Galatians 3
- Who wrote it
- Paul
- Who it was for
- The churches of Galatia
- What was happening
- Abraham's children are people of faith, and the law was a guardian until Christ came
What’s happening
"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly displayed as crucified?" Paul asks only one thing: did they receive the Spirit by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? Having begun with the Spirit, are they now being perfected by the flesh? Has their experience been in vain? He points to Abraham: "He believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." So those of faith are sons of Abraham, and Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham: "All the nations will be blessed in you." Those who rely on works of the law are under a curse, for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who doesn't continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them." No one is justified before God by the law, for "The righteous will live by faith." But "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,'" so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. By way of a human example, even a human covenant, once ratified, can't be annulled or added to. The promises were made to Abraham and to his offspring; it doesn't say "offsprings," as of many, but "to your offspring," which is Christ. The law, which came four hundred thirty years afterward, doesn't annul a covenant previously ratified by God so as to cancel the promise. If the inheritance comes from the law, it no longer comes from the promise; but God granted it to Abraham by promise. Why then the law? "It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made," ordained through angels by a mediator. Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not. Scripture imprisoned everything under sin so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Before faith came, they were held in custody under the law; so the law was their guardian until Christ came, so that they might be justified by faith. Now that faith has come, they are no longer under a guardian, for "in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bondservant nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. If you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring and heirs according to promise."
Why the setting matters
Paul's argument depends on a chronology the Galatians would recognize from Genesis: Abraham was credited with righteousness (Genesis 15:6) long before circumcision (Genesis 17) and 430 years before the law at Sinai (Exodus 12:40). That means the promise comes first, and the law cannot cancel it. His use of Deuteronomy 21:23, "cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree," ties the crucifixion to the curse that the law places on law-breakers; Christ bears it. The argument about "offspring" (singular) is in a rabbinic style of reading: Paul notes that the Hebrew and Greek word is a collective singular, and applies it to Christ as the one in whom all believers are included. The "guardian" (paidagōgos) was a trusted slave who took a child to and from school and supervised his behavior until he came of age, not a teacher; the picture is of a temporary custodian, not an enemy. The line "you have put on Christ" uses the image of putting on clothing, possibly connected with baptismal garments. The statement in 3:28 is about equal standing in Christ and belonging to one family, and what it implies for church roles and society has been debated at length. "Ordained through angels" reflects a Jewish tradition that angels had a role at Sinai (Deuteronomy 33:2 in the Greek translation; Acts 7:53; Hebrews 2:2).
Who’s in this chapter
Paul
Argues from Abraham and from the Galatians' own experience.
The believers in Galatia
Called "foolish"; reminded that they received the Spirit by faith.
Abraham
Believed God and was counted righteous; father of all who believe.
Moses
The law came through a mediator, 430 years after the promise.
Jesus
The offspring of Abraham, who became a curse for us.
Talk it through
- Paul reminds the Galatians of their experience of the Spirit before arguing from Scripture. Why start with experience?
- Why does Paul say the promise to Abraham comes before the law?
- "Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us." What does that tell you about the cross?
- "There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female... all one in Christ." What does it mean to be one without making everyone the same?
Read Galatians 3
World English Bible
1Foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you not to obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was openly portrayed among you as crucified? 2I just want to learn this from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? 3Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now completed in the flesh? 4Did you suffer so many things in vain, if it is indeed in vain? 5He therefore who supplies the Spirit to you and does miracles among you, does he do it by the works of the law, or by hearing of faith? 6Even as Abraham “believed God, and it was counted to him for righteousness.” 7Know therefore that those who are of faith are children of Abraham. 8The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the Good News beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you all the nations will be blessed.” 9So then, those who are of faith are blessed with the faithful Abraham. 10For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who doesn’t continue in all things that are written in the book of the law, to do them.” 11Now that no man is justified by the law before God is evident, for, “The righteous will live by faith.” 12The law is not of faith, but, “The man who does them will live by them.”
13Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us. For it is written, “Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree,” 14that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
15Brothers, speaking of human terms, though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been confirmed, no one makes it void or adds to it. 16Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his offspring. He doesn’t say, “To descendants”, as of many, but as of one, “To your offspring”, which is Christ. 17Now I say this: A covenant confirmed beforehand by God in Christ, the law, which came four hundred thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. 18For if the inheritance is of the law, it is no more of promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by promise.
19Then why is there the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise has been made. It was ordained through angels by the hand of a mediator. 20Now a mediator is not between one, but God is one. 21Is the law then against the promises of God? Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could make alive, most certainly righteousness would have been of the law. 22But the Scripture imprisoned all things under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.
23But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, confined for the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24So that the law has become our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26For you are all children of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. 27For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29If you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring and heirs according to promise.
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources