The Grace Commentary – Your free verse-by-verse Bible commentary Galatians 3

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Galatians 3:1

You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?

(a) Foolish. The original adjective (anoētos) means unintelligent or lacking in understanding. This word is sometimes used to describe unbelievers (Tit. 3:3), or those who are slow to believe (Luke 24:25).

The Galatians were initially receptive to the gospel that Paul preached. So many received the good news with faith that several churches were planted (Acts 14:21, 23). Before he left the region, Paul urged the Galatians to “continue in the grace of God” (Acts 13:43) and “continue in the faith” (Acts 14:22). They didn’t. After Paul’s departure, law teachers began preaching another message. “Get circumcised and follow the law” (Gal. 5:4, 6:12). The Galatians bought it hook, line, and sinker. When Paul heard about it, he called them foolish.

Various Bible translations describe the Galatians as crazy, stupid, and witless. The Amplified Bible calls them “poor and silly and thoughtless and unreflecting and senseless!” And this from the same Paul who said, “Let your conversation be full of grace” (Col. 4:6). There is no inconsistency. To turn from grace to the law is the height of folly.

(b) Who has bewitched you? “Who has deceived, charmed, or hoodwinked you?” The law teachers had charisma. They quoted scripture and claimed to speak for God. But these smooth-talkers spoke with forked tongues.

(c) Before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. The cross is the heart of the gospel message. “I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified” (1 Cor. 2:2). When we are tempted into dead works, we need to be reminded of the cross. Because of the cross, you have been thoroughly saved and sanctified. No further work on our part is needed.

Galatians 3:2

This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

(a) I want to find out. “Answer me this.” Like a wise teacher, Paul engages the Galatians with a series of rhetorical questions: Did you receive the Spirit by keeping the law, or by faith (verse 2)? Did you think you could finish in the flesh that which was begun in the Spirit (verse 3)? Have you suffered so many things in vain (verse 4)? Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles because you keep the law, or by hearing with faith (verse 5)?

Like hammers defacing an idol, these questions demolish the lies that might otherwise seduce us. They break the fleshly spell and bring us to our senses. “What was I thinking? Of course I can trust God to complete what he began. How could it be otherwise?”

(b) Did you receive the Spirit? When we came to the Lord in faith, he immediately gave us his Spirit (Rom. 8:9, Eph. 1:13). He did not wait for us to get cleaned up or complete an induction course.

(d) Works of the law. Keeping the Law of Moses.

The foolish Galatians fell for the lie that says you need to keep the law. This lie takes many forms. “The law is a guide for holy living.” “The law shows me how to please the Lord.” “The law protects me from sin.” Paul refutes the lie with another sharp contrast: you can live by law or you can live by faith, but the law is not of faith (Gal. 3:12). The law cannot save you, justify you, or impart life. Living under any sort of law is a faithless and cursed way to live (Gal. 3:10).

(e) Hearing with faith. The moment you responded to the call of God in faith, he gave you his Spirit (Gal. 3:5).

(f) Faith is a positive response to what God has said or done. Through the gospel, God says, “all is forgiven,” and we say, “Thank you, Lord.” God says “come” and we come. See entry for Gal. 2:16.

Galatians 3:3

Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh?

(a) Foolish; see entry for Gal. 3:1.

(b) Having begun by the Spirit. When you said “yes” to Jesus, the Holy Spirit changed you from an old sinner into a new saint. In that moment, you became one with the Lord, as holy and righteous as you will ever be. Your behavior may not have instantly changed, but you were born again. Through the work of the Spirit, you became a new creation. See entry for John 3:3.

(d) Perfected by the flesh? Completed, or made perfect, through human effort.

Our religious flesh might say, “Jesus got me started, but it’s up to me to maintain my salvation.” Or, “I was saved by grace, but I need to make myself holy.” These are foolish mindsets, because the flesh cannot complete the work of the Holy Spirit. They are incompatible with each other (Gal. 5:17). Your flesh pulls you towards the world, while your spirit connects you to God. Your flesh wants to take charge, while your spirit wants to trust the Lord. Your flesh wants to strive and work, while your spirit is content to rest and abide. Paul’s response? “Walk by the spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh” (Gal. 5:16).

(e) The flesh. Human effort and self-reliance. See the entry for Gal. 5:17.

Galatians 3:4

Did you suffer so many things in vain—if indeed it was in vain?

