Galatians 3:19-29 – “What then is the law?” By Dave Brown 19 What then is the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise hath been made; (and it was) ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. [The context here shows that the law is the Law of Moses. The rhetorical question might better be translated: what good then is the law? or why even have a law? These questions are appropriate because Paul from the outset of this letter has made it quite clear that no one can be saved by keeping that law. So, why was it ever given? The answer is given in this verse. It was essential to Gods plan to control sin until the time was right for Jesus to come. Ordained would indicate an orderly process. This is new information -- nothing in the Old Testament talks about angels performing this ordination function. The early chapters of the Hebrews letter indicates the involvement of angels in Old Testament revelation and provides an excellent commentary for those who are interested in delving further into this subject. We can be much more definitive as to who the mediator is, since Moses was never called a mediator. No doubt he performed this function at times, speaking to defend the Children of Israel against Gods wrath. But his role was not that of an ongoing mediator -- something that is true of Jesus Christ for us today, and apparently in the revelation of the Old Testament laws as well.] 20 Now a mediator is not (a mediator) of one; but God is one. [This indicates that there is no conflict between the Law of Moses and the Gospel of Jesus Christ, as the following verses will prove. Similarly, there is no conflict between God the Father and Jesus Christ -- they are one and the same in their understanding and revelation of the truth. The difference between the Law and the Gospel arises in the purpose that the Law of Moses served (see verse 19), as opposed to what the Gospel of Jesus Christ serves today. They are different, and the gospel is superior to the law. But they were both revelations of God, and the consistency between them is explained in the next few verses. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, verily righteousness would have been of the law. [The righteousness of Christians today is called the righteousness of God in Romans 1:16-17, and it is revealed in the gospel. We could not be saved by our own righteousness, and we cannot be saved while still in our sins. Even our satisfying the conditions of the gospel should not be viewed as earning our salvation (here making alive), for that function could only be served by the shedding of the blood of Christ. We should never view our meeting those conditions as actually making us alive -- they are the conditions by which we accept the free gift of salvation -- but it is the blood of Jesus that actually makes us alive, not any act of our own. This is more than a semantic difference; indeed if we believe that we justify ourselves and earn our salvation we denigrate the blood of Jesus that was shed for us.] 22 But the scriptures shut up all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. [The Old Testament scriptures documented the law as well as the many example of those who kept it and even more cases of those who failed to keep it. These things were shut up -- documented to the point that it is irrefutable that no one can possibly be saved by it. Why was this done? So that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. The promise is one of eternal life and it is available to us by faith in Jesus Christ, and it is a gift to those who have the same faith that Abraham had. That faith is described in detail in Hebrews 11.] 23 But before faith came, we were kept in ward under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. [What does it mean: faith came? -- the answer is given in this verse. Revelation -- the gospel had to be revealed. Review Romans 1:16-17 once again to see that faith is synonymous with the gospel. But it could not be revealed in reality until Jesus actually died on the cross. So this might be considered the point at which faith came. Of course, the full revelation of all that it meant as well as the conditions of salvation were given shortly thereafter. But it was no more than 50 days after the cross before people were being baptized into Christ (Acts 2).] 24 So that the law is become our tutor (to bring us) unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. [So here is another purpose of the law -- to be our tutor or schoolmaster -- to school mankind, but specifically through the Children of Israel, so that they could be ready to accept the sacrifice that Christ was foreordained to make for us. We could not be justified by faith without this preparation. The New Testament standing alone makes little sense without at least a rudimentary knowledge of the Old Testament. 25 But now that faith is come, we are no longer under a tutor. [How much more definitively can it be said that we are no longer under the Old Testament laws? Does this mean it has no value for us today? or that it is no longer to be regarded as truth? Of course not. It needs to be regarded exactly as stated here, and it still serves to provide us with critical information for understanding the gospel of Jesus Christ, which is the New Testament. 26 For ye are all sons of God, through faith, in Christ Jesus. [Can anyone doubt that all here is referring to both Jew and Gentile? This is the entire theme of this chapter. Of course, he is speaking specifically to the Christians at Galatia -- those who had obeyed the gospel. But to the extent that we obey the same gospel as they did, he is speaking to us.] 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ did put on Christ. [Did any of them put on Christ who were not baptized into Christ? Why would anyone teach this today? This is a totally consistent teaching throughout the New Testament. Example: Acts 2:41: They then that received his word were baptized: and there were added (unto them) in that day about three thousand souls. Why would we want to or try to explain this away? See also Romans 6.] 28 There can be neither Jew nor Greek, there can be neither bond nor free, there can be no male and female; for ye all are one (man) in Christ Jesus. [And why are there those today who try to make this worldly distinction when the Holy Spirit here says that it cannot exist. It does not exist in the eyes of God -- if it did He would tell us in what way this distinction exists in the New Testament. But as far as our salvation is concerned, we come to God as individuals, not as a race or a nation, or for that matter, even a church (which is an effect, not a cause). And if we make distinctions based on race, gender or nationality, we violate this clear statement.] 29 And if ye are Christs, then are ye Abrahams seed, heirs according to promise. [Who are Jews today? Where does God now see His chosen people as opposed to the rest of the world? The answer is given above. It is not a genetic thing -- how do we become Christs? If we accept by faith what the gospel teaches in this regard, then we are every whit as much a Jew as any Jew who ever lived. In meditations upon this passage, recall Romans 9:6-8: But (it is) not as though the word of God hath come to nought. For they are not all Israel , that are of Israel: neither, because they are Abrahams seed, are they all children: but, In Isaac shall thy seed be called. That is, it is not the children of the flesh that are children of God; but the children of the promise are reckoned for a seed. What does God see when He looks at you?]
Posted on: Tue, 01 Jul 2014 08:07:02 +0000
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