Audio commentary on this verse

Note 7 at Rom. 8:3: The law itself was not weak. In Romans 7:12 Paul said, "the law is holy, and the commandment holy, and just, and good." The law wasn't weak but our flesh (see note 3 at Rom. 7:18, p. 790) was. The law and our flesh were linked together like a chain, and a chain is no stronger than its weakest link. Our flesh was the weak link in the chain. Although the law was strong, it couldn't accomplish righteousness because of the weakness of our flesh.

Note 8 at Rom. 8:3: This is speaking of the flesh of Jesus. God placed the condemnation that was directed towards us upon the flesh of His Son Jesus.

As stated in note 7 at this verse, the law was strong enough to produce life if anyone would have been able to keep it, but our human flesh rendered us impotent. This was a dilemma. The law was ordained to life (Rom. 7:10), but no one could keep it (Isa. 59:16). So, God Himself became flesh (Jn. 1:14; 1 Tim. 3:16). He did what no sinful flesh had ever done. He kept the law thereby winning the life of God as the prize for keeping the law.

This granted Him eternal life but before He could give it to us, we still had a debt that had to be paid. This is similar to someone receiving the death penalty for some hideous crime, then some billionaire leaves his whole estate to him. It would do the condemned man no good. But if that same billionaire could somehow take that man's place and die for him, then he could go free and enjoy his new wealth. That's what Jesus did for us. He took our sins and gave us His righteousness.

Jesus did much more than just obtain eternal life for us, He also paid all the wages of our sins (Rom. 6:23). God literally placed the condemnation, or judgment, that was against us upon His own Son. Jesus' perfect flesh was condemned so our defiled flesh could go free. What a trade!!

Since Jesus bore our sentence (condemnation), we don't have to bear it. The debt has already been paid. It would be double jeopardy if we also had to bear any condemnation.