Galatians 3:13

Redeemed] a figure drawn from the analogy of ransoming captives. Us] i.e. Jews.

The curse] the condemnation pronounced by the Law upon sin. Being made] by submitting to the shame of being crucified: cp. Deuteronomy 21:23. The Law declared that any one who died a criminal's death upon a cross was accursed. Christ died thus, and so was accursed. St. Paul associates this curse arising from ceremonial defilement with the curse which rests upon man for sins, and regards Christ as thus bearing the curse on man's behalf. Christ's death in some way availed to ransom men from the curse of the Law. God for Christ's sake then bestowed the blessing of His Spirit on all who put their trust in His Son, and sought to live in union with Him. The Law was a mere outward command, seeking to gain man's obedience by promises of reward and threats of punishment, Christ substituted loyalty to Himself for obedience to Law; and by thus introducing the personal element of love brought a powerful influence to bear upon His people, and inspired them with a new power to overcome the sin that beset them.

15-22. The principle of the Gospel—salvation by grace on condition of faith—antedates and underlies the Law.

Paraphrase. '(15) To take a familiar illustration: even a man's will, when ratified, no third party may annul or supplement. (16) Now God's gracious promise to Abraham and his descendants is realised only in and through Christ, in whom all believers are one. (17) The Law system, which arose long after the promise was made to Abraham, cannot change or nullify that promise; (18) and as salvation (the promised inheritance) must be either by obedience to the Law or by grace, the case of Abraham proves that it is by grace. (19) If, then, the Law could not save, what purpose did it serve? It had a temporary and educational purpose. It was designed to excite in men's hearts the consciousness of sin, which shows men their need of salvation, and so to point them to Christ; it was a system given not directly by God to the people, but indirectly through angels to Moses, who in his turn gave it to the nation. (20) Now when a mediator is employed, it means that there are two parties making a bargain; but in the case of Abraham there was but one party—God—making a promise out of His own free-will. (21) It is evident, then, that the Law cannot affect God's promise. The Law is subordinate to the Gospel, but it serves the ends of the Gospel—otherwise it would have been sufficient of itself, and the Gospel need never have been given. (22) And the way in which it serves the ends of the Gospel is by convicting men of sin, and forcing them to realise that they can only be saved by God's mercy through faith in Christ.'