(a) Suffer. Have you gone through trials and persecution for nothing?

When Paul preached in Galatia, jealous Jews argued with him (Acts 13:45), persecuted him (Acts 13:50), and stoned him until they thought he was dead (Acts 14:19). Paul warned the Galatians to expect this sort of persecution after he left. “Through many tribulations we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22). They had certainly been “troubled” and “disturbed” by the law teachers (Gal. 1:7, 5:12).

(b) If indeed it was in vain. “Did you go through all this for nothing?” Paul adds another rhetorical question to remind the Galatians of the many good things for which they had been persecuted. They had received the Holy Spirit and witnessed miracles (Gal. 3:2, 5). They had become sons and heirs of God (Gal. 3:26, 4:7). This had drawn the ire of those who opposed the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 3:5

So then, does He who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?

(a) So then. Answer this question.

(b) Does he who provides. The Holy Spirit is the gift of God given to all who receive the gospel of Christ by faith (Gal. 3:2).

(c) The Spirit. The Holy Spirit is given to the believer as a seal of God’s ownership and a pledge, or guarantee, of our inheritance (2 Cor. 1:22, Eph. 1:13–14). Through the agency of the Holy Spirit, God pours his love into our hearts (Rom. 5:5). The Holy Spirit testifies that we are children of God, and encourages us to cry out “Abba, Father” (Rom. 8:15, Gal. 4:6). He intercedes for us and helps us to pray as we should (Rom. 8:26–27). The indwelling Holy Spirit is the means by which the Lord lives in us and bears his spiritual fruit in our lives (Rom. 8:11, Gal. 5:22).

The Holy Spirit is also known as the Spirit of God (Matt. 3:16, 12:28, Rom. 8:9, 14, 1 Cor. 2:11, 14, 3:16, 6:11, 7:40, 12:3, 2 Cor. 3:3, Eph. 4:30, Php. 3:3, 1 Pet. 4:14, 1 John 4:2), the Spirit of Christ (Rom. 8:9, Php. 1:19, 1 Pet. 1:11), the Spirit of the Lord (2 Cor. 3:17), the Spirit of truth (John 14:17, 15:26, 16:13, 1 John 4:6), the Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4), the Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14), the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29), and the Helper (John 14:16, 26, 16:7).

Further reading: “Ten Myths about the Holy Spirit”

(d) Miracles. During his first visit to Galatia, Paul’s proclamation of the gospel was confirmed by miraculous signs and wonders (Acts 14:3). One example was the instantaneous healing of a man who had been crippled since birth (Acts 14:9–10). See also the entry for Matt. 11:20.

(e) Works of the law. Obeying the Law of Moses; see entry for Gal. 3:10.

(f) Hearing with faith; see entry for Gal. 3:2.

Galatians 3:6

Even so Abraham BELIEVED GOD, AND IT WAS RECKONED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.

(a) Abraham was the Jews’ great Patriarch (Matt. 3:9, John 8:39). Paul mentions him to illuminate two great truths. First, righteousness comes by faith and not through works of the law. Second, God’s rescue plan always included the Gentiles (Gal. 3:8).

(b) Believed God. In the New Testament, Abraham is remembered for one thing – he trusted God. (The quote comes from Genesis 15:6.) God said, “go,” and Abraham went. God said, “I will bless you and make your name great,” and Abraham said, “Sounds great.” God said, “I am your shield and protector, and Abraham said, “Praise the Lord!”

Abraham believed God and was blessed. When we believe in God, we share in the blessings of Abraham (Gal. 3:9).

(c) Reckoned. The original word (logízomai) is related to the English word logic. It means reckon, compute, calculate, or take into account. For believing God, Abraham was numbered among the righteous; see entry for Rom. 4:3.

(d) Reckoned to him as righteousness. Adam distrusted God and became a sinner, but Abraham trusted God and was reckoned righteous. He was not reckoned righteous on account of his right living or promise keeping, but on account of his faith in God.

(e) Righteousness is the state of being right with God; see entry for Gal. 2:21.

See entry for Righteousness.

Galatians 3:7

Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham.

(a) Therefore, be sure. Know, understand, be certain. The Galatians were in two minds about the law because they did not fully apprehend the message of the cross. They had enough faith to get saved, but not enough to resist the temptations of the law. Instead of standing firm in the Lord, they wavered and fell into bondage.

