left to open exposure, was thought to be so severe, that it was reserved only for those for which is was to be declared: “this one is accursed of God.”. Paul expounds on Deuteronomy 21:23 in Galatians 3:13–14: 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. Jesus not only died in our place; but He also took the place as the accursed of God, being hung on a “tree” in open shame and degradation. He received this curse, which we deserved and He did not, so that we could receive the blessing of Abraham, which He deserved and we did not.i. We are redeemed from the curse of the law by the work of Jesus on the cross for us. We no longer have to fear that God wants to curse us; He wants to bless us, not because of who we are, or what we have done, but because of what Jesus Christ has done on our behalf. TSK on he who is hanged is accursed of God - That is, it is the highest degree of reproach that can attach to a man, and proclaims him under the curse of God as much as any external punishment can. They that see him thus hanging between heaven and earth, will conclude him abandoned of both, and unworthy of either. Bp. Patrick observes, that this passage is applied to the death of Christ; not only because he bare our sins and was exposed to shame, as these malefactors were that were accursed of God, but because he was in the evening taken down from the cursed tree and buried, (and that by the particular care of the Jews, with an eye to this law, Joh 19:31,) in token, that now the guilt being removed, the law was satisfied, as it was when the malefactors had hanged till sun-set: it demanded no more. Then he, and those that are his, ceased to be a curse. And as the land of Israel was pure and clean when the body was buried, so the church is washed and cleansed by the complete satisfaction which Christ thus made. Inheritance (possession, heritage) (05159) nachalah from nāḥal = signifies giving or receiving property which is part of a permanent possession and as a result of succession) means Inheritance, heritage, possession. A possession is any piece of property that passes by law to an heir on the death of the owner. It also speaks of God's promises to His people, such as the promise of the land to national (redeemed remnant) Israel. In Dt 4:20 we read “But the LORD has taken you and brought you out of the iron furnace, from Egypt, to be a people for His own possession, as today." Nachalah in Deut - Deut. 3:28; Deut. 4:20; Deut. 4:21; Deut. 4:38; Deut. 9:26; Deut. 9:29; Deut. 10:9; Deut. 12:9; Deut. 12:12; Deut. 14:27; Deut. 14:29; Deut. 15:4; Deut. 18:1; Deut. 18:2; Deut. 19:10; Deut. 19:14; Deut. 20:16; Deut. 21:23; Deut. 24:4; Deut. 25:19; Deut. 26:1; Deut. 29:8; Deut. 32:9; Defile (make unclean) (02930) tame means to become unclean or make unclean. To become ceremonially unclean. To defile oneself (Hos 5:3, 6:10, Ezek 20:30). A wife defiles herself by adultery (Nu 5:13, Jer 2:23 = speaks of Israel as God's wife who had defiled herself by her spiritual adultery with idols!, Ezek 23:13 = refers to Judah and in context to the 10 Northern tribes - both had defiled themselves). To defile (violate) a girl (Ge 34:5), a woman (Ezek 18:6) The Septuagint (Lxx) translates tame with the verb miaino, means literally to dye with another color. As used in the NT figuratively miaino describes a mind and conscience that is morally contaminated, corrupted, tainted, tinged and polluted (Titus 1:15-note = "defiled and unbelieving"). In a ceremonial or cultic sense miaino means to defile, profane, desecrate, make unclean or to become unacceptable. To defile something is to sully (damage the purity or integrity of), mar (impair the appearance of; disfigure) or spoil it. Jude uses miaino in a physical and a moral sense of the one's flesh defiled by licentiousness and so to corrupt morally. (Jude 1:8-note) Why is there a curse associated with hanging on a tree? Deuteronomy 21:22–23 teaches that there was a divine curse placed on a hanged person: “And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the LORD your God is giving you for an inheritance” (ESV). For most capital offenses covered by Jewish Law, stoning was the form of punishment. On some occasions the dead body would be hung in public as a deterrent to further crime. This law made it illegal to do so overnight (Leviticus 18:24–27; Numbers 35:3–34). The apostle Paul referred to this law in relationship to Jesus and His death on the cross. In Galatians 3:13 we read, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree’” (ESV). Jesus was cursed for us, hanging on the cross as a substitute for our sins. The law in the Mosaic economy was a foreshadowing of the redemption of man. Another interesting detail is that the cross of Christ was sometimes referred to in Jewish contexts as a “tree.” Acts 5:30 states, “The God of our fathers raised Jesus, whom you killed by hanging him on a tree” (ESV). Acts 10:39 says, “They put him to death by hanging him on a tree” (ESV). See also Acts 13:29. The concept of cursing and blessing in association with a tree is found in the larger narrative of Scripture. In Genesis 3 Eve and then Adam eat fruit from a tree from which they were forbidden to eat. In Revelation 22:14 the eternal state includes those who eat from the tree of life. A tree was involved in the entry of sin into humanity (through the tree in the Garden), the answer to sin for humanity (through the cross), and the ultimate removal of sin in eternity (through the tree of life). Under the Mosaic Law, those who were hanged on a tree were cursed. The law made it illegal to leave the body hanging overnight. This law applied to Jesus, who was executed on a tree, although He had done no wrong. Jesus’ dead body was removed from the cross on the same day of His death and was buried. Jesus took the curse of sin upon Himself to redeem us from sin. GotQuestions.org What is the curse of the law? As opposed to the blessing, which is grace, the Law is a curse upon all mankind, none of whom can possibly fulfill its requirements. While the Law itself is perfect and holy, those who try to justify themselves before its holy Author bring not His blessing, but His curse upon themselves. The Bible itself tells us what the curse of the Law is: “All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law.’ Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, ‘the righteous will live by faith.’ The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, ‘The man who does these things will live by them.’ Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree’” (Galatians 3:10–13). What we must understand from this passage is that the curse is not the Law. The curse is the penalty levied for not keeping the Law. The “Book of the Law” refers to the covenant laws that God made with His people during the time of Moses. The Law can point out where we fail and fall short of God’s will, but it cannot pronounce us righteous; that was not its purpose. In Galatians 3 the apostle Paul is telling us that everyone who does not keep the Law perfectly is cursed by it (Deuteronomy 27:26; Galatians 3:10). The reason is that no one can obey the Law perfectly. In fact, there were over 600 laws the Jews had to keep to be right in the eyes of God. The breaking of even one commandment put a person under condemnation. Trying to achieve salvation through obedience to the Law is futile. For example, we all regularly break the first and greatest commandment by failing to love God first with all our hearts, minds and strength (Matthew 22:37–38). As a result, everyone has broken the commandments, and everyone is cursed. The Law demands perfection—an impossibility because we’re all sinful (Romans 3:10, 23). As a result, all who try to live by the Old Law were under a divine curse. But the good news is that Jesus Christ “redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13). Jesus made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross when He bore God’s curse. Paul explains how in his letter to the Romans: “God presented [Jesus] as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in His blood. He did this to demonstrate His justice, because in His forbearance He had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished—He did it to demonstrate His justice at the present time, so as to be just and the One who justifies those who have faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:25–26). The curse of the Law fell on Christ on our behalf so that the righteousness of God could fall on us, though we did not deserve it (2 Corinthians 5:21). GotQuestions.org G Campbell