Galatians 3

David Lipscomb Commentary On Galatians 3Gal 3:1O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you,—[The Gala­tians were not naturally stupid, but they had not used their senses, else they would never have allowed themselves to be led into the absurd position in which they were found. The tone is not that of contempt, nor is it so much of indignation as of reproach. They had been subjected to an evil influence; a deadly fascination, like that of the “ evil eye” had fastened on their minds. Behind the spite of the Judaizers Paul recog­nized a malice and cunning like that with which “ the serpent beguiled Eve.” (2 Corinthians 11:3).]before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth cruci­fied?—His crucifixion had been clearly set forth before them. Paul well knew this as he had first preached among them, and here, as at Corinth, he says: “ I determined not to know any­thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2). Paul had fully and clearly set forth the death of Christ as the one hope of the world; that he died for our sins and rose again for our justification.Galatians 3:2 This only would I learn from you,—The churches gener­ally had spiritual gifts bestowed on them to guide and instruct them until the revelation of God’ s will was completed and col­lected for their guidance.

These Galatians, I take it from what he says, had received these miraculous gifts.Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—That is, through the provisions of the Jew­ish law or the faith in Jesus. It never occurred to Paul that the Spirit could be received through any other means than ei­ther the obedience to the Jewish law or by receiving the word of the Spirit into the heart.

God has chosen the word as the means through which he works. It is the seed of the king­dom. The things addressed to the eyes of the heart (Ephesians 1:18), to be accepted and obeyed, constituted the hearing of faith. He knew they had received these gifts through obedi­ence of the gospel. Jesus said: “ If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17).

The Holy Spirit was sent in the first place to the disciples who obeyed him and to none others, and the gifts and powers of the Spirit were distributed on the same conditions. Hence the question showed the folly of their course.Galatians 3:3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?—They had trusted in Christ and re­ceived the benefits and manifestations in the Spirit and were foolishly turning from “ the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” to the Jewish law with its “ carnal ordinances, imposed until a time of reformation.” (Hebrews 9:10).

The religion of Judaism depended upon the fleshly relations and fleshly ordi­nances and services, that of Christ on the Spirit.Galatians 3:4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain?—They in common with all Christians had suffered most severely for their faith in Christ. If they now turn to Judaism, they give up all that for which they suffered and say that the sufferings were need­less and vain. The chief persecution against Paul was be­cause he forsook Judaism. The Jews scattered throughout Gentile lands persecuted those who followed Christ. When Paul was arrested in Jerusalem and sent to Rome, it was at the instigation of the Jews. Luke says: “ The Jews from Asia, when they saw him in the temple, stirred up all the multitude and laid hands on him, crying out, Men of Israel, help: This is the man that teacheth all men everywhere against the people, and the law, and this place.” (Acts 21:27-28).

And Paul says: “ If I still preach circumcision, why am I still perse­cuted?” (Galatians 5:11). The offending of the Jewish law was the cause of the persecution. [These persecutions had failed to move them from their faith in Christ.

Would they now suc­cumb before the subtler methods of the Judaizers?]if it be indeed in vain.—[In this he shows that he is unwill­ing to believe that they had actually turned away from the faith, and that he hopes they will yet shake themselves free from the trammels of the false teachers. The question addressed to the Galatians addresses itself to the churches untrue to the spiritual principles that gave them birth. The faith of the apostolic church that endured so faith­fully the severe persecutions finally yielded its purity to the blandishments of wicked and designing men. The pioneers of the restoration movement of the nineteenth century staked their lives on a “ thus saith the Lord in faith and practice.” For this glorious principle they suffered bitter persecution and ostracism; and now that the victory is won, there are those among their children who scout the very idea of such a strug­gle and even ostracize those who “ contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3). And now that the victory is won, there are those of their children who are wholly indifferent and care nothing for the principles for which their fathers so nobly fought and suf­fered. Out of indifference and worldly pride they have aban­doned the spiritual heritage bequeathed to them.

Did their fathers suffer so many things in vain? Was it an illusion that sustained these faithful heroic souls, who through faith “ wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions?” Was it for nought that so many of Christ’ s faithful servants suffered the loss of all things rather than yield by subjection to a usurping and worldly clergy?

And can we who reap the fruits of their faith and courage afford, in these perilous times, to surrender the principles whose main­tenance cost our fathers so dear a price?]Galatians 3:5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit,—Paul him­self, no doubt, had been the person who ministered the Spirit to them. At Ephesus, a city in a neighboring province, he had laid hands on the twelve and they received the Holy Spirit. (Acts 19:1-16). He asked them: “ Did ye receive the Holy Spirit when ye believed?” which would indicate that it was common during the period before the New Testament scrip­tures were completed and collected, when persons were con­verted, to bestow upon them such gifts as were needed to bring to their minds the instructions given by inspired teach­ers. Paul bestowed gifts on these Galatian disciples.and worketh miracles among you,—This was a strong re­minder that he who opposed the turning to the law of Moses possessed the Spirit, ministered or distributed gifts of the Spirit, and wrought miracles in their midst.doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?—All the manifestations of the divine presence were connected with the hearing of faith, not with the works of the law, and came through those who opposed a turning to the Jewish law. These were God’ s testimonies in the behalf of faith.alatians 3:6 Even as Abraham believed God,—He goes back to Abra­ham to show that he was justified by faith and not by works of the Jewish law. God dealt with Abraham on the same principle that he deals with men under Christ.

He accepted no service from Abraham unless he did it through faith. Faith, as used in distinction from the works of the law, does not mean faith distinct from the works of the faith, or the obedience that pertains to faith.

But it is a distinction between the system of which faith is the leading, pervading principle, and the system of Moses in which certain works with faith secured the blessing.and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.—Abra­ham’ s faith was accounted to him for righteousness only after it had led him to give up the home of his childhood, his kin­dred, and friends to follow God, not knowing whither he went. In other words, it was faith perfected by works, the work of faith.Galatians 3:7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.—The Jews thought they were sure of salva­tion because they were Abraham’ s children after the flesh. John warned them: “ Think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.” (Matthew 3:9). Jesus said unto them: “ If ye were Abraham’ s children, ye would do the works of Abraham.” (John 8:39). Paul said: “ He is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh: but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” (Romans 2:28-29). These scriptures teach that Abraham’ s blood in the veins was of no avail in the way of salvation unless accompanied by Abraham’ s faith in the heart.

Under the reign of Christ, all who walk by faith are the true children of Abraham, and not those who are born of the flesh, and seek blessings by fleshly relations to Abraham. Many at the present day think that to be a member of the church will save them; but without the faith of the gospel, membership in the church cannot save.

Faithful obedience to the gospel alone can save.Galatians 3:8 And the scripture,—What God has promised is ascribed to the scripture itself, not simply because it is related in the scripture, but because the scripture, as inspired of God, is con­ceived as the organ of the Spirit of God. The same then is true of God’ s foreknowledge, from which the promise pro­ceeded.foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith,—[The present tense is used because this is the sole ground upon which God accepts any person at any time, and hence when he came to deal with Gentiles for their salvation he would take no other. From the scripture Paul has shown that Abraham had been justified by faith, and if their forefather according to the flesh, then surely the Jews likewise. But what of the Gen­tiles? He quotes scripture again to show that the Gentiles are to be accepted in the same way. He shall justify the cir­cumcision by faith, and the uncircumcision through faith. (Romans 3:20).

The change in the prepositions here is made to suit the different relation in which Jew and Gentile stood with God. The Jew had the divine law; if he could not be justified on the ground of his obedience to that, on what ground could he be justified?

On the ground of faith; by a personal appro­priation of the promises of God. The Gentiles, on the other hand, had no point of contact with God. By what means, then, could the Gentiles be justified? By the means of faith, for in due time the gospel would be preached to them also.]preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham,—[The words that follow, spoken to Abraham, anticipated the gospel, which is now preached as an accomplished fact. (Romans 1:2). In Abraham the family and nation were founded from which the promised Deliverer came; in Abraham also began a line of spiritual men whose characteristic is faith in God, and who are drawn from “ every nation and tribe and tongue and peo­ple.” (Revelation 14:6). These and not those who merely trace to him their descent “ after the flesh” are the true sons of Abra­ham.]saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed.—This was the promise of a coming Savior in Abraham’ s seed that would bless all nations. [The Gentiles as well as the Jews.

When this declaration of the purpose of God to bless mankind was first made in the form of a promise to Abraham, the human race had but recently begun to divide into separate groups, tribal and national, and the nation Israel had no existence. The developments among men in Genesis 11:1-9 were part of the purpose of God (Deuteronomy 32:8); along these lines he had de­signed that we should be prepared for the coming of his Son, and for the salvation promised.

To Abraham God imparted a knowledge of his purpose, and, indeed, of the agent of its ac­complishment. (John 8:56). When at length the nation Israel was brought into being; it became possible for him to reveal his mind to them with increasing distinctness. To Israel were the promises given, and to them “ were entrusted the oracles of God” (Romans 3:2), in which the promises were enshrined. But that “ all nations,” and not Israel only, were in the mind of God for salvation is plain from each grand division of the scriptures— the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms. (Romans 9:25-27; Romans 10:18-21; Romans 15:9-12).]Galatians 3:9 So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.—As Abraham secured the blessing through faith, all who believe as he did, whether Jews or Gentiles, will be blessed with him.Galatians 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse:—The sacrifices on the altar could make none of the sin­ners coming thereunto perfect as pertaining to the conscience. The sacrifices had no virtue to secure the forgiveness of sins. “ For it is impossible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins.” For “ in those sacrifices there is a re­membrance made of sins year by year.” (Hebrews 10:3-4). The same sins were remembered and atoned for ever year, and the sacrifices could not take them away, but rolled them forward from year to year; but finally “ Christ having come a high priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this creation, nor yet through the blood of goats and calves, but through his own blood, entered in once for all into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption.” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

Those then who are of the works of the law, who only depended upon these, were not freed finally from sin, even while the law was in force. Much less are they freed from sin by the law after it had been taken out of the way and superseded by Christ.

Not being made free from sin, they are under the curse and condemnation of the law.for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.—None kept the law perfectly, hence all who were under the works of the law were under a curse.Galatians 3:11 Now that no man is justified by the law before God, is evident:—This principle is continually repeated in the New Testament. And in the law they were justified, not by faith, but by doing the things commanded by the law. As there could be no justification without faith, there can be no justifi­cation by the law.for, The righteous shall live by faith:—This is frequently interpreted to mean that the justified shall live by faith only, but it does not mean that they shall live through believing separate from the obedience to which faith leads.Galatians 3:12and the law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.—Faith in God leads a man to obey the things commanded of God, and in doing these things he is blessed of God.Galatians 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having be­come a curse for us;—As all under the law are under condem­nation of the law for violating it, and as the blood of bulls and goats could never take away sin, but only rolled them forward and suspended the condemnation of the law from year to year until Christ came and suffered under the law and to finally take away their sins. [Christ’ s death was that of the most abandoned criminals. By the combined verdict of Jew and Gentile, of civil and religious authority, endorsed by the voice of the populace, he was pronounced a malefactor and blas­phemer. But this was not all. The hatred and injustice of men are hard to bear; yet many a sensitive man has borne them in a worthy cause without shrinking.

It was a darker dread, an infliction far more crushing, that compelled the cry: “ My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46). Against the maledictions of men Jesus might surely at the worst have counted on the Father’ s good pleasure.

But even that failed him. There fell upon his soul the death of death, the very curse of sin— abandonment of God! Men “ did esteem him stricken, smitten of God.” (Isaiah 53:4). He hung on the cross abhorred of men, forsaken of his God; earth all hate, heaven all blackness to his view. Are Paul’ s words too strong? God did in truth make him a curse for us. “ By the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23), Jesus was set in the place of condemned sinners, and allowed the curse of the wicked world to claim him for its victim. The Jewish Sanhedrin fell upon him for the purpose of declar­ing him accursed, they thus stigmatized him. They made the Roman governor and the heathen soldiers their instrument in crucifying their Messiah.

Pilate in his extremity cried out: “ Shall I crucify your King?” (John 19:15). “ But they cried out exceedingly, Crucify him.” (Mark 15:14). It was the de­sire of the Sanhedrin to lay on the hated Nazarene an ever­lasting curse.]for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:—This saying attached in the Jewish mind a peculiar loathing to the person of the dead thus exposed. Once crucified they thought the name of Jesus would surely perish from the minds and lips of men; no Jew would hereafter dare to con­fess faith in him. His cause could never surmount this ig­nominy. [This sentence of execration Paul has woven into a crown of glory. Paul freely admits that Jesus was hanged on a tree, crushed with reproach, and accursed, as his enemies said, but he was the long-expected Messiah and Savior. But the curse he bore was ours.

His death, unmerited by him, was the price of our redemption to ransom us from the curse of sin and death. We know that we were condemned by the law; that the sinless Christ came under the law’ s curse, and taking the place of sinners, he was “ made to be sin on our be­half; that we might become the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

He bore the inflictions incurred by our sins, and due to ourselves. Paul says, “ Christ redeemed us," think­ing of his Jewish kindred, on whom the law weighed so heav­ily— it was offered “ to the Jew first,” but not to him alone, nor as a Jew. The time of release had come for all men.]Galatians 3:14that upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abra­ham in Christ Jesus;—The Jews were taken from the law and, like Abraham, were to walk by faith. They were placed upon the same plane with the Gentiles. Jesus Christ was the seed of Abraham in whom all nations were to be blessed and that the Gentiles might become heirs of the blessings of Abraham by entering into Christ.that we—The we here refers to the children of Abraham through faith, whether Jew or Gentile. Christ coming and re­deeming those were under the law, and bearing their sirs for them, was the occasion of the blessings of Abraham being opened to the Gentiles as well as to the Jews. “ For he is our peace, who made both one, and brake down the middle wall of partition, having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; that he might create in himself of the two one new man, so making peace; and might reconcile them both in one body unto God through the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: and he came and preached peace to you that were far off, and peace to them that were nigh: for through him we both have our access in one Spirit unto the Father.” (Ephesians 2:14-17).might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.—With the coming of Christ had been promised the free and full outpouring of the Holy Spirit to lead men, as the follow­ing clearly shows: “ And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: and also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my Spirit.” (Joe 2:28-29).

This promise of the Spirit, Jesus repeated to his disciples: “ If ye love me, ye will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth.” (John 14:15-17). “ Nevertheless I tell you the truth.” : It is expedient for you that I go away; for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but ifI go, I will send him unto you.

And he, when he is come, will convict the world in respect of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: of sin, because they believe not on me; of righ­teousness, because I go to the Father, and ye behold me no more; of judgment, because the prince of this world hath been judged. . . . Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he shall guide you into all the truth.” (John 16:7-13). Joel’ s prophecy was quoted by Peter on the day of Pentecost as on that day fulfilled. (Acts 2:16-21). Galatians 3:15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men:—He speaks of what is regarded as sacred among men to illustrate the cer­tainty and sanctity of God’ s covenant with Abraham.Though it be but a man’ s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no one maketh it void, or addeth thereto.—If a covenant be but of man, if it be confirmed, no man adds to or takes therefrom. Much more, the conclusion is, if God makes a covenant and confirms it, it will stand unchanged. Now such a covenant was made by God with Abraham: “ For when God made promise to Abraham, since he could swear by none greater, he sware by himself, saying, Surely blessing I will bless thee, and multiplying I will multiply thee. And thus, having patiently endured, he obtained the promise. For men swear by the greater: and in every dispute of theirs the oath is final for confirmation. Wherein God, being minded to show more abundantly unto the heirs of the promise the immutabil­ity of his counsel, interposed with an oath; that by two im­mutable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we may have a strong encouragement, who have fled for refuge to lay hold of the hope set before us.” (Hebrews 6:13-18).

Now God had confirmed the covenant with Abraham by his own oath and it could not be added to or taken from.Galatians 3:16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed.—The promise made to Abraham and his seed was the basis of the covenant that God made with Abraham and his seed, and confirmed with an oath.He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.—The promise was: “ And the angel of Jehovah called unto Abraham a second time out of heaven, and said, By myself have I sworn, saith Jehovah, be­cause thou hast done this thing, and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son, that in blessing I will bless thee, and in multi­plying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heavens, and as the sand which is upon the sea-shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies; and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.” (Genesis 22:15-18). The promise was of the increase of the family referred to all his seed.

But the final outcome of the promise—“ In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed”— was the spiritual and everlasting blessing and re­ferred to Christ alone, and then through him to all the spiri­tual family of Abraham who shall be blessed in him. Abraham did not understand the meaning and reach of these promises. He expected temporal blessings to all his family. When God restricted these promises to the promised child of Sarah, “ Abraham said unto God, Oh that Ishmael might live before thee! And God said, Nay, but Sarah thy wife shall bear a son; and thou shalt call his name Isaac: and I will es­tablish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his seed after him. And as for Ishmael, I have heard thee: behold, I have blessed him, and will make him fruitful, and will multiply him exceedingly; twelve princes shall he beget, and I will make him a great nation.” ’ (Genesis 17:18-20).

God promised a large family and temporal blessings to Ishmael, but the everlasting covenant was made with Isaac and his seed. (Genesis 26:3). He repeats the promises of Abraham to Isaac. (Genesis 28:13-14).

This everlasting promise was re­peated to Jacob and his seed after him, excluding Esau, then to David’ s line. The promise was restricted as time progressed until possibly for the first time it is told by Paul that the promise continued in one seed, not seeds as of many, but one— Jesus Christ. And in him all the families of the earth may find a blessing.This much may be said of all the promises of God. When they fail as pertaining to earthly and temporal blessings, they find full and everlasting fulfillment in the spiritual blessings. Canaan was to be the earthly inheritance to the children of Is­rael. This promise failed as a temporal good because they sinned and transgressed the covenant they made with God.

But fleshly Israel and earthly Canaan typified spiritual Israel and heavenly Canaan. So this promise finds its complete and everlasting fulfillment in these great spiritual antitypes.

So the real covenant with Abraham is fulfilled in Christ. Galatians 3:17 Now this I say: A Covenant confirmed beforehand by God,—This covenant was confirmed by God to Abraham to be fulfilled in Christ. This covenant or promise was first made with Abraham when he was yet in Ur of the Chaldees. (Genesis 12:1-4).the law, which came four hundred and thirty years after,—The law was given by Moses four hundred and thirty years after this promise was made to Abraham. (Exodus 12:40). Many interpret this to mean that they sojourned in Egypt four hundred and thirty years. But they dwelt in tents and had no permanent habitation during their sojourn in Canaan and Egypt and in the wilderness from the call in Ur until the en­trance into Canaan after the Egyptian bondage.doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.—This law could not annul or make void the promise made four hundred and thirty years before it was given. The law of Moses did not confer blessings on all nations. It brought blessings only to the fleshly children of Abraham, or those who would enter the family as children of Abraham.

It pre­pared the children of Israel for bringing forth Jesus, and for presenting through him the blessing to the world; but the blessing could be bestowed upon all nations only through the taking out of the way of the law of Moses.Galatians 3:18 For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of prom­ise:—If the inheritance covenanted to all nations, in the prom­ise to Abraham, came through the law of Moses, that ren­dered the prior promises of none effect. [The fulfillment of the promise is unaffected by the law. For it is not dependent upon the law, or upon the law and the promise combined— the law modifying the promise— but upon the promise alone.

The law does not come in at all. Law and promise are incompati­ble ideas.]but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.—The land of Canaan was promised to Abraham as a free gift, and as a free gift the spiritual Canaan is thrown open to his spiritual descendants.Galatians 3:19 When then is the law?—If the promised blessing to all nations could not come through the law of Moses, what end or purpose did the law serve?It was added because of transgressions,—It was because the children of Israel transgressed the will of God and sinned that the law of Moses was added.till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made;—It was added because of the sins of the people, to train and fit and qualify them to receive the seed to whom the promise was made— Jesus Christ. This is exemplified in the travels of the children of Israel from Egypt to Canaan. They were brought to the border of Canaan. Had they been pre­pared to enter, they could have done so at once. By trans­gression they were unfitted to enter.

A sojourn in the wilder­ness of forty years was added to fit and prepare them to enter. They were not fitted for the blessing, so the law was added, that in obeying it they might be trained for the coming seed.

This may carry the idea that had Abraham’ s seed being faith­ful the promised seed would have appeared sooner. The transgression rendered them unfit to receive him, so his com­ing was postponed and the law was added to train and fit them for his coming.and it was ordained through angels by the hand of a media­tor.—Stephen said to the Sanhedrin: “ Ye who received the law as it was ordained by angels, and kept it not.” (Acts 7:53). And again, it is said: “ For if the word spoken through angels proved stedfast, and every transgression and disobe­dience received a just recompense of reward.” (Hebrews 2:2). These passages show that according to apostolic interpreta­tion God gave the law to Moses, not by speaking in his own person, but by speaking through angels whom he sent to Moses.Galatians 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.—A mediator does not mediate with one, but stands between two parties. God was one of the parties and the Jews the other between whom Moses was mediator.Galatians 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid:—Because the promises cannot be fulfilled through the law of Moses, does the law militate against the fulfillment of the promises?

By no means. Very frequently a thing that can­not accomplish an end may be helpful to place in a position that it can be reached.

Take Paul’ s illustration. Primary schools that teach no Latin, Greek, or higher mathematics can never teach those branches, yet they are necessary to prepare for the school that can teach them. So the law could not bring righteousness, but it could discipline and educate and fit them for the school that could make them righteous and re­ceive final forgiveness.for if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law.—If law could give life, righteousness would come by that law. Because there can be no life without righteousness, sin and death are indissolubly joined together, and righteousness and life in the nature and being of God. Hence, Christ came that he might save men from their sins, that he might save them from death. So eternal life was not promised under the law of Moses, because it could no free from sin and hence could not give life.

The blood of bulls and goats could never free from sin, could only roll forward the exemption until Christ came and by his blood took it away, so that there is no more re­membrance of sin.Galatians 3:22 But the scripture shut up all things under sin,—The scripture then regarded both Jew and Gentile as under sin. All sinned, the Jew under the law, the Gentile from under it, that all as sinners might come through faith to Jesus and re­ceive the forgiveness of sins, or might receive through faith the promises made to Abraham.that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.—Because they were to be fulfilled and could be enjoyed only in Christ Jesus.

