“Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: For it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree” (Galatians 3:13).

Of the three Greek words translated “redeem,” two are closely related. Agoradzo means “bought while in the market place,” while exagoradzo, a stronger word, means “bought out of the market place.” This is, of course, a blessed truth, for although we have been purchased in the slave market, we were purchased in such a way that our new “slave owner” has seen to it that we never again will be offered for sale to another. He is the last owner we will ever have; we have been “taken off the market.” Our new owner promises to keep us forever.

As our text explains, the slave market that we were in (specifically addressed to the nation of Israel, but in principle to all mankind) was sin—the knowledge of which comes by the law. The law brings a curse, for no one is capable of obeying the law—not until the Redeemer became the “curse for us.” “When the fulness of time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law” (Galatians 4:4,5). We are redeemed out of the law, freed from the curse of having to conform to absolute perfection, and, more importantly, freed from being in bondage to sin. In His grace, Christ has done it all. “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7).

Interestingly, the word exagoradzo is also used in reference to our time. If we would “walk in wisdom” (Colossians 4:5), we would be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:16). The days in which we find ourselves are evil, and we should be buying back for ourselves each opportunity to use them to the best advantage. JDM