(b) Those who are of faith. Those who trust God.

The Jews considered themselves blessed because they shared Abraham’s DNA (Matt. 3:9). They were his biological descendants, but Abraham’s true sons and heirs are those who share his faith (Gal. 3:9, 29).

(d) Abraham; see previous verse.

Galatians 3:8

The Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “All the nations will be blessed in you.”

(a) The Scripture. God made this nation-blessing promise to Abraham on more than one occasion (Gen. 12:3, 22:18). He later repeated this promise to Abraham’s son, Isaac (Gen. 26:4).

(b) Justify or make right with God. See entry for Gal. 2:16.

(d) Faith is a positive response to what God has said or done. See entry for Gal. 2:16.

(e) The gospel of Christ that Paul preached was no new message. It was revealed in the Garden of Eden and foreshadowed in the promises God made to Abraham (Gal. 3:16).

(f) All the nations. “God’s promise to bless all nations is finally coming true.” Peter said this in the earliest days of the church (Acts 3:25), and Paul echoes that theme here.

(g) Blessed; see next verse.

Galatians 3:9

So then those who are of faith are blessed with Abraham, the believer.

(a) Those who are of faith. Believers. Those who have put their faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 2:16, 3:22, 26). Those who live by faith in the Son of God (Gal. 2:20).

(b) Blessed. The original verb (eulogeo) means to praise and speak well of. The law condemns you as a sinner, but God speaks a better word over you. The law curses those who rely on it, but God blesses those who trust him.

How do we have a blessed life? By hearing the good things God says, and receiving his word in our hearts. Like Abraham, we respond to the promises of God with faith and are blessed.

(d) Abraham, the believer. Abraham’s faith was the means by which he walked in the blessing of God (Gal. 3:6).

Note that Abraham is not called the law-keeper (the law had not been given; Gal. 3:17), or the circumciser (circumcision came later; see Rom. 4:10–11). He is called the believer. It is by faith alone that we receive the blessings of God.

Galatians 3:10

For as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, to perform them.”

(a) Works of the law. Those who rely on their law-keeping performance.

The law teachers troubling the Galatians were promoting laws such as circumcision and Sabbath keeping (Gal. 4:10, 5:2). They told the Gentile believers that they needed to become more Jewish to be accepted by God.

(b) Under a curse. Those who rely on the law curse themselves.

People run after rules because they think they will be blessed if they keep them. “If I pray daily, fast weekly, and serve regularly, God will bless me.” In reality, they are cursing themselves because their faith is in their flesh (Rom. 8:6). By trying instead of trusting, they are cutting themselves off from Christ who is their life. Prayer is a vital part of the Christian’s life but none of God’s blessings are earned through prayer or performance. Every blessing comes to us by grace (Eph. 2:8).

(d) Does not abide means does not continue or perfectly keep the law twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. A holy God expects nothing less than perfect performance.

(e) All things means all 613 commands of the Mosaic Law. If you choose to live under law, you must keep all of it. See entry for Gal. 5:3.

(f) The Book of the Law refers to the Law of Moses recorded in the Torah or the five books of Moses (Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy). This book, or collection of books, was stored inside the Ark of the Covenant (Deut. 31:26).

Galatians 3:11

Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, “THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.”

(a) No one is justified by the law. No one who trusts in the law will be declared righteous in God’s sight (Rom. 3:20).

No one can be made right with God by keeping the law, because the law is not of faith (see next verse). If we could be justified, or made righteous, through the law, Christ died for nothing (Gal. 2:21). To trust in the law is to say, “I don’t trust Jesus.” To live under the law is to walk in unbelief.

(b) Justified. Made right with God; see entry for Gal. 2:16.

(d) Is evident. It’s obvious that no one can please God by trusting the law. To rely on the flesh is to insult the Spirit of grace and say, “Christ died for nothing” (Gal. 2:21).

(e) The righteous man is the one who has been made right with God by receiving, through faith, the free gift of Christ’s righteousness (Rom. 5:17). (The righteous man quote comes from Habakkuk 2:4 and is repeated in Romans 1:17 and Hebrews 10:38.)

(f) Live by faith. To live by faith is to live in total dependence on the Lord. It is saying, “it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me” (Gal. 2:20). It is saying, “I trust the Lord with my life.” The faith life is what we were made for. We were created to lean on the Lord in all things, looking to him as our true Source of life and love.