So the Jews and the Gentiles could alike come to these promises through faith in Christ.Galatians 3:23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law,—Faith came with Christ. God dealt with Abraham by the law of faith; on account of sins he substituted the law of works through Moses. The law remained in force till Christ came and through him the law of faith was again restored as a means of justification. But before faith came in Christ Jesus, “ we [Jews] were kept in ward under the law”— kept under it as a child is kept under a tutor, directed and trained by him, fitted for the faith should afterward be revealed in Christ. So the law of Moses served as a tutor to fit and train the Jewish people, or those who kept it, for Christ. This was the mission of the law.

The Jews transgressed, fell away from God, and became so given over to the flesh and to the hardness of heart that they could not act from faith; but without faith the heart could not be purified nor the soul trust in God, so God placed them under the law of Moses to train them to obedience through the law of works, which required fleshly obedience to a law that controlled the actions of the body for temporal ends, but through this discipline gradually fitted men to exer­cise faith in Jesus Christ, and to lift up the spirit and prepare it to act on eternal motives in accord with spiritual laws.shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.—The law of works, while it served this purpose to the Jews to bring them to Christ, the same scriptures now help us as examples, and by the application in the Old Testament, to un­derstand the operation and application of the law of faith.Galatians 3:24 So that the law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.—So the law served as a tutor to train the Jews for Christ, that coming to him they might be justified, by faith in Jesus, and conform the life to the law of faith, given through Christ.Galatians 3:25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tu­tor.—But after they had been prepared to believe in Jesus Christ, and had come to faith through him, for they were no longer under the tutor that trained them for faith.Galatians 3:26 For ye are all sons of God,—Having come into Christ, they are now the sons of God through faith in Jesus Christ, not through the works of the Jewish law. [The “ ye are all” car­ries the emphasis of the sentence, and is directed against the distinction made by the Judaizing teachers between those be­lievers who had received circumcision and those who had not. The Jews stood in covenant relation with God before Christ came, the Gentiles did not; but whatever their former condi­tion, now all who trusted in Christ had been brought into a relationship with God far superior even to that of Israel be­fore Christ came.]through faith, in Christ Jesus.—[The point Paul is seeking to establish, and the idea is, sons of God in Christ Jesus, and made such, not by circumcision, but by faith.]Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.—This explains how faith made them the sons of God.

Faith had led them to follow Jesus— to put themselves under his leadership. In the commission, Jesus said to his dis­ciples: “ All authority hath been given unto me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the na­tions, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:18-19). To be thus baptized is to be baptized into Christ. In the passage before us, baptism is set forth as a part of the law of faith, and so far as being regarded by Paul as work that is condemned, it is put in contrast with the works of the law. He is contrasting the law of works under the Mosaic code with the law of faith.Galatians 3:28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek,—There is no differ­ence between Jew and Greek coming into Christ.

They all stand on an equal footing before God, and they must enter into Christ on the same terms.there can be neither bond nor free,—[Social distinctions do not obtain in Christ; the rich and the poor, the master and the slave, the wise and simple meet together in Christ to share a common salvation.] But entering into Christ did not destroy the distinction between master and slave. Each had duties growing out of his position and relation peculiar to himself after becoming Christians. (Colossians 3:22; Colossians 4:1).there can be no male and female;—Male and female are equally accepted in Christ, and without reference to that which distinguishes each, may enjoy the mercies and blessings of God in Christ.

This had not been so under the Jewish dis­pensation. It does not mean that all could indiscriminately perform,all the work and duties in the church. All men can­not occupy the same or similar positions. The husband is to be the head of the wife, and the wife is to be subject to him. (Ephesians 5:23-24; 1 Peter 3). Saying that husband and wife are one does not mean that there are no duties peculiar to each in the marriage relation. The wife is to bear children, guide the house, be a worker at home; the husband and father provides for, and is the head of, the family.

