“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”
My Notes
What Does 2 Corinthians 5:21 Mean?
Paul makes the most concise statement of substitutionary atonement in the Bible. God made Jesus — who knew no sin — to be sin for us. The sinless one absorbed sin itself. The purpose: that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
The exchange is total. Christ takes our sin. We receive God's righteousness. It is not partial or proportional. The transaction is complete — his sinlessness for our sinfulness, our guilt for his standing.
"Who knew no sin" emphasizes that this was not a guilty person paying for guilt. It was an innocent person absorbing guilt voluntarily. The sacrifice is meaningful precisely because it was undeserved.
"Made the righteousness of God in him" is staggering. Believers do not merely receive forgiveness. They are made righteous — clothed in the very righteousness of God. Not their own earned goodness, but God's own character credited to their account.
Reflection Questions
- 1.How does the 'great exchange' — his sin for your righteousness — change how you see yourself before God?
- 2.What does it mean that Jesus was made sin, not just a sin-bearer?
- 3.Where are you still trying to earn righteousness rather than receiving it?
- 4.How does being 'made the righteousness of God' affect your confidence in approaching him?
Devotional
He hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin. Let that sentence break open slowly. The one who had no sin became sin. Not sinful — sin itself. He absorbed the whole weight of it.
The exchange Paul describes is so lopsided it barely makes sense. Jesus gives up his perfect standing. You receive God's own righteousness. He takes what you earned. You get what he earned. There is no negotiation, no merit on your part, no deserving.
That we might be made the righteousness of God in him. Not that you might try harder to be righteous. That you might be made righteous — by God, in Christ, as a finished transaction.
If you are still trying to earn your standing with God — still performing, still accumulating spiritual credit, still hoping the scale tips in your favor — this verse collapses the entire project. Your righteousness is not something you build. It is something you received when Jesus absorbed what you could not carry.
The exchange already happened. You are wearing his righteousness right now. The question is whether you believe it.
Commentary
Trusted original commentary from respected historical Bible scholars and theologians.
For he hath made him to be sin for us - The Greek here is, ‘for him who knew no sin, he hath made sin, or a sin-offering…
For he hath made him to be sin for us - Τον μη γνοντα ἁμαρτιαν, ὑπερ ἡμων ἁμαρτιαν εποιησεν· He made him who knew no…
In these verses the apostle mentions two things that are necessary in order to our living to Christ, both of which are…
For he hath made him to be sin for us Literally, He made, i.e. in the Sacrifice on the Cross. The word sinhas been…
Cross References
Related passages throughout Scripture