To live or walk by faith is synonymous with walking by the spirit (Gal. 5:16), because faith is the means by which we live the spiritual life. To put it another way, you cannot live the spiritual life by relying on your natural senses and abilities (2 Cor. 5:7).

Galatians 3:12

However, the Law is not of faith; on the contrary, “HE WHO PRACTICES THEM SHALL LIVE BY THEM.”

(a) The law; see entry for Gal. 2:19.

(b) Not of faith. It takes no faith to live by law. To live under law is to trust in yourself and your works, instead of trusting in the Lord and his finished work. You cannot rely on your law-keeping and call it faith. Relying on the law is a form of unbelief.

(d) He who practices. The quote comes from Lev. 18:5. The law held out the carrot of a blessed life to those who kept the law. Since nobody could fully keep the law, the law was unable to impart life (Gal. 3:21).

Galatians 3:13

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”—

(a) Redeemed. The original verb (exagorazō) means to buy a slave out of captivity. You were purchased by the precious blood of the Lamb (1 Pet. 1:19).

Throughout history, pseudo-saviors have come promising freedom, but every one of them was a slave to sin. They couldn’t save anyone (Ps. 49:7–8). We needed a free man to redeem us, and Jesus is the free Man from heaven who gave his life as a ransom for all (1 Tim. 2:6).

To be redeemed from the curse of the law is to be set free from captivity to sin. The sinless Savior took our place and paid the price. Now the cell door is open and the custodian of the law (see Gal. 3:23) has no claim on us. Thanks to Jesus, we can be free (Gal. 5:1).

See entry for Virgin Birth.

(b) The curse of the law refers to the destructive consequences of relying on the flesh (Rom. 8:6, Gal. 6:8). In the old covenant, these consequences were codified as specific punishments for lawbreaking (Deut. 28:15–68). The curse of the law can be contrasted with the blessing of Abraham (see next verse).

Paul has been discussing the old covenant law of the Jews, but the curse of the law is universal. Whether you submit to Jewish law, church law, or your own moral code, you will be cursed because no law can impart life (Gal. 3:21). You can trust in the law and be cursed (Gal. 3:10), or you can live by faith and be blessed (Gal. 3:9, 14).

(c) It is written. The Jews placed enormous significance on the Scriptures, meaning the law, the psalms, and the prophets of the Old Testament (e.g., Jos. 1:8, 8:31). This reliance on the written word was carried over into the New Testament by the Gospel writers (e.g., Matt. 2:5, Mark 1:2, Luke 3:4, John 6:31), Peter (Acts 1:20, 1 Pet. 1:16, 2:6), Stephen (Acts 7:42), James (Acts 15:15, Jas. 2:8, 23, 4:5), and Jesus himself (Matt. 4:4, 7, 10, 21:42, John 7:38, 10:34–35, 13:18). The devil also quoted scripture on occasion (Matt. 4:6). But no one quoted the scriptures more than Paul (Acts 13:33, 23:5, Rom. 1:17, 3:4, 10, 4:17, 8:36, 9:13, 33, 10:15, 11:8, 26, 12:19, 14:11, 15:3, 9, 21, 1 Cor. 1:19, 31, 2:9, 3:19, 9:9–10, 10:7, 14:21, 15:45, 2 Cor. 8:15, 9:9, Gal. 3:10, 13, 4:22, 27, Heb. 10:7).

(d) Cursed. The religious leaders thought they could shame and dishonor Jesus by having him hung from a tree-like cross. “If he is cursed, he can’t be the Messiah.” But what they meant for evil, God used for good. On that cross, Jesus became a curse for us so that we might be blessed. Thank God for that old rugged cross!

(e) Hangs on a tree. Under the merciless judgments of Israel, those who were condemned to death were sometimes hung from a tree (e.g., Jos. 8:29, 10:26). People who were hanged were considered cursed by God (see Deut. 21:22–23).

Galatians 3:14

in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

(a) In Christ. All the blessings of God are experienced in union with the Lord.

The whole sweep of Galatians can be characterized as a contrast between two ways to live: we can live by faith in Christ, or we can walk by sight. As believers, the Galatians were in Christ. They had received the Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:2). But by yielding to the law, they were acting like they were separated from Christ (Gal. 5:4). They were sons acting like slaves. Paul responds by reminding them of their true identity – “you are all sons of God” (Gal. 3:26) – and by painting a picture of the blessed life that is ours in Christ. In Christ we are free, justified, and part of a new creation (Gal. 2:4, 17, 3:28).