Men have obligations as men, from which women are exempted, and women, as women, that do not pertain to men.for ye all are one man in Christ Jesus.—All with the pecu­liarities that pertain to each are admitted into Christ on the same terms. [These distinctions of individuals outside of Christ appear as nonexistent, completely merged in that higher unity to which they were all raised in virtue of their fellowship in Christ, but in the definite sense of their relation as Christians, inasmuch as this unity was wholly dependent upon Christ, to all believers live and belong. (Galatians 2:20; 2 Corinthians 5:15; Romans 14:18).]Galatians 3:29 And if ye are Christ’ s, then are ye Abraham’ s seed, heirs according to promise.—If they were in Christ, they were made so by faith, and by faith they were Abraham’ s children. [The final conclusion of this profound, comprehensive varied, and terse reasoning, in proof of the assertion in verse 7, that the believers are the true children of Abraham, and consequently heirs by promise. (We must keep in mind that Christ is ex­pressly declared to be the seed of Abraham, verse 16). Union with Christ constitutes the true spiritual descent from Abra­ham, and secures the inheritance of all the Messianic blessings by promise, as against inheritance by law.] Verse 1 Galatians 3In this great chapter, Paul proceeded, after relating his confrontation with the apostle Peter, to expound the central theme of Galatians, which is Justification by the Faith of Jesus Christ. This chapter is considered by many commentators and theologians to be the stronghold of their doctrine that the subjective faith only of Christians is the ground for justification, notwithstanding the truth that not a single word in the chapter may legitimately be construed as teaching such a proposition. Some prior knowledge of Almighty God and the nature of his dealings with mankind will help to understand this chapter. From the days of Cain and Abel, one of whom was cursed and the other blessed, for the simple reason that the deeds of one were righteous and the deeds of the other were evil (1 John 3:12), and throughout the history of the patriarchs, and continuing down through the Jewish monarchy, where of various kings it is said that some “did that which was right and good in the eyes of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 14:2), and of others, that they “did that which was evil in the sight of the Lord” (2 Chronicles 33:2), with the result that some received God’s blessing and others did not, people’s obedience or disobedience to God’s commandments has been the primary and invariable determinator of their destiny. Not even the perfect salvation which Christians have received “in Christ” nullifies this basic law of God’s dealings with mankind. As Paul wrote the Corinthian church: For we must all be manifest before the judgment seat of Christ; that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he hath done, whether it be good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10). Any notion that Paul relaxed or countermanded this truth is erroneous. The relationship between the Jews and the Law of Moses, as contrasted with the relationship between the Christian and the “law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:2), lies only in this: (1) if the Jew did his best to live up to the law (and failed, as all must fail), he nevertheless stood condemned anyway; (2) but if the Christian does his best to keep all of the commandments of the gospel (failing in particulars, as all must fail), he is nevertheless justified and remains uncondemned, because through his identity with Christ “in Christ” and “as Christ,” the righteousness of Christ, with whom the true Christian is fully identified, stands in the stead of his own failure, saving his soul anyway. But in such a conception there is no relaxation whatever of the eternal rule that obedience to God is the sine qua non of salvation. In Christ, the obedience is provided by Christ, but certainly not on behalf of those who refused to obey, believed that they were not required to obey, or who through indifference and neglect never got around to obeying. The great fallacy of salvation by “faith only” is that it utterly removes from human hearts all concern whatever with regard to keeping the commandments of the Lord. Paul thunders the refutation of that fallacy throughout his writings, as in this example: Rest with us at the revelation of the Lord Jesus from heaven with the angels of his power in flaming fire, rendering vengeance to them that know not God, and to them that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus (2 Thessalonians 1:7-8). Furthermore, the necessity of obedience (to the fullest extent of human ability) in order to be saved, does not make man his own Savior; because the Christian, no more effectual than the Jew, is simply not able to give perfect compliance to God’s teachings. Thus, all salvation is by grace, without human merit, unearned and incapable of being earned. Despite this, how can any man be saved who has consciously rejected for himself any requirement whatever that God has enjoined upon man? On the basis that he merely believed? Even devils believe (James 2:19). Another fundamental truth regarding this chapter was enunciated by Halley, thus: Those Galatians had swallowed the Judaizers’ message so completely that they had instituted Jewish festival days and ceremonies (Galatians 4:8-11), evidently trying to combine the gospel with the Mosaic Law. Paul plainly tells them the two systems do not combine[1]The works vs. faith contrast in this epistle regards the incompatibility of Judaism and Christianity, and absolutely nothing else. The separation of subjective faith from Christian obedience with regard to the ground of justification is not under consideration at all, nor may a single line in the whole epistle be rightfully applied to such a proposition. ENDNOTE: [1] Henry H. Halley, Halley’s Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1927), p. 561. O foolish Galatians, who did bewitch you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly set forth crucified? (Galatians 3:1) “Jesus Christ and him crucified” was the burden of Paul’s preaching throughout every moment of his apostleship. The scholarly conceit that Paul only came to this method after failing with a different method at Athens is refuted by the fact that in Galatia, long before Paul came to Corinth, his message was the same. Foolish Galatians … By such an adjective, Paul did not violate the Saviour’s injunction in Matthew 5:22. It is the same word Jesus used in Luke 24:25."[2] Phillips’ translation renders this “You dear idiots,” and the New English Bible (1961) has “You stupid Galatians.” Who did bewitch you … ? Barclay declares that the word here means “the evil eye,” rendering it, “Who has put the evil eye on you?"[3] Still, it is wrong to suppose that Paul absolved the Galatians themselves from the blame. It was their stupidity that lay at the base of it. Jesus Christ was openly set forth … This is “from the Greek word [@prografein], used for putting up a poster.[4] This means that the dramatic story of Jesus’ crucifixion, burial and resurrection had been emphatically and publicly proclaimed. [2] William Sanday, Ellicott’s Commentary on the Holy Bible (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 440. [3] William Barclay, The Letters to the Galatians and Ephesians (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1954), p. 24. [4] Ibid., p. 26. Verse 2 This only would I learn from you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?It will be noted that “Law” has been capitalized throughout this chapter to indicate the one and only law Paul referred to throughout, meaning the Law of Moses. The commentators are less than candid when they use terminology that confuses this, as Dummelow, who said: “The apostle upbraids their speedy change from faith to legal observances,"[5] leaving room for the allegation that something other than the Mosaic Law is meant. The hearing of faith … This is a shameful rendition of a phrase which actually means “the obedience of faith."[6] As so frequently in the New Testament, faith must be understood as an obedient faith, as in Romans 1:5 Romans 16:26. “The hearing of faith” in this verse means exactly the same thing, as Macknight pointed out: Here, as in Galatians 3:5, it means “the obedience of faith,” as also in 1 Samuel 15:22 (LXX), “behold, obedience is better than sacrifice.” In like manner, the compound word means “disobedience,” as translated in Romans 5:19.[7]Cole is therefore absolutely wrong in rendering this “hearing and believing."[8] Foy E. Wallace decried the butchering of this text, saying flatly that it has “been bungled."[9] Of course, it was bungled on purpose to support a theory. Riddebos spoke of this passage as being “not easy to manage”;[10] and indeed it is impossible to manage it in such a manner as to make it support the “faith only” thesis, except by mistranslating it. The “obedience of faith” mentioned here at the head of the chapter makes it certain that Paul was dealing with a contrast between Judaism and Christianity, and not between two ways of understanding the gospel. [5] J. R. Dummelow, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: The Macmillan Company, 1937), p. 950. [6] James Macknight, Apostolical Epistles with Commentary and Notes (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1969), p. 139. [7] Ibid. [8] R. A. Cole, The Epistle of Paul to the Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1965), p. 89. [9] Foy E. Wallace, Jr., A Review of the New Versions (Fort Worth, Texas: The Foy E. Wallace, Jr., Publications, 1973), p. 442. [10] H. N. Ridderbos, The Epistles of Paul to the Churches of Galatia (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1953), p. 113. Verse 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now perfected in the flesh?In the Spirit … in the flesh … is another way of contrasting Judaism and Christianity, “the Spirit” being the endowment of all Christians, and “fleshly descent” being the total basis of Jewish confidence. But the constant manipulation of every text in the New Testament to fit the “faith only” notion must be maintained: “They received the Spirit by faith,"[11] as one declared, despite the fact that faith is not mentioned in this verse, and despite the further fact that nobody ever received the Spirit except in consequence of his believing, repenting and being baptized into Christ (Acts 2:38), or as Paul said a little later in this epistle, “Because ye are sons God has sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts” (4:6). The full meaning is: “Are you so foolish, after receiving the Spirit in consequence of your faithful obedience of the gospel, to think that Judaism can bless you in any manner?” ENDNOTE: [11] R. E. Howard, Beacon Bible Commentary (Kansas City, Missouri: Beacon Hill Press, 1965), Vol. IX, p. 55. Verse 4 Did ye suffer so many things in vain? if it be indeed in vain?Some translate “suffer” here as “experience” (New English Bible); but even if this is allowable, their experience would have included their sufferings. This writer agrees with Howard that this refers to the persecutions brought against them from the very first by the Judaizers. The whole passage, as Ramsay thought, points squarely at Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, Lystra and Derbe of the first missionary journey.[12]ENDNOTE: [12] William M. Ramsay, A Historical Commentary on St. Paul’s Epistles to the Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1965), p. 327. Verse 5 He therefore that supplieth to you the Spirit and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?Worketh miracles among you … “This is exactly the same phrase as in 1 Corinthians 12:10,"[13] and logically refers to the miracles which Paul himself had performed among them, notable examples of which, as Ramsay pointed out, were: (1) the healing of the lame man at Lystra (Acts 14:9), and (2) the signs and wonders done at Iconium (Acts 14:3). Of course, Ramsay identified “the Galatians” as those churches of Paul’s first missionary journey.[14]Works of law … hearing of faith … See under Galatians 3:2. [13] W. J. Conybeare, The Life and Epistles of St. Paul (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1966), p. 484. [14] William M. Ramsay, op. cit., p. 327. Verse 6 Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned unto him for righteousness.By the introduction of this great truth, Paul refuted the notion that the Law of Moses had had anything to do with the salvation of Abraham. Since Abraham was justified, or reckoned righteous in God’s sight, without regard to the Law of Moses, Abraham being the ancestor of every Jew on earth, why should any of his remote descendants, much less the Gentile Galatians, think to gain anything at all from it? The argument is profound and beautiful. Abraham believed God … Abraham’s faith, not his faith only but his obedient faith, was the basis of God’s reckoning him to be righteous. Of course, Abraham did not obey perfectly; but the whole compass of his life was lived out in a frame of obedience to God’s commands. The ridiculous postulations of the “faith only” advocates to the effect that, since Abraham was justified without obeying the Law of Moses (which never even existed until centuries after Abraham) and without circumcision (which also came long after God’s justification of him), therefore he was justified by “faith only” and without any obedience whatever, is just as illogical as it is ridiculous. The New Testament plainly reveals the time of God’s justifying Abraham in such places as the following: Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? (James 2:21 KJV). Was not Abraham our father justified by works, in that he offered up Isaac his son upon the altar? (James 2:21 English Revised Version (1885)). Despite the obvious attempt to soften this in the English Revised Version (1885) (to accommodate a theory?), the meaning shines through anyway; for it was not Abraham’s “mere faith” which resulted in justification, but justification was “by works.” It did not occur as soon as Abraham believed, but “in that he offered” Isaac. Both the Emphatic Diaglott and the Nestle Greek retain the “when.” And if these references should be thought of as insufficient, go back to Genesis. It is revealed that God “did test” Abraham’s faith (Genesis 22:1). There were many tests; but the great one was the command to offer up Isaac; and Abraham did so. He actually offered him and would have slain his son had not God interposed. And upon that occasion, God said: Now I know that thou fearest God, seeing that thou hast not withheld thy son, thine only son from me (Genesis 22:12). By such a declaration, God implied that until then, the issue of Abraham’s faith had not been settled. When Abraham met the test, God said, “Now I know.” Now the absurdity of supposing that today God saves people without any test whatever of their faith, and merely upon their supposition that they have had some kind of subjective experience of “faith,” is clearly evident. Exactly the same kind of divinely imposed test of every man’s faith in Christ was announced by none other than the Christ himself who declared, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:15-16); furthermore, in that passage, Jesus gave that as his own personal definition of the gospel. Let people scream about it if they will, the truth shines in the word of God; and may God protect all of us from the stupidity of the Galatians in turning away from it. “Works” as advocated in the New Testament as entering into Abraham’s justification should not be understood in the sense of any perfect obedience by Abraham to everything God commanded, for he palmed off his wife as his sister, and was doubtless guilty of other sins; but, in the all-important matter of meeting the final test of doing what God commanded instead of obeying his own human will, Abraham passed the test. Among Christians, it may be supposed, perfect obedience is not considered to be possible; but in basic tests such as complying with the divinely imposed preconditions of redemption, such tests must be passed by those who hope to enter eternal life. Also, Christians will not merit, earn, or deserve salvation any more than did Abraham. Verse 7 Know therefore that they that are of faith, the same are sons of Abraham.The grand argument is that Abraham was justified upon the exhibition of an obedient faith; and persons today who manifest an obedient faith through their acceptance of the gospel message and obedience to it are true children of Abraham “in Christ.” See under Galatians 3:16 Galatians 3:27. Verse 8 And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all the nations be blessed. So then they that are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham.Justify the Gentiles by faith … The New Testament meaning of the word “faith” has been grossly distorted by post-Reformation theologians. “Its meaning in the New Testament is most often faithfulness,"[15] which is the normal meaning of the word in the LXX, where the word never means trust/faith in the sense of the current usage of it.[16] “The normal meaning of faith in the Greek language is not trust/faith, but reliability, or fidelity."[17] Of course, anyone with a knowledge of Pauline teaching could not possibly believe that Paul here meant that the Gentiles were saved by trust/faith only. In the language in which Paul was writing, such a thought did not normally belong to the word at all. The gospel unto Abraham … The words “In thee shall all the nations be blessed,” immediately following, identify what Paul meant by the gospel preached to Abraham. The word nations in the promise to Abraham means “Gentiles,” who would be saved in exactly the same manner as Abraham, namely, by the “obedience of faith.” Paul elaborated that in verse 16, below. [15] George Howard, Article: “The Faith of Christ,” in Expositor Times, Vol. 7, pp. 212-214, April, 1974. [16] Ibid. [17] Ibid. Verse 10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one who continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.The human impossibility of any man’s doing “All the things of the law” rendered every man attempting to do so subject to the curse, here quoted from Deuteronomy 27:26. The Galatians, by fooling around with circumcision and Jewish festival, had inadvertently obligated themselves, under penalty of God’s curse, to keep the whole law, every jot and tittle of it, an achievement which only Jesus Christ accomplished. Verse 11 Now that no man is justified by the Law before God, is evident: for, The righteous shall live by faith; and the Law is not of faith; but, He that doeth them shall live in them.No man is justified by the Law … The reason this is true is cited in Galatians 3:10. There was another important indication of the same truth, which Paul then quoted from Habakkuk 2:4, “The righteous shall live by faith”; thus the prophets had borne testimony to the fact that the purpose of God, even in the Old Testament, was looking for an “obedient faith” in his children, and not merely for the legalistic type of rule-keeping which was the essence of the Law. The Law did not even require faith, as seen in the quotation Paul gave here from Leviticus 18:5, the meaning of which may be paraphrased, “No matter about faith; do the Law and live.” This was the essence of Judaism. See note 2, at the end of the chapter. Now regarding the conceit that would make Habakkuk say, “The righteous shall live by FAITH ONLY? such a meaning was never in any Old Testament usage of faith. As we have already observed, trust/faith or faith only simply did not pertain to the word in the Old Testament. Paul was here merely pointing out that, from the beginning, God had been interested in receiving “faithful obedience” from his followers, and not a mere faithless rule-keeping. We might add that the meaning of trust/faith or faith only is also foreign to the meaning of the word in the New Testament, or even in the Greek language, as Professor Howard has so effectively demonstrated. There was still another sense in which the Law was a curse, and Paul quickly pointed that out. Verse 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree.The quotation is from Deuteronomy 21:23; and, since Christ was crucified on “the tree” the curse of the Law rested upon the Saviour and Redeemer of all mankind, and this in spite of the fact that Jesus our Lord was the unique and only person of all time who ever kept the totality of the Law in perfection. Cole was doubtless correct in seeing in this verse a rough parallel with 2 Corinthians 5:21, where it is declared that “God made him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf.” Only by his crucifixion and suffering “without the camp” could the holy prophecies have been fulfilled by the Lord. Verse 14 That upon the Gentiles might come the blessing of Abraham in Christ Jesus; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.In Christ Jesus … This is the cornerstone and foundation of the gospel Paul (and all the apostles) preached. The Gentiles will be blessed, along with Abraham, “in Christ,” thus becoming technically part of Christ’s spiritual body, therefore truly of “the seed singular” of Abraham, which is Christ. See under Galatians 3:16, where Paul elaborated this. Through faith … Every scholar on earth knows that the article precedes “faith” in this place in the Greek New Testament, and that the only honest translation is “through the faith,” meaning through the Christian religion. See Emphatic Diaglott, Nestle Greek Text, or any dependable Greek-English rendition of the New Testament. Foy E. Wallace also pointed this out. The attempted perversion of the meaning of this chapter is so extensive as to be phenomenal. The last thing on earth that this passage could mean is that the Gentiles shall be saved through trust/faith alone, which by any definition can be nothing but a subjective personal experience without any merit or trustworthiness whatever. Verse 15 Brethren, I speak after the manner of men: though it be but a man’s covenant, yet when it hath been confirmed, no man maketh it void, or addeth thereto.Paul is here still exposing the sinful arguments of the Judaizers, who despite the fact of Abraham’s being accounted righteous by God, long before the giving of the Law, were insisting that God, in a sense, had amended the requirements of righteousness by the addition of the Mosaic Law. This Paul denied on the basis that, even in the case of a human covenant, it could not be altered by one of the parties after it had been ratified and confirmed, thus demonstrating the proof that God’s covenant with Abraham was founded, not upon his keeping the Law (which never existed until centuries afterward), but upon God’s promise made long before the Law came into being. The application of this is the same as that Paul pointed out in verses 6ff, namely, that if the ancestor of all Jews was redeemed without the Law, there could be no earthly use of anyone’s keeping it. Covenant … For extended remarks on the use of this word in the New Testament, see my Commentary on Hebrews, Hebrews 9:16-17. Verse 16 Now to Abraham were the promises spoken, and to his seed. He saith not, And to seeds as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed which is Christ.“There is in this verse a sense of the corporate meaning of Christ, as in 1 Corinthians 12:12,[18] where is mentioned “the body of Christ” inclusively of all the redeemed. Christ is again called the “seed singular” inGalatians 3:19. This is the verse that tells “how” the Gentiles, and even the saints of the Old Testament, are saved. They are saved “in Christ,” there being this correspondence between the manner of their salvation and our own, namely, that both for them and for us, the basis of it was “the obedience of faith,” notwithstanding the tests for them were not the same as the test which those under the New Covenant must meet. For us, the manner of our being “in Christ” is dogmatically declared to be the baptism of believers “into Christ,” as Paul would forcefully show a moment later (Galatians 3:27). Howard thought this verse was “an afterthought”;[19] Hendriksen spoke of “its being a bit of rabbinical casuistry (equivocal reasoning), ingenious perhaps, but unconvincing”;[20] Coad labeled it a “parenthesis”;[21] and on, and on. Clearly there is no help from the majority of commentators on this verse. Nevertheless, it is the key verse of the entire third chapter. This eliminates completely the nonsense about being saved “by faith only,” by making it clear that all salvation is “in Christ,” a principle which Paul repeated 169 times in his writings! It is tragic that people would prefer to label the apostle Paul as “an equivocator” rather than face the unwelcome truth of this passage. [18] Everett F. Harrison, Wycliffe Bible Commentary (Chicago: Moody Press, 1971), p. 707. [19] R. E. Howard, op. cit., p. 62. [20] William Hendriksen, New Testament Commentary on Galatians (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1968), p. 134. [21] F. Roy Coad, A New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1969), p. 134. Verse 17 Now this I say: a covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years after, doth not disannul, so as to make the promise of none effect.This was Paul’s repetition for the sake of emphasis of the argument already delivered above. Four hundred and thirty years … For comment on the variation in this figure from that given by Stephen inActs 7:6, see my Commentary on Acts 7:5-8. Paul used the figure also found in the LXX, and Stephen used a round number. Verse 18 For if the inheritance is of the Law, it is no more of promise: but God hath granted it to Abraham by promise.This is based on the profound truth that “all the nations” shall be blessed in the “seed singular” which is Christ. Any salvation allegedly derived from keeping the Law of Moses would, of course, nullify and countermand this promise. Verse 19 What then is the Law? It was added because of transgressions, until the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; and it was ordained by angels through the hand of a mediator.The Law of Moses expired by limitation when Christ came, because it was given only “until” that event. Because of transgressions … Paul elaborated the fuller meaning of this in Romans 3:19 ff; and for discussion of the utility of the Law see my Commentary on Romans. The great service of the Law was to demonstrate that all people are sinners (even the Jews), a fact many of them were loath to admit. Verse 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one; but God is one.This writer will spare the reader any exegesis of this verse. The full or even approximate meaning of it is unknown; and as proof of that, it must be pointed out that Huxtable said there are literally hundreds of interpretations;[22] McGarvey said, “This verse has been interpreted in more than three hundred ways;[23]and Ridderbos declared that “There are four hundred and thirty interpretations of Gal 3:20."[24] It only remains to be added that this writer has never seen an interpretation of it that is wholly satisfactory. [22] E. Huxtable, The Pulpit Commentary (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1950), Vol. 20, p. 138. [23] J. W. McGarvey, The Standard Bible Commentary (Cincinnati, Ohio: The Standard Publishing Company, 1916), p. 268. [24] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 139. Verse 21 Is the Law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there could have been a Law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the Law.The impossibility of even God’s Law making people righteous derived from the weakness and frailty of human beings. The helplessness of mankind is implicit in this, that man alone unaided, is simply incapable of fully measuring up to God’s perfect and holy standard. Glorious is the thought, therefore, that Christ did it for all people who will receive and obey him. Christ fulfilled all of God’s Law perfectly; and then, through the device of setting up an extra-literal “body,” called in the New Testament “the body of Christ,” into which people upon believing, repenting and being baptized are enrolled, thus becoming in a true sense “Christ,” and therefore “in him,” achieving saving righteousness. That is what is meant by “the righteousness of God in Christ.” This is a genuine righteousness, not an imputed thing at all, except by the device of the corporate body of Christ.

