What does "became sin" mean in the context of 2 Corinthians 5:21? Text of the Verse “God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God.” — 2 Corinthians 5:21 Immediate Context Paul is urging the Corinthian church to embrace their ministry of reconciliation (5:11-20). The climactic contrast of Christ “becoming sin” so believers “become righteousness” undergirds the gospel he proclaims (5:19-20). The structure is antithetical—His sinlessness vs. our sin, His becoming sin vs. our becoming righteousness—highlighting substitution. Christ “Knew No Sin” Scripture uniformly attests to Christ’s sinlessness (Isaiah 53:9; John 8:46; Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22). The verb “knew” (ginōskō) denotes experiential knowledge; He never participated in sin personally or dispositionally. This preserves His suitability as a spotless substitute (Exodus 12:5; 1 Peter 1:19). Old Testament Sacrificial Background • Day of Atonement: the scapegoat “bears” (nāśā’) Israel’s iniquities (Leviticus 16:21-22). • Guilt transfer by hand-laying (Leviticus 1:4; 4:15). • Isaiah 53:6, 10 — “the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all… You make His life a guilt offering.” Paul echoes this theology. Christ fulfills both sacrifices: He is the slain victim whose blood satisfies God’s justice (propitiation) and the sin-bearing scapegoat who removes guilt (expiation). Mechanism of Imputation Two reckonings occur: 1. Negative: Our sin is “counted” (logizomai) to Christ. cf. 2 Corinthians 5:19 “not counting their trespasses against them.” 2. Positive: His righteousness is “counted” to us, fulfilling Jeremiah 23:6 “The LORD our righteousness.” This judicial transfer is covenantal, not metaphysical; Christ never becomes a sinner in nature but bears the legal liability of sin. Likewise, believers do not become intrinsically omnirighteous at conversion, yet God credits Christ’s righteousness to their account (Romans 4:5-8; Philippians 3:9). Legal and Covenantal Framework Under biblical law a kinsman-redeemer (go’el) may satisfy a debt (Leviticus 25:47-49). The incarnate Son assumes humanity (Hebrews 2:14-17) to act as covenant head. Representatives may bear another’s guilt or righteousness (Joshua 7:24-25; 1 Samuel 17:4-11, 50-54). Paul applies that covenantal logic: Adam represents all humanity in judgment (Romans 5:12-19); Christ represents believers in justification. Parallel Pauline Passages • Romans 8:3 — “God… condemned sin in the flesh” by sending His Son “for sin” (peri hamartias = sin offering). • Galatians 3:13 — “Christ redeemed us… by becoming a curse for us.” • 1 Corinthians 1:30 — “Christ Jesus… became to us… righteousness.” All three echo the substitution-imputation pattern. Patristic and Reformation Witness • Athanasius: “He takes what is ours to impart what is His, making the sinless One sin for us.” • Augustine: “Not by sinning did He become sin, but by taking sin upon Him.” • Luther: “This is that wonderful exchange.” Consensus across centuries underscores the historic, catholic understanding of substitution. Theological Implications 1. Substitutionary Atonement: Christ stands in the sinner’s place. 2. Propitiation: Divine wrath satisfied (Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2). 3. Reconciliation: Hostility removed; relationship restored (2 Corinthians 5:18-20). 4. Sanctification’s Ground: Having been justified, believers grow into the righteousness already credited to them (Romans 6:1-14). Practical and Pastoral Application • Assurance: The objective, once-for-all transfer secures eternal salvation (Hebrews 10:14). • Humility: Righteousness is received, not achieved (Ephesians 2:8-9). • Evangelism: The ambassadorial call (2 Corinthians 5:20) flows from the finished work. • Holiness: Gratitude for substitution fuels ethical transformation (Titus 2:11-14). Common Objections Answered Q: Does “made sin” imply Christ became morally corrupt? A: No. The phrase is forensic. Scripture guards His sinlessness (Hebrews 7:26). He bears guilt externally, not internally. Q: Isn’t imputation “legal fiction”? A: God as Lawgiver declares legitimate transfers (Leviticus 16; Philemon 18). Union with Christ makes the reckoning ontologically grounded: believers are “in Him.” Q: Couldn’t God forgive without substitution? A: Divine justice must be satisfied (Nahum 1:3; Romans 3:26). The cross displays both God’s righteousness and mercy simultaneously. Concluding Summary “Became sin” in 2 Corinthians 5:21 means that the sinless Christ was constituted the sin-bearing sacrifice and judicial representative for sinners. Our guilt was imputed to Him; His righteousness is imputed to us. The phrase captures the heart of the gospel: substitutionary atonement accomplished by the incarnate Son, vindicated in His resurrection, and applied through faith, securing both God’s glory and the believer’s eternal joy. |
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