(b) The blessing of Abraham refers to God’s gracious promises given to Abraham and his descendants; see entry for Gal. 3:16.

(d) Gentiles. Non-Jews (Gal 2:14).

(e) The promise of the Spirit. The gift of the Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus and the prophets of old (Eze. 36:26–27, Joel 2:28, John 14:16–17, 15:26). See also the entry for Gal. 3:5.

(f) Through faith. We receive the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ; see entry for Gal. 3:2.

(g) Faith is not something we manufacture, but something we receive, and we get it by hearing the good news of Jesus Christ (Rom. 10:17, 2 Pet. 1:1). See entry for Gal. 2:16.

Galatians 3:15

Brethren, I speak in terms of human relations: even though it is only a man’s covenant, yet when it has been ratified, no one sets it aside or adds conditions to it.

(a) Brethren. “My brothers and sisters in Christ;” see entry for Gal. 1:11.

(b) Human relations. “Let me illustrate what God did by using an everyday example.”

(c) Man’s covenant. A covenant is a binding agreement between people or groups that involves making promises, and is sometimes accompanied by ceremonies and rituals. Unlike a contract, which is transactional, a covenant is relational. A contract is an exchange of possessions (this is now yours), while a covenant is more an exchange of ourselves (I am now yours). A marriage is an example of a covenant.

(d) Ratified. A covenant that has been signed and ratified is inviolate. The terms cannot be changed. In the same way, God’s covenant with Abraham did not change when the law-keeping covenant was introduced 430 years later (Gal. 3:17).

Galatians 3:16

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.

(a) Promises. God gave Abraham several great promises. God promised to make Abraham a great nation (Gen. 12:2, 18:18) and the father of many nations (Gen 17:4–7). God promised that Abraham’s descendants would be as innumerable as the dust of the earth (Gen 13:16) and the stars in the sky (Gen. 15:5), and that through his seed all nations would be blessed (Gen. 22:18). God also promised that Canaan would belong to him and his offspring forever (Gen. 13:14–17).

In the Psalms, the patriarchal promises given to Abraham become messianic promises given to the Son of David. “Ask of me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession” (Ps. 2:8). Since the Son of David is the Seed of Abraham, all these promises are fulfilled in Christ. In Christ, the believer is an heir of Abraham and the beneficiary of God’s gracious promises (Gal. 3:9, 29).

(b) Abraham; see entry for Gal. 3:6.

(d) Your seed. Christ is the Seed promised to both Eve (Gen. 3:15) and Abraham (Gen. 22:18). From the very beginning, God planned to rescue us by sending us his Son (Gal. 1:4).

Galatians 3:17

What I am saying is this: the Law, which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate a covenant previously ratified by God, so as to nullify the promise.

(a) What I am saying. This is what I mean.

(b) The law here is the Law of Moses. This law includes the commandments, ordinances, punishments, and ceremonial observances given to the nation of Israel through Moses (Jos. 8:31, John 1:17). This law is sometimes referred to as the law of commandments (Eph. 2:15), or the law of the Jews (Acts 25:8).

If the knowledge of good and evil is a kind of natural law, then the written Law of Moses is the Law 2.0. It is a souped-up version of the law of right and wrong. The Law of Moses gave Israel an advantage over other nations in that it revealed their captivity to sin and their need for a Savior.

(d) Covenant. There are some profound differences between the covenant God made with Abraham and the covenant he later made with Moses and Israel. The Abrahamic covenant was based on God’s grace, while the Mosaic covenant relied on Israel’s obedience to the law. The former was a unilateral covenant, meaning God made promises expecting nothing in return (Heb. 6:13), while the latter was a bilateral covenant based on mutual promises and conditions.

When God introduced the law covenant at Mount Sinai, the Israelites responded with hearty promises to obey – promises which they promptly broke (Ex. 19:8). But when God ratified his covenant with Abraham, Abraham said nothing because he was in a deep sleep (Gen. 15:12). Abraham was resting in the promises of God. There’s a lesson in this. God does not want us to shout and make promises we can’t keep. He wants us to rest in his promises to save and keep us and bring us to himself (1 Cor. 1:8–9, Col. 1:12–13).