The present-day notion of God in some manner “injecting righteousness,” or imputing righteousness to sinners upon the basis of mere faith is incorrect, because “faith only” bypasses the corporate body of Christ, which is his church. This means that it bypasses the “seed singular” who is Christ! Verse 22 But the Scripture shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.As rendered here, this verse makes no sense whatever, for the paraphrase of the latter part of it is, “that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that have faith! What then, is the true rendition? The Authorized Version gave the correct translation thus: “That the promise by the faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.” Even without the authority of the KJV, however, it is absolutely clear that sinner’s faith is in the last clause of this verse, and it has to be the “faith of Christ” in the preceding clause. The faith that saves is never that of the sinner, but that of Christ. Only his faith was perfect, and only his faith was perfectly obedient. In the ultimate sense, there is nothing that any sinner can either believe or perform that is capable of justifying him in the eyes of Almighty God, except in the limited and secondary sense of his “obedience of faith” upon his believing and being baptized, these being prerequisites of his salvation, and thus, in that lower sense, justifying him. See note 3, at the end of this chapter. Thus, the full meaning of Gal 3:22 is that the “promise of sharing in the perfect faith and obedience of Christ (called the faith of Christ) might be given to them that believe.” Thus, the faith only concept is wrong on two counts: (1) the notion that it is the sinner’s imperfect faith that saves, and (2) the proposition that faith should be understood as meaning “faith only.” Not even Christ’s faith was “faith only,” for he was obedient in all things, becoming “unto all them that obey him, the author of eternal salvation” (Hebrews 5:9). Shut up all things under sin … One great purpose of the Law of Moses was to convict Israel of sin and make the nation conscious of their need of salvation from it. As used by them, however, it became a source of greater pride than ever on their part. The Law’s holy commandments were nullified, expanded, contradicted and perverted in countless ways; as Jesus himself revealed to them, “(You) make void the word of God by your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things ye do” (Mark 7:13). If Israel had properly responded to the Law by realizing and confessing their inability to keep it, and the crying need of their souls for redemption from sin, there would have been a far different attitude on their part when the true Messiah came. That favorable attitude looking to the coming of the Redeemer, however, did not develop in Israel to any great extent, thus frustrating the purpose of the Law to prepare people for Christ. Verse 23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the Law, shut up unto faith which should afterwards be revealed.The figure of speech here is that of a jailer keeping his prisoners shut up. The Law could not save people, and the hope of deliverance from the sin which the Law could not forgive could be realized only by the coming of the Holy One. Verse 24 So the Law is become our tutor to bring us unto Christ that we might be justified by faith.This verse should be read with careful attention to Galatians 3:23, where Paul mentioned “the faith that should afterward be revealed.” As Howard said, “The coming of faith (Galatians 3:23) here relates to the objective and historical coming of Christ on his redemptive mission and not to the repeated and subjective experience of believers."[25] Furthermore, what “faith” certainly means in Galatians 3:23, it means exactly the same thing in Galatians 3:24. The Law is become our tutor … This rendition is unfortunate, for “The Law was our schoolmaster (tutor) to bring us unto Christ” (KJV) is far better. The Law of Moses is not in this dispensation, in any sense whatever, “our tutor.” Although the Greek will bear the translation “has become our tutor,"[26] it is clear from Galatians 3:25, below, that Christians are not under it. The translators need to do a little further work on this verse, for neither “schoolmaster” nor “tutor” conveys the thought of the Greek, where the word is “pedagogue.” “He was not a schoolmaster (nor a tutor), but the servant who had the care of the children to lead them to and bring them back from school, and had care of them out of school hours."[27] Thus it is clear that the character Paul used as a comparison with the Law did not teach anything. Justified by faith … Exactly like Paul used “faith” in the preceding verse as a reference to historical Christianity, he used it here. A better rendition of it would be “justified by the faith.” As frequently in Paul’s writings, “faith” is used extensively as a metaphor (synecdoche) of the religion of Christ, or the primary steps of obedience. As invariably in the New Testament, “faith” in such a context means “the obedience of faith.” [25] R. E. Howard, op. cit., p. 66. [26] Alfred Marshall, The Interlinear Greek-English New Testament (The Nestle Greek Text) (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1958), p. 749. [27] Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Holy Bible (New York: Carlton and Porter, 1829), Vol. VI, p. 401. Verse 25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor.See under Galatians 3:24 for discussion of this. Note that “faith” is still being used in the sense of the historical arrival of the Christian religion, having no reference at all to subjective trust/faith of individuals. The total separation of Christianity from the Law is here dramatically stated with the comparison to a “pedagogue” no longer needed. Verse 26 For ye are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.Note that we have omitted the commas (RSV) which serve no purpose and even hinder the meaning. It has already been noted that Paul in this section is using “faith” in the sense of historical Christianity, the same usage being continued here. Macknight translated this verse correctly thus: “For ye are all sons of God through the faith published by Christ Jesus."[28] That this meaning is mandatory is clear enough from the whole context. As Cole remarked with reference to theology itself, “it is nothing more than ordinary rules of grammar and logic applied to the text of Scripture."[29] It has long been apparent that it is not a knowledge of the Greek, but of the grammar, that leads to an accurate understanding of the New Testament. [28] James Macknight, op. cit., p. 161. [29] R. A. Cole, op. cit., p. 87. Verse 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ.Baptized into Christ … is here used in exactly the same manner that “Faith” was in the preceding verse, that is, as a synecdoche for the primary steps of accepting the gospel and becoming a Christian; and by the use of it, Paul testified to the essentiality of it. It violates the rules of grammar to use in such a synecdoche any non-vital, unnecessary or unessential part to stand for the whole. Yet there is a difference between “faith” and “baptism,” for here it is declared that people are baptized “into” Christ, a declaration nowhere existing in the New Testament with regard to “faith.” As many of you as were baptized into Christ … is only another way of saying that “all of the Galatians” had been so baptized. Howard was certain “that this refers to the initiatory rite of water baptism."[30] Ramsay correctly read Paul’s meaning here as follows: “Beyond all doubt Paul considered that, practically, to become a part of Christ implied membership in the church of Christ."[31] The use of “As many of you …” means that any who might not have been baptized were not in Christ. Ridderbos was correct in seeing this verse “as a limitation on the preceding verse,"[32] making the “ye all” of Galatians 3:26, to be modified and restricted to those who had received Christian baptism, thus clearly denying that any persons whomsoever had believed themselves into Christ without being baptized as Jesus commanded. Of course, there are trainloads of books coming off the presses every month denying the obvious truth of this verse; and among the countless objections alleged against the truth, perhaps the most common is that “Well, not everyone who is baptized is saved.” Such an error is due to a misunderstanding of the pre-requirements of baptism, faith and repentance. Now, any person being immersed without those vital prerequisites to baptism is not baptized at all, but merely wet. It must be confessed that perhaps there are those who have thus been immersed without being saved; but nobody was ever saved without being immersed. See note 1, at the end of the chapter. [30] R. E. Howard, op. cit., p. 67. [31] William M. Ramsay, op. cit., p. 386. [32] Herman N. Ridderbos, op. cit., p. 147. Verse 28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for all are one man in Christ Jesus.Every possible kind of racial, economic and sex distinction finds its great equalizer “in Christ.” The bond of love and fellowship in the Lord is sufficiently strong to contain all outward differences among God’s children. Verse 29 And if ye are Christ’s then are ye Abraham’s seed, heirs according to the promise.This is not merely a continuation of the argument Paul has been making, but it is continued into Galatians 4. The true seed of Abraham (in the plural sense) are all of those who, believing the gospel, have been baptized into Christ, comprising in their corporate totality the seed singular which is Christ, in the sense of his spiritual body. This enabled the Gentiles to be accounted the true seed of Abraham, bypassing the Law of Moses altogether, thus inheriting through the promise to Abraham (Genesis 12:3 Genesis 18:18 Genesis 22:18). Huxtable has this pertinent observation on this final verse of the chapter: Those who believe in Christ and are baptized in him are to be understood as here being affirmed to be “Abraham’s seed,” because, being clothed with Christ, they share his position. “Heirs …” They are heirs, not of Abraham, but of God; for the idea connects to that of the sonship to God (Galatians 3:26), of believers in Christ.[33]NOTE 1: ON Galatians 3:27 Observations under Galatians 3:27 are not intended as a presumption that any mortal knows the mind of God (1 Corinthians 2:16), or the ultimate judgment of the Almighty regarding any man’s destiny; for God is too wise to make a mistake and too good to do wrong. The whole province of judging is denied to Christians (Matthew 7:1); on the other hand, the observations under Galatians 3:27, and throughout this series, are merely a conscientious effort to read what seems to be the clear and unequivocal meaning of the sacred New Testament itself. It was Christ who said, “He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved” (Mark 16:16), and the antithesis of that bold promise justifies the deductions offered under Galatians 3:27. The New Testament is all that people have as the basis of eternal hope; and it is in that frame of reference alone that people have any right to express opinions or form judgments of what is truth. The Lord has promised eternal life conditionally, and only God could change the conditions. Upon behalf of many precious souls, apparently devoted, spiritual and praiseworthy in so many ways, who have decided to trust God for salvation regardless of their refusal to comply with the conditions, and in many cases, even admit that there are any conditions, let it be said that only God knows if he will or will not find a way for them to whom he has made no promise in the New Testament. The clear and, in a sense, dogmatic interpretations which have been attempted in this series regard only what has been revealed in the New Testament and do not presume to judge the eternal destiny of any fellow-mortal whomsoever, the sole purpose being that of persuading people to accept the salvation of God in Christ upon the condition of their exhibiting “the obedience of faith” (to the best of their intention and ability), the same being the only condition upon which God has promised (in this dispensation) to give any man eternal life. The presumption to affirm what the one true and Almighty God will do for us sinners-all, over and beyond what he has promised to do, simply does not lie within the boundaries of the purpose of these studies. NOTE 2: NOT BY LAWThe term “Law” was capitalized throughout this chapter to indicate that the Law of Moses was the opposite of Christianity which Paul was discussing. In two or three places in this chapter, however, Paul used “law” in a sense that many scholars interpret to be more extensive than the Law of Moses only, the logic of such interpretations being clear enough. No doubt Paul’s using the “law” in that wider application was for the purpose of including any human law, code of ethics, or system of rules as also being powerless to give justification. Certainly, it is a necessary deduction that if the sacred and divine Law of Moses could not do it, then no lesser system of law whatever could do so. However, the deduction of theologians to the effect that grace abolishes “all law” is sinful and presumptuous as any religious error ever advocated among people. Paul flatly declared: “Do we then make law of none effect through faith? God forbid: nay, we establish law!” (Romans 3:30). It should be observed that in this quotation the English Revised Version (1885) margin has been followed, giving “law” the wider sense of meaning, being in no way a reference to the Law of Moses. So there is a law which faith establishes; and the nature of it is revealed in the New Testament, as follows: The law of faith (Romans 3:27). The law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:2). The perfect law (James 1:25). The royal law (James 2:8). The law of liberty (James 2:12). So fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). In the light of the above passages, it is futile to think of being “under grace and not under law,” unless the meaning excludes the law of Christ which every Christian is under. See “The Law of Christ” under Galatians 6:18. Furthermore, when the author of Hebrews spoke of the abolition of the Law of Moses, he did not say that all law had been abolished, but that “there was of necessity a change of the law”! (Hebrews 7:12). It is that change which Paul discussed in the above chapter, the change from the Law of Moses to the Law of Christ. One other extremely important consideration is due in this context. If grace has abolished law, then there is no such thing as sin! “Sin is not imputed where there is no law” (Romans 5:13). “Where there is no law, neither is there transgression” (Romans 4:14). “For sin is the transgression of the law” (1 John 3:4). It is clear then that the interpretation of Rom 6:14, “For ye are not under the law, but under grace,” if applied to the higher law of the Saviour, becomes the Magna Carta of antinomianism. NOTE 3: THE FAITH OF CHRISTThis chapter states no less than three times that it is the faith of Christ which saves and justifies, as utterly distinguished from the false notion that it is the sinner’s faith which does this. This is in perfect consonance with an extensive body of New Testament teaching to the same effect, as witness the following: (Most of the following is from the KJV.) Even the righteousness of God through faith of Jesus Christ unto all them that: believe; for there is no distinction (Romans 3:22). That he might be just and the justifier of him that is of the faith of Jesus (Romans 3:26) A man is justified not by the works of the law but through faith of Jesus Christ, even we who believed on Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ and not by the works of the law (Galatians 2:16). It is no longer I that live, but Christ liveth in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God who loved me, and gave himself for me (Galatians 2:20). But the Scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe (Galatians 3:22). In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him (Christ) (Ephesians 3:12). And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith (Philippians 3:9). The failure of the English Revised Version (1885) to render these passages according to their true meaning is one of the most deplorable errors in any translation ever distributed. Not only do the KJV and the best modern scholarship testify to the true rendition; but in those instances marked with an asterisk (above), the context itself reveals the meaning to be certainly not that of the sinner’s faith in Christ, since the sinner’s faith is specifically mentioned in the succeeding clauses. A full dissertation on this exceedingly important truth is given in my Commentary on Romans, Romans 3:22 ff.

