Galatians 3:15-25 NIV
- An Analogous Argument (verses 15-18)
A. If, with the Judaizers, the Galatians think they will inherit the blessing of Abraham by works of the law, then God was wrong in how he set it all up.”-Scott McKnight
B.Effectively Paul said, “Look! You say God made a promise to Abraham and then came along hundreds of years later and added to it burdensome requirements no one could fulfill perfectly anyway, this radically altering the character of his relationship to his people. But this is to turn God into a dishonest broker who goes back on his word once it is given. How dare we attribute to God the kind of chicanery we do not even tolerate among sinful human beings?” -Timothy George
- Why Then The Law? 19-25
After verse 19-20
GOD
X X X X X X X X X X X X (Angels)
Moses
Israel at Sinai
is inferior to:
GOD
Abraham
A. Paul accepted this tradition and repeated it here not, however, for the purpose of enhancing the law by associating it with the glory of angels but rather to indicate how superior promise is to law since the latter required a creaturely mediation. -Timothy George
After verse 22
A. Paul saw two strands of God-given material running throughout the Scriptures: (1) the law of God, which was given to highlight the true nature of sin and so bring sinful humanity under its curse; and (2) the promises of God, which have always called for a response of faith and are now focused in the faithfulness or obedience of Jesus Christ. In terms of how these two strands operate in our standing before God: the one brings us down; the other raises us up. Ultimately, the strands are united in a common, overall purpose. They cannot be pitted against each other. -Richard Logenecker
After verse 24
A. The law was all the while standing guard over its subjects, watching and checking every attempt to escape, but intending to hand them over in due time to the charge of faith. The law posts its ordinances, like so many sentinels, round the prisoner’s cell. The cordon is complete. He tries again and again to break out; the iron circle will not yield. The deliverance will yet be his. The day of faith approaches. It dawned long ago in Abraham’s promise. Even now its light shines into his dungeon, and he hears the word of Jesus, “Thy sins are forgiven thee; go in peace.” Law, the stern jailor, has after all been a good friend, if it has reserved him for this. It prevents the sinner escaping to a futile and illusive freedom.- G.G. Findlay
Verse 25
Galatians 3:15-25 NIV
15 Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. 16 The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. 17 What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. 18 For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise.
19 Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. 20 A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.
21 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law. 22 But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.
23 Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed. 24 So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. 25 Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.