(e) Invalidate. The law-keeping covenant introduced at Mount Sinai did not annul the grace-based covenant God had made with Abraham centuries earlier.

(f) Promise; see previous verse.

Galatians 3:18

For if the inheritance is based on law, it is no longer based on a promise; but God has granted it to Abraham by means of a promise.

(a) Inheritance. God promised Abraham that he and his descendants would inherit the world or the whole created order (Rom. 4:13, 8:19–22). This was essentially the promise that God gave to Adam and Eve (Gen. 1:28). “The earth he has given to man” (Ps. 115:16). Since those who belong to Christ are Abraham’s descendants (Gal. 3:29), believers inherit the same promise. “Those who wait for the Lord will inherit the land” (Ps. 37:9). See also the entry for Gal. 3:29.

(b) Law. An inheritance that is earned (e.g., through law-keeping) is a contradiction in terms. It is no longer an inheritance, but a wage or reward. You cannot earn God’s promised inheritance. God’s blessings can only be received freely by faith.

(d) Granted. The original word for granted (charizomai) means to show favor or kindness. It is sometimes translated as give, gave, or given (e.g., Luke 7:21, Rom. 8:32, Php. 1:29, 2:9), and it is closely related to the word that means grace (charis). God showed grace to Abraham. The covenant with Abraham, like the new covenant forged in Christ’s blood, was a grace-based covenant.

(e) Abraham; see entry for Gal. 3:6.

Galatians 3:19

Why the law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made.

(a) Why the law then? If God had already blessed Abraham and his descendants, for what reason was the law-keeping covenant introduced 430 years later?

(b) Transgressions. The law was given to reveal and amplify sin (Rom. 7:7–8).

The original noun for transgressions (paraptōma) means a breach, violation, or crossing of a line. By drawing lines, the Law of Moses makes sin sinful (Rom. 7:13). It creates transgressions, or violations of the law (Rom. 4:15).

(d) Agency. Literally, by his hand. (Paul uses the same noun (cheir) when he says “I am writing to you with my own hand” (Gal. 6:11).) The old covenant bears the fingerprints of Moses.

(e) Mediator. Moses, who said to Israel, “I stood between the Lord and you” (Deut. 5:5). See next verse.

(f) Until the seed would come. What many don’t appreciate is that the Law of Moses was a temporary arrangement that ended with the arrival of the Seed, that is Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16, 4:4). “Christ is the end of the law” (Rom. 10:4).

In his letter, Paul addresses three misperceptions people have about the Old Testament law. First, keeping the law will bless me. (Trying to keep the law will curse and corrupt you (Gal. 3:10, 6:8).) Second, as long as I do my best, God will accept me. (God expects a perfect performance and nothing less (Gal. 5:3).) Third, the law is God’s eternal standard for holy living. (The law was a temporary arrangement fulfilled in Christ (Gal. 3:19).) As sons of God, we are not to live by law but walk by faith (Gal. 2:19, 3:12, 5:18).

(g) To whom the promise had been made. God’s promise to bless the nations was realized in the Seed of Abraham, that is Jesus Christ (Gal. 3:16).

Galatians 3:20

Now a mediator is not for one party only; whereas God is only one.

(a) Mediator. A mediator stands between two or more parties in a covenant. As the mediator of the old covenant, Moses represented Israel to God and God to Israel (Jos. 8:31, John 1:17). In this position, he often found himself standing between a God who had high expectations and a nation of sinners who consistently failed to meet them (e.g., Ex. 32:9–14). Jesus is a completely different kind of mediator (1 Tim. 2:5). He does not settle disputes between God and humanity. As the Son of God and the Son of Man, he reconciled God and humanity on the cross (Rom. 5:10, 2 Cor. 5:18).

(b) God is only one. The new covenant is a unilateral covenant made between God the Father and God the Son. God makes the promises, and God keeps the promises. Since God is one, it is impossible for him to break it. “For as many as are the promises of God, they are ‘yes’ in Christ” (2 Cor. 1:20).

Galatians 3:21

Is the Law then contrary to the promises of God? May it never be! For if a law had been given which was able to impart life, then righteousness would indeed have been based on law.

(a) The law. Does the law-keeping covenant between God and Israel contradict or supersede the grace-based promises God made to Abraham? “May it never be!” Of course not.

The law is not contrary, but complementary to the promises of God. The bad news of the law (you are a sinner) prepares us for the good news of grace (Jesus saves sinners). Like an x-ray, the law reveals the disease of sin and your need for a Great Physician (Luke 5:31).

(b) The promises of God are made and fulfilled by God himself, without any regard for our performance.

Paul has been speaking of the promises made to Abraham, promises which were fulfilled, or are being fulfilled, in Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16). Through Christ, God is blessing the world and building an immeasurably large family. But the good promises given to Abraham cannot compare to the even greater promises we enjoy in the new covenant.

In the new covenant God promises to: cleanse us, forgive us, and remember our sins no more (Jer. 31:34, Heb. 8:12, 10:17); be with us, never leave us, and never cast us away (Is. 43:2, John 6:37, Heb. 13:5); save us, raise us, and keep us strong to the end (Eze 36:29, John 6:39–40, 1 Cor. 1:8). Best of all, God promises to give us himself in the form of his Spirit (Eze 36:26, John 14:16–17, Gal. 3:14). By standing on these precious promises, we are able to partake of his divine life here and now (2 Pet. 1:4).

Further reading: “The ‘I wills’ of God”

(c) Impart life. The law promised life but imparted death (Rom. 7:5, 9). “This commandment, which was to result in life, proved to result in death for me” (Rom. 7:10). Paul is making another contrast. We can live under a law that imparts death, or we can receive eternal life through faith in Christ.

(d) Righteousness is the state of being right with God; see entry for Gal. 2:21.

(e) Righteousness based on law. The law is good and righteous (Rom. 7:12), but keeping it will not make you good and righteous. A righteousness based on law is not true righteousness, because it is not based on faith (Gal. 3:12). Paul’s prayer is that he would be found to possess the righteousness that comes from God through faith in Christ and not the homebrew righteousness that comes by law (Php. 3:9).

Galatians 3:22

But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.

(a) The Scripture. The Hebrew Scriptures, a.k.a. the Old Testament, which contain the Law of Moses, the psalms, and the prophets.

(b) Shut up everyone under sin. The verdict of the Old Testament is that everyone, whether Jew or Gentile, was captive to sin and incapable of living right. “In your sight no man is righteous” (Ps. 143:2). “There is no one who does good, not even one” (Ps. 14:3).

(c) The promise refers to the whole package of God’s promises that are ours in Christ. This package includes the promises God made to Abraham (Gal. 3:16), the promised Holy Spirit (Gal. 3:14), along with salvation, justification, and all the blessings of heaven besides.

(d) The promise by faith. To give the promise by faith to those who believe is not a redundant expression. Faith is a noun (the original word pistis means to be persuaded that God loves you; see entry for Gal. 2:16), while believing (pisteuō) is a verb or activity that flows from that persuasion. We do not believe to create faith. Rather, believing is the action that reveals our faith. “Having the same spirit of faith… we also believe” (2 Cor. 4:13).

(e) Those who believe. The gracious promises of God which come through faith in his Son are given to those who believe. The promises are not given to those who work. Nor are they given to those who claim to have faith but work anyway (just in case). Abraham was known as the believer (Gal. 3:9) and the father of all who believe (Rom. 4:11). We are the people who believe the gospel of Christ. We believe and wholly rely upon the love of the Father that comes to us through his Son.

Galatians 3:23

But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed.

(a) Before faith came. Before Jesus came offering salvation by faith.

(b) Kept in custody. Before Christ came, we were captive to sin (Rom. 6:17, 7:14). “You were slaves of sin” (Rom. 6:20). Our captivity was under the law, meaning the law acted like a custodian or jailer. If we forgot about our incarceration, the law was there to remind us. The law was a most vigilant guardian. If we stepped out of line, the law would blow the whistle, swing the gavel, and point an accusing finger.

Further reading: “Kept in custody under the law“

Paul has been talking about the Law of Moses that was given to Israel 430 years after Abraham (Gal. 3:17). The Law of Moses was given to reveal our transgressions (Gal. 3:19), or at least the Jews’ transgressions. But all of us, Jew and Gentile alike, were captive to sin and held in bondage under the elemental things of the world (Gal. 3:22, 4:3). All of us knew right from wrong because of our innate knowledge of good and evil. This is the law hardwired into the heart of every person (Rom. 2:14–15). This law says you must be good or be punished. It is a law that silences every mouth and holds the whole world accountable to God (Rom. 3:19). Most of the time this law operates through our conscience. “I know I did wrong.” Sometimes this law is imposed on us by authorities. “You did wrong.”