ENDNOTE: [33] E. Huxtable, op. cit., p. 147.

“THE EPISTLE TO THE "

Chapter Three

IN THIS CHAPTER

1. To perceive how we are clearly justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law

2. To understand why the Law was given, what purpose it served, and how long it was to last

3. To appreciate the purpose of baptism as it relates to becoming sons of God

SUMMARY With a defense of his apostleship behind him, Paul spends the next two chapters defending the gospel he received by revelation. It is a gospel which proclaims justification by faith in Christ, not by keeping the works of the Law. As support, Paul begins by providing a personal argument, asking the Galatians to recall how they themselves had received the Spirit, and from Whom. That it came not by the works of the Law but through the hearing of faith should be obvious to them. If they were so begun in the Spirit, why seek to be made perfect by the flesh (Galatians 3:1-5)?

For his next argument, Paul appeals to the Scriptures. First, Genesis 15:6 reveals that Abraham’s faith was accounted to him as righteousness, and Genesis 12:3 foretold that in Abraham all the nations would be blessed. Therefore, those who are of faith are sons of Abraham and blessed along with him (Galatians 3:6-9). As for the Law itself, the Scriptures reveal that those who are of the works of the Law are under a curse, while proclaiming that the just shall live by faith (Deuteronomy 27:26; Habakkuk 2:4). Christ, however, has redeemed us from the curse of the Law and made it possible for the blessing of Abraham to come upon the Gentiles, especially that the promise of the Spirit might be received through faith (Galatians 3:10-14).

Continuing in his argument from the Scriptures, Paul reminds them that the covenantal nature of the promise made to Abraham means it cannot be broken. Therefore, the promise (along with its inheritance) to Abraham and His “Seed” (Christ) remained firm, even when the Law came along 430 years later (Galatians 3:15-18). What was the purpose of the Law then? Paul answers that it was added because of transgressions until the Seed (Christ) should come. It was not against the promises of God, but because it could not provide life itself, it served the purpose of confining all under sin until the promise by faith in Jesus could be given to those who believe (Galatians 3:19-22). Thus the law served to keep them under guard, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. To put it another way, it was like a tutor leading them to Christ where they could be justified by faith. Once faith had arrived, the tutor was no longer over them (Galatians 3:23-25).

Paul then proceeds with a practical argument to prove we are justified by faith in Christ, which will be continued on into the fourth chapter. Through faith they have become sons of God in Christ, for in being baptized into Christ they had put on Christ (Galatians 3:26-27). Being in Christ, they are now one in Him, with all racial, social, and sexual distinctions removed as it pertains to salvation. Being in Christ also makes them Abraham’s seed and thereby heirs according to promise God made to him (Galatians 3:28-29).

OUTLINE

I. BY FAITH: THE (Galatians 3:1-5)

A. HOW THEY THE SPIRIT (Galatians 3:1-4)

1. Paul’s concern that they have been misled (Galatians 3:1)
2. Did they received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, or by the works of the Law? (Galatians 3:2)
3. Having begun the Christian life in the Spirit, did they expect to be made perfect by the flesh? (Galatians 3:3)
4. Would this not make their previous suffering in vain? (Galatians 3:4)

B. FROM WHOM THEY THE SPIRIT (Galatians 3:5)

1. Consider the One who supplies the Spirit and works miracles among them (Galatians 3:5 a)
2. Does He do it by the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith? (Galatians 3:5 b)

II. BY FAITH: THE (Galatians 3:6-25)

A. THE EXAMPLE OF ABRAHAM (Galatians 3:6-9)

1. Abraham’s faith was accounted to him for righteousness (Galatians 3:6)
2. Those who are of faith are sons of Abraham (Galatians 3:7)
3. As foretold by Scripture, God would justify the nations by faith (Galatians 3:8)
4. Thus, those of faith are blessed along with believing Abraham (Galatians 3:9)

B. THE CURSE OF THE LAW (Galatians 3:10-14)

1. Those who live by the works of the Law are under a curse (Galatians 3:10)
2. The Old Testament proclaimed that one would be justified by faith, and not by the Law, which itself was based upon works (Galatians 3:11-12)
3. Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the Law, by His death on the cross (Galatians 3:13)
4. Making it possible for Gentiles to receive the blessing of Abraham in Christ, in particular the promise of the Spirit which is received through faith (Galatians 3:14)

C. THE OF THE PROMISE OVER THE LAW (Galatians 3:15-18)

1. The Law, given 430 years after the promises to Abraham, did not nullify the covenant and its promises that God made with Abraham and His “Seed” (Galatians 3:15-17) a. Just as a man’s covenant is not to be broken or added to it (Galatians 3:15) b. God made promises to Abraham and His “Seed”, that is, Christ (Galatians 3:16) c. The Law cannot annul the covenant God confirmed with Abraham, so as to make the promise of no effect (Galatians 3:17)
2. If the inheritance was based the Law, then it is no longer based upon a promise; but it is obvious that God gave the inheritance by promise, not by the Law (Galatians 3:18)

D. THE PURPOSE OF THE LAW (Galatians 3:19-25)

1. It was added because of transgressions, till the Seed should come (Galatians 3:19-20)
2. The Law was not against the promises of God, but served to confine all under sin until the promise by faith in Jesus could be given to those who believe (Galatians 3:21-23)
3. The Law served as a tutor, leading people to Christ, where they could be justified by faith and eliminating the need for a tutor (Galatians 3:24-25)

III. BY FAITH: THE (Galatians 3:26-29)

A. THEY BECAME SONS OF GOD BY FAITH IN CHRIST JESUS (Galatians 3:26-27)

1. It was through faith in Jesus they became sons of God (Galatians 3:26)
2. For by being baptized into Christ (an act of faith), they had put on Christ (Galatians 3:27)

B. THEY ARE ONE IN CHRIST, AND THUS ABRAHAM’S SEED (Galatians 3:28-29)

1. In Christ, there is no distinction, they are all one (Galatians 3:28)
2. In Christ, they rightfully become Abraham’s seed, and thus heirs according to the promise (Galatians 3:29)

REVIEW FOR THE CHAPTER

1. What are the main points of this chapter?

• Justification by faith: The personal argument (Galatians 3:1-5)
• Justification by faith: The scriptural argument (Galatians 3:6-25)
• Justification by faith: The practical argument (Galatians 3:26-29)

2. What was Paul afraid had happened to the Galatians? (Galatians 3:1)

• Someone had “bewitched” them, so that they should not obey the truth

3. To demonstrate that they were justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law, what did Paul ask them? (Galatians 3:2)

• How did they receive the Spirit? By the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?

4. What did Paul consider foolish on their part? (Galatians 3:3)

• Having begun in the Spirit, trying to be made perfect by the flesh (i.e., the Law)

5. To further show that they were justified by faith, what did Paul ask them? (Galatians 3:5)

• How did the One who supplied the Spirit, and worked miracles among them, do it? By the works of the Law, or by the hearing of faith?

6. What was accounted to Abraham for righteousness? (Galatians 3:6)

• That he believed God

7. Who are the true sons of Abraham? (Galatians 3:7)

• Those who are of faith

8. What did the Scripture foresee that God would do? (Galatians 3:8)

• Justify the nations by faith

9. What is the condition of those who are of the works of the Law? (Galatians 3:10)

• They are under the curse

10. What did the Old Testament say that makes it evident no one is justified by the Law? (Galatians 3:11)

• “The just shall live by faith”

11. What did Christ do by becoming a curse for us? (Galatians 3:13)

• He has redeemed us from the curse of the Law

12. What else did Christ make possible by becoming a curse? (Galatians 3:14)

• That the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus
• That we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith

13. To whom were the promises made? Who is the “Seed”? (Galatians 3:16)

• Abraham and his “Seed”
• Christ

14. How long after the promise or covenant that God made with Abraham did the Law come in? Did the Law annul the promise? (Galatians 3:17)

• 430 years
• No

15. What purpose did the Law serve? How long was it to last? (Galatians 3:19)

• It was added because of transgressions
• Till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made

16. What function therefore did the Law serve? Are we still under the Law? (Galatians 3:24-25)

• As a tutor, to bring them to Christ so that they could be justified by faith
• No

17. How does one become a son of God? (Galatians 3:26-27)

• Through faith in Christ Jesus
• By putting Christ on in baptism

18. What happens to the racial, social, and sexual differences in Christ as they relate to salvation? (Galatians 3:28)

• They are no more, for we are one in Christ

19. If we are Christ’s, who are we? (Galatians 3:29)

• Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise

Questions by E.M. Zerr On Galatains 31. How does Paul designate the Galatians? 2. What had happened to them? 3. What neglect had it caused in them? 4. What important fact had been set forth before them ? 5. Had this taken place literally among them? 6. State his question regarding law and faith. 7. To what documents do these refer? . 8. Could the Jews please God without faith? 9. In what sense is the law to be discarded? 10. To what does “flesh” in verse 3 refer? 11. Explain how that document rested on the flesh. 12. What law ia meant here by “the Spirit” ? 13. Had they suffered any in behalf of the Gospel? 14. What might make such suffering in vain? 15. Through what document were miracles worked? 16. State if “faith,” v. 5, and “the Spirit” are same. 17. Which existed first, works of law or faith? 18. Tell what example is cited on the subject. 19. Was this man’ s faith just taken foT granted? 20. May any besides Jews be children of Abraham? 21. Could this exist without the old law? 22. How would such fact condemn the Galatians? 23. Who are meant by “heathen” in 8th verse? 24. What is meant by “the scripture” in same verse? 25. How could the Gospel be preached to Abraham? 26. What blessing is meant in this verse? 27. How general was this blessing to be enjoyed? 28. With whom are the faithful now associated? 29. Was Abraham before or after the law of Moses? 30. Tell how this would condemn the Galatians. 31. State a disadvantage of being under the law. 32. Mention one of these works. 33. Was faith of Jews separate thing from “works” ? 34. How many of the “works” necessary to avoid curse ? 35. Even if kept would “works” justify them? 36. What principle is cited as argument against works? 37. Was the law of Moses of faith ? 38. In what law by what did a man live ? 39. What redemption has Christ wrought for us ? 40. In what way did he become a curse ? 41.Why the words “blessing of Abraham” verse 14? 42. After what manner does Paul speak? 43. What instrument is used as illustration ? 44. Tell what makes a covenant binding? 45. To whom were the promises first made ? 46. Identify “his seed ” in verse 16. 47. What promise was made to this person? 48. Was he living in Abraham’ s day? 49. Was he included in covenant with Abraham? 50. In whose day was this covenant confirmed ? . 51, How long from the confirmation to the law ? 52. Could the law have effect against the covenant ? 53. Through what was the inheritance offered? 54. For what reason was the law added ? 55. It was added to what ? 56. For how long was it to be added? 57. Has that seed come? 58. Would such fact change addition to subtraction? 59. Holding to the law would be rejecting what? 60. What beings were used in ordaining the law ? 61. Who is the mediator in the present argument? 62. Does a mediator serve one person only? 63. How many is God ? 64. Would this mean that others are ocncerned ? 65. Is a mediator needed for sinless persons? 66. Are Gentiles sinners? 67. Would they need a mediator? 68. Was Moses their mediator ? 69. Who was to be mediator for Gentiles? 70. Tell what change in mediation this required ? 71. With change of mediator what else must be changed? 72. How does this conclusion affect the Gentiles? 73. Does this put the law against the promises? 74. Had the law been life-giving, then what? 75. What is referred to by “the scripture” verse 22? 76. Why the conclusion here as to being under sin ? 77. Why would this require something besides the law? 78. What document is meant by “faith” verse 23 ? 79. To whom does “we” refer in this verse? 80. What is likened to schoolmaster? 81. To what was it to conduct the Jews? 82. How long is a child conductor needed? 83. Had the real schoolmaster come when Paul wrote? 84. To which of the two were Galatians clinging? 85. What makes all, children of one God ? 86. Baptism into Christ puts what on us? 87. How does being Jew or Gentile affect this ? 88. How many bodies are there in Christ? 89. In Christ whose seed may all be by faith ? 90. Of what are all then heirs?

Galatians 3:1

Galatians 3:1. The original for bewitched is defined by Thayer, “to bring evil on one by feigned praise or an evil eye, to charm, to bewitch one,” and he explains it to mean, “of those who lead away others into error by wicked acts.” The ones who were doing this with the Galatians were the Judaizers who were deceiving them into thinking they should go back to the old law. Before whose eyes, etc. The Galatians had seen the evidence of Christ’s great sacrifice in the lives of Paul and other true teachers of the Gospel among them, so that they had been given full opportunity for seeing the superior spiritual life in a service to Him.

Galatians 3:2

Galatians 3:2. The argument Paul makes in this verse may be said to be one that has a factual basis. The Galatian brethren knew they were in possession of the Spirit, for whenever and wherever an apostle led men and women into the service for Christ, they were shown evidence of the Spirit by the gifts bestowed upon those receiving the hands of the apostle. And these brethren also knew that they had never received the gifts except through hearing of faith, which means the Gospel, though the law had been in existence for centuries.

Galatians 3:3

Galatians 3:3. It is certain that God’s dealings with man would not decline in degrees of perfection or completeness, but would advance as humanity became able to receive them. On this principle, the things to be accomplished through the “ministration of the Spirit” (2 Corinthians 3:8) would be an advancement over that which was possible by the flesh, a term given to the ordinances of the law of Moses, because of its consisting of “carnal ordinances” (Hebrews 9:1 Hebrews 9:10). The Galatians were reversing the order and leaving the completeness of the system under the Spirit, in which they had begun their religious life, and going backward to finish (be made perfect) their religious lives by the ordinances of the law.

Galatians 3:4

Galatians 3:4. Suffered . . . in vain. The Gentiles who accepted the Gospel were persecuted by the Judaaizers who wished them to be satisfied with the law of Moses. They could have avoided these persecutions had they yielded to the pressure of the Judaizing teachers. Now, after having stood firm at first in spite of the persecutions, if they backslide and take up the ordinances of the law, it would render all of their past sufferings for Christ to be vain. (See Hebrews 10:32-35.)

Galatians 3:5

Galatians 3:5. This is the same as verse 2.

Galatians 3:6

Verse 6. In all of the systems of religious conduct that God has offered to man, individual faith was necessary for divine acceptance, even though the system as a whole was not termed one of faith, as the Christian or Gospel system is. Hence we are told that Abraham (in the Patriarchal Dispensation) was regarded righteous because of his faith. Abel belonged under the same dispensation and he also was blessed because of his faith (Hebrews 11:4). Likewise the Jews who were under the dispensation of the law, did not receive the blessing of God without faith (Hebrews 4:2).

Galatians 3:7

Galatians 3:7. It was generally regarded an honor to be related to Abraham. (See Matthew 3:9; Luke 19:9; 2 Corinthians 11:22.) In their zeal for persuading the Gentiles to take up the ordinances of the law, the Judaizers tried to make capital of the respect for the great patriarch by connecting him with the law of Moses. Paul does not overlook the greatness of Abraham, but shows that his greatness was due to his characteristic of faith. However, that had nothing to do with the ordinances of the law, for he lived six centuries before the law was given. (See the comments on Romans 4:1-13 in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary.

Galatians 3:8

Galatians 3:8. Scripture foreseeing denotes that God could see ahead what would be done, and caused it to be written in the Scripture. Faith is used in the sense of the faith, a term applied to the New Testament system of religion. Heathen means the Gentiles, who were not included with the Jews under the law of Moses. (See the comments, at chapter 2:9.) The Gentiles were going to be offered justification through the faith, and hence God revealed this beforehand to Abraham. Not in all its details, of course, but the fundamental truth that Jesus would bless all nations (and not the Jews only), was foretold to him in ttie words in thee shall all nations be blessed.

Galatians 3:9

Galatians 3:9. Which be of faith applies to all individuals who manifest the same degree of faith in God as was true of Abraham. Blessed with him means they will receive the blessing of God as being true servants of Him.

Galatians 3:10

Galatians 3:10. The Bible recognizes a distinction between a literal and a figurative, or a physical and a moral impossibility. Unless we observe such a distinction we will have difficulty with the apparently contradictory passages in 1 John 1:8 1 John 3:9. Peter said the fathers “were not able to bear” the yoke of the old law (Acts 15:10). That passage is explained in volume 1 of the New Testament Commentary. Yet Paul cites a passage in the Old Testament that says that all who did not do so were under the curse.

The original for the last word is defined by Thayer, “an execration, imprecation, curse.” In severe cases the curse amounted to an unmerciful death (Hebrews 10:28), but the law of Christ makes one free from such a curse (Romans 8:2). By going back to the works of the law, the Galatians placed themselves under this curse.

Galatians 3:11

Galatians 3:11. Evident means it is clear–the conclusion is unavoidable. The basis for the conclusion is the inspired statement that the just shall live by faith (Habakkuk 2:4). The old law was always considered to be one of outward works as a system, while the principle of faith existed from the days of Abel onward, and the New Testament is the first and only system that is referred to as the faith. Since faith and formal works are opposites, it follows that if a man is justified in God’s sight by one, it cannot be by the other. This explains why Paul uses the word evident as he does in this verse.

Galatians 3:12

Galatians 3:12. The law is not of faith. The full significance of this is as if it said, “the law of Moses is not the same system as the faith of the New Testament.” Shall live by them. The Jew who carefully observed the ceremonies imposed by the law of Moses, was able to live or be contented with the thought that his life was according to the outward forms of that system. Only God would know whether he was “mixing” faith with his work (Hebrews 4:2), hence as long as he performed the deeds prescribed by the law, he could not be penalized by the congregation, and therefore he would escape the curse of the law.

Galatians 3:13

Galatians 3:13. The particular curse meant here is that of hanging on a tree, which was accomplished by crucifixion. By giving us a system that does not require such physical punishments, Christ took away that kind of curse. And He was able to bring about the change only by going through such a curse himself on our behalf, which is the reason He had to be crucified.

Galatians 3:14

Galatians 3:14. Blessing of Abraham denotes the blessing of God that was pronounced on Abraham because of his faith. If such a blessing was possible only through the outward deeds like those imposed by the law, then the great patriarch would have missed the said blessing, for he lived several hundred years before the law. But in adopting the principle of faith instead of the formalities of the law as that on which the blessing would be given, God could include Abraham in the divine blessing. And by the same token, such an arrangement made it possible for the Gentiles (who did not have the provisions of the law) to be blessed with Abraham, provided they manifested the same principle of faith as was shown by the noted patriarch.

Galatians 3:15

Galatians 3:15. I speak after the manner of men. For an illustration, Paul is using the usual customs of mankind regarding covenants or legal agreements, and the rules followed in observing them. To confirm means to ratify by some formality under the supervision of the proper authority. Hence Paul says that though it be but a man’s covenant, yet if it has been confirmed it cannot be lawfully dis-annulled, although it must be confirmed to make it sure.

Galatians 3:16

Galatians 3:16. Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. This states the first instance that the promise of Christ was ever made to any human individual, notwithstanding a popular notion to the contrary. The reader should see the comments on Genesis 3:14-15, in volume 1 of the Old Testament Commentary. Seed is a word that may be used in either a singular or plural sense, hence Paul settles which meaning he is attaching to it here by saying not seeds, as of many; but as of one. He further specifies the one seed meant by the words thy seed, to which the apostle adds which is Christ.

Thus we have the interesting information that when God made the promise to Abraham of universal blessings through his seed (Christ), He made the same promise to that Seed who was then with the Creator in Heaven. This sheds light on Hebrews 10:5-7, which represents the attitude of Jesus when he left Heaven and came to the earth. He already knew (having been told at the same time that Abraham was) that He was to come into the world to bless “all nations,” and He was submissive to his Father’s will. That is why he said, “I come to do thy will, 0 God.”

Galatians 3:17

Galatians 3:17. Four hundred and thirty years corresponds with the terms in Genesis 15:13 and Exodus 12:40-41, which is the time the children of Israel were in Egypt. The reader is urged to see the comments on this ‘subject at Genesis 15:13-15, in volume 1 of the Old Testament Commentary. The present verse also shows that the period of four hundred and thirty years is the time the Israelites were in Egypt. It states that the law was four hundred and thirty years after the covenant was–not first given– but after it was confirmed. Psalms 105:9-10 plainly says it was confirmed unto Jacob.

We cannot interpret that on the general basis that the name Jacob is used as including Abraham and Isaac, they being two of “the fathers” often spoken of, for in this place the writer mentions the three separately, and distinctly says the covenant was confirmed unto Jacob. It was in the days of Jacob the children of Israel went down into Egypt (Genesis 46:1-6), and it was within three months after coming out of that country that they came to Sanai where the law was given (Exodus 19:1). So the conclusion is clear; they entered Egypt in the days of Jacob, to whom the covenant was confirmed, and the law was given at the end of their sojourn, which Paul says was four hundred and thirty years after the covenant was confirmed. Paul makes the point that the giving of the law even that many years afterwards cannot disannul the covenant, because it had been confirmed. (See the comments at verse 15.)

Galatians 3:18

Galatians 3:18. The inheritance means the blessing that was to be offered to all nations of the world through his seed. The argument of the verse is that if the blessing was to come through the law (as the Judaizers were teaching), then it could not have been connected with the promise first made to Abraham, for that was done many centuries before the law. And yet it was well known that God actually did give the promise of universal blessing to Abraham. The grand conclusion, then, is that the blessing intended for all nations (not the Jews only) was not the product of the law.

Galatians 3:19

Galatians 3:19. With the foregoing con- elusion before them, it was natural for the readers to ask, wherefore then serveth the law? That is, for what purpose was the law given, if the promise of universal blessing through the seed of Abraham had already been given to the world as made known to the patriarch? The question is answered in the rest of this verse. The law was added (to the promise); not because God had made any change in His mind about the covenant, but because of transgressions. Members of the Patriarchial Dispensation became so unsatisfactory in their conduct, that it was doubtful if there would be a sufficient number of them in line of service to God to receive the Seed when he came. As a supplementary rule of behaviour, the law was given to bolster the nation descended from Abraham in its service to God, pending the final dispensation to come through Christ. But this addition of the law was not to be permanent (as the Judaizers were contending) but was to be in force only until the coming of the Seed to whom (see verse 16) the promise was made.

In other words, the law was to be attached to the promise and in force only until Christ came into the world. Ordained by angels. God never appeared in person to mankind, but was always represented by angels when speaking to Moses and others. (See Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2.) In the hand of a mediator. The last word is from MESITES which Thayer defines, “a medium of communication, arbitrator,” and he explains it as follows: “One who intervenes between two, either in order to make or restore peace and friendship, or to form a compact, or for ratifying a covenant.” The mediator was Moses, who acted between God and the Israelties. This is all in agreement with the statement at the beginning of the verse, namely, that the law was added because of transgressions.

Galatians 3:20

Galatians 3:20. The very meaning of the word mediator indicates that two persons are on unfriendly terms, and the work of a mediator is to get them reconciled. There can be no need for nor work of a mediator in a case where only one person is interested. But God is one (only), therefore the presence of a mediator means that another party is involved. God is always righteous and no unrighteous person can be considered as being on good terms with Him. That is why a mediator was employed, and the party who needed to be reconciled to God was the Israelite nation, which had estranged itself from God by its “transgressions,” and the law of Moses was the document by which the reconciliation was to be accomplished.

Galatians 3:21

Galatians 3:21. It must be constantly kept in mind that an outstanding evil that troubled the church in the first century was Judaism; the doctrine that the law of Moses was necessary to salvation. Paul is exposing ,that in the epistle to the Galatians. His argument in the few verses preceding the present one might raise the suggestion that the law was against the promises of God because it was added to those promises. He answers, God forbid, a term frequently used in the New Testament that denotes “by no means.” The law could not be regarded as a competitor of the things set forth in the promises, for it did not claim to give (spiritual) life to its followers. It was added to the promises only for the purpose of stabilizing the conduct of the people of that dispensation, so that they would be ready to receive the “life” indicated in the promises when the time of fulfillment arrived.

The law given through Moses was never intended in itself or by its merits, to give to its adherents that something regarded as spiritual life. Had such a law been given, then the obedience to it would have been acknowledged by the Lord as righteousness, and it would have been continued permanently.

Galatians 3:22

Galatians 3:22. Concluded all under sin does not say that God caused them to sin. The truths and facts regarding their conduct by the children of men, disclosed to God that all had sinned, hence He just declared what was true which was that all were sinners, which would make them all the subjects for divine mercy. Since all were actually sinners as a class, all would require the same means of spiritual redemption. The said means could not be by the merits of the law of works, therefore the Lord used that document as a hold-up or preparatory measure (see verse 19), at the same time pointing man to the coming of the promised seed of Abraham, that was to provide all nations with a system to be known as the faith, which would be able to assure the believers that they would be justified in Christ.

Galatians 3:23

Galatians 3:23. The thought in this verse is virtually the same as verse 19. Faith is a term for the Gospel of Christ, to distinguish it from the law of Moses. Kept under the law is the same as “it was added” in verse 19, and shut up unto the faith corresponds with “till the seed should come” in the same verse.

Galatians 3:24

Galatians 3:24. Wherefore means the apostle is drawing a conclusion from the facts of the preceding verse, and it is stated in the form of an illustration. Schoolmaster is from , which occurs only three times in the Greek New Testament; twice in Paul’s present argument and once in 1 Corinthians 4:15, where it is rendered “instructors.” But neither of these English words is used in the same sense as they are today. The original word is defined by Thayer as, “a tutor,” and Robinson defines it, “a pedagogue.” Thayer furnishes some historical information on the subject that will be useful as follows: “A guide and guardian of boys. Among the Greeks and Romans the name was applied to trustworthy slaves who were charged with the duty of supervising the life and morals of boys belonging to the better class. The boys were not allowed so much as to step out of the house without them [were “shut up”–E.

M. Z.] before arriving at the age of manhood.” The apostle likens the law of Moses to this guardian of the child, because it was given charge of the “children of the Abrahamic promise” until such time as the fully-empowered Schoolmaster (Christ) should come, who would take charge of the pupils and administer spiritual education under the curriculum of the faith.

Galatians 3:25

Galatians 3:25. Having been brought into contact with the real teacher (Christ), there is no further need for the authority of the guardian (the law).

Galatians 3:26

Galatians 3:26. I again remind the reader that the main object of this epistle is to show that the old law is replaced by the Gospel as a rule of conduct for salvation. In order to be an heir to the estate of God, it is necessary to be a child of His. Paul declares that such a relationship is possible for these Galatians (who were Gentiles) only by faith in Christ Jesus.

Galatians 3:27

Galatians 3:27. Continuing the same line of argument expressed in the preceding verse, Paul refers his readers to the event of their obedience in baptism. The force of the argument will be best realized by laying the emphasis on the name Christ. It is as if the apostle said that those who had been baptized into Christ had put on Christ and not Moses.

Galatians 3:28

Galatians 3:28. There is an adverb of place, referring to the position named in the preceding verse of those who have “put on Christ.” In Him there is no distinction made between the various classifications mentioned as far as their spiritual relationship with the Lord is concerned. They are all made to compose one group in the sight of God, by their obedience to Christ and not because of any other relationship they previously sustained, either under the one or the other dispensation of religion.

Galatians 3:29

Galatians 3:29. However, the aforesaid statement does not nullify the importance of Abraham, for he was promised a descendant who would be a blessing to all nations (whether Jew or Gentile), and such a blessing was to be acquired through faith in that descendant, who was Christ.