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Gal 3:13. Χριστὴς, Christ) Christ alone. This is an abrupt exclamation without a conjunction, and with some degree of indignation against the doers of the law. There is an Asyndeton not unlike this, Col 3:4 : where the apostle is likewise speaking of Christ.-ἡμᾶς, us) The curse chiefly pressed upon the Jews; for the blessing also was nearer to them. The antithesis is, on the Gentiles, Gal 3:14 : comp. Gal 4:3; Gal 4:6.-ἐξηγόρασεν, hath redeemed) He set us free by purchase from the state in which we were held. The same word occurs, Gal 4:5.-ἐκ τῆς κατάρας, from the curse) under which they lie, who trust either to the law, or the works of the law.-γενόμενος ὑπὲρ ἡμῶν κατάρα, being made a curse for us) We have here the abstract, not the concrete noun. Who would dare without the fear of blasphemy so to speak, if the apostle had not led the way? The word curse, κατάρα, means more than anathema, Rom 9:3 : for the curse is inflicted by another, the anathema is spontaneously incurred. In like manner יכרת, ἐξολοθρευθήσεται, shall be cut off, is said of Christ, Dan 9:26 : comp. Gal 3:24 with the annot. of C. B. Michaelis. Ὑπὲρ, for, instead of, is also used here with the utmost propriety; for Christ became the curse, which we were, in our stead, that we might cease to be a curse.-γέγραπται, it is written) Deu 21:23, κεκατηραμένος ὑπὸ Θεοῦ πᾶς κρεμάμενος ἐπὶ ξύλου.-ἐπὶ ξύλου, on a tree) between heaven and earth. Our mother-tongue calls it the gallows. The apostles, in treating of redemption, mention the cross, rather than the agony on the Mount of Olives, 1Pe 2:24. Had not the punishment of the cross been long ago abolished, the stupendous power of the cross of Christ would be more obviously before our eyes.