Further reading: “Are the Gentiles under the law?“

(d) Later to be revealed. The salvation-by-faith that was revealed when Christ came.

Galatians 3:24

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith.

(a) The law; see entry for Gal. 2:19.

(b) Tutor. In Roman times, a tutor or pedagogue (paidagōgós) was a household slave responsible for the discipline and guardianship of his master’s young sons. (The original word is made up of the words for boy (pais) and to guide (ago).) A pedagogue was less of a teacher and more of a guardian, with the latter meaning implied here (see Gal. 4:2). The law is not a teacher but a custodian (see previous verse). It treats us like slaves (Gal. 4:1). Now that Christ has come, we no longer need the custodianship of the law (Gal. 4:4–5). To continue acting as a slave (through law-keeping) is to insult the One who died to set you free.

Some misread this verse and conclude that the law is a tutor, or guide, for holy living. We have a far better Guide in the Holy Spirit (John 16:13). We don’t need external rules when we have an internal Counselor who reveals the mind of Christ and shows us the way to go. Some say the Holy Spirit convicts us through the law. “When you sin, the Holy Spirit will remind you of God’s holy commands and show you the way to go.” In other words, the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of law, and not the Spirit of grace (Heb. 10:29). The Spirit and the law have nothing in common. The law will point out your flaws and condemn you, but the Spirit of grace will always point you to Jesus and convince you of your righteousness. The life-giving ministry of the Spirit is far more glorious than the death-dealing ministry of the law (2 Cor. 3:8–9).

Further reading: “How does the Holy Spirit convict us?”

See entry for Justification.

(d) Faith is agreeing with God. Agreeing with God makes you right with God and pleases God (Heb. 11:6). See also the entry for Gal. 2:16.

Galatians 3:25

But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.

(a) Faith has come. Now that we can live by faith in the Son of God, we have no further need of the law.

The law is still useful if it is used lawfully (1 Tim. 1:8). The law is not made for the righteous person, but it is well suited for the self-righteous and ungodly (1 Tim. 1:9).

(b) No longer; see entry for Gal. 2:20.

Galatians 3:26

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

(a) You. You believers.

We who were all shut up under sin (Gal. 3:22) and kept in custody under the law (Gal. 3:23), are now sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.

(b) Sons of God. Believers are dearly loved sons of God. Why sons of God and not children of God? Because in the Roman world, adopted sons enjoyed special privileges and were marked as heirs (Gal. 4:5). “You have received a spirit of adoption as sons” (Rom. 8:15). Whether you are a male or female, you are a fellow heir with Christ (Rom. 8:17).

Some believers confuse identity with occupation. “I am but a humble servant of the Lord.” This false humility can be a source of pride and deception. You are not a servant, but a son and an heir of God. When Paul refers to himself as a bond-servant of Christ, he is describing his ministry, not his identity (Gal. 1:10). Paul calls God “Father,” and so do we.

(d) Faith in Christ Jesus. We are made sons and adopted into God’s family by believing in the Son of God.

The Jews considered themselves God’s people because of their pedigree (“We are sons of Abraham” (John 8:39)) and law-keeping performance. But we are qualified by Christ’s pedigree and his performance.

Galatians 3:27

For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.

(a) Baptized into Christ. Every believer has been baptized, or dipped, or placed into Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. “For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body” (1 Cor. 12:13).

Paul is not preaching water baptism as a condition for salvation any more than he is preaching circumcision or Sabbath-keeping. To be baptized into Christ, or clothed with Christ, is a work of the Holy Spirit. It happened the moment you put your faith in Christ.

See entry for Baptism.

(b) Into Christ… with Christ. Our spiritual union with the Lord is the glorious theme of Paul’s message. We have been crucified with Christ (Rom. 6:8, Gal. 2:20, Col. 2:20, 3:3), raised and made alive with Christ (Rom. 6:8, Eph. 2:5, Col. 3:1). We who are heirs with Christ (Rom. 8:17), now rule and reign with Christ (Eph. 2:6, 2 Tim. 2:12).

See entry for Union.

(c) Clothed yourselