Posts tagged Christ's redemption
The Basics -- The Cross of Jesus Christ

As the biblical account of redemptive history unfolds, the story of God’s saving purpose is revealed even as the story takes a number of surprising twists and turns. The New Testament opens with an angel announcing to a young virgin that God’s promised Messiah was at long last coming to visit his people and bring them salvation. Jesus was born of Mary, he grew to manhood, and began his public ministry after his baptism by John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-13). As we read in Matthew’s gospel, when our Lord’s messianic mission got underway, “[Jesus] went throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues and proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every disease and every affliction among the people” (Matthew 4:23).

Eventually, Jesus’ public ministry took him to Jerusalem. On the way there, Jesus informed his disciples, “the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death” (Matthew 20:18). It was John the Baptist who said of Jesus upon first encountering him, “behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” (John 1:29). Since Jesus came as Israel’s Messiah, the mediator of the covenant of grace, and fulfilled the anointed offices of prophet, priest, and king, the necessity of his death comes as somewhat of a surprise–although this death was foretold by the prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 52:13-53:12), who predicted that God’s promised Messiah was also the suffering servant spoken of throughout Isaiah’s prophecy. When Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph on Palm Sunday, it appeared to all as though he would at long last take his place on Israel’s throne to restore the nation to its former greatness. But by Friday afternoon of that week, Jesus was dead, hanging on a Roman cross, having died an agonizing death by crucifixion.

Why did the story of our redemption take such a dark and foreboding turn? Why did Jesus need to die? Thankfully, throughout the New Testament, the biblical writers tell us why Jesus died and what his death means for us. When we briefly survey at the terms which the biblical writers use to explain the death of Jesus, the meaning and purpose of his death becomes clear.

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The Blessed Hope Podcast -- Episode Six: "Christ Became a Curse for Us" (Galatians 3:10-18)

To correct the error of the Judaizers–which is to insist that Gentiles undergo circumcision and live as Jews—Paul makes a series of important distinctions in his letter to the Galatians. The Apostle contrasts faith and works, the spirit and the flesh, the law and the gospel. He also carefully distinguishes between the covenants God made with Abraham (in which Abraham was reckoned as righteous), and the covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai, (in which the law of God was given to his people).

The covenant God made with Abraham is gracious, while the covenant God made with Israel at Sinai is closely tied to the blessing/curse principle. The Judaizers conflated these two covenants, thereby mistakenly seeing the sign and seal of God’s gracious covenant with Abraham (circumcision), through the lens of the blessing/curse principle, thereby turning circumcision into a meritorious work.

To listen to this episode of The Blessed Hope Podcast and check out the show notes, follow the link below

To listen to previous podcasts in this series on Galatians, go here: The Blessed Hope Podcast

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