“If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God.” Deuteronomy 21:22-23
The first historical evidence of crucifixion was in the 6th century BC. It was eventually used by Rome as a form of capital punishment to intimidate those they ruled over. Eventually, death by crucifixion was outlawed by Constantine in the 4th century AD. When Moses speaks of this, he would have no clue the Prophet he had prophesied about would one day endure the shame of being accused by hanging on a tree. But Paul refers to this passage in the Torah when speaking about Jesus, “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.” Galatians 3:13-14
See, the curse of sin and shame was handled once and for all by Jesus willingly laying His life down by being hanged on a tree. Jesus did that for you and me. He was accursed so we could be blessed. “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.” John 15:13
May the Lord of Christ and His grace draw you to Him and to look more like Jesus each day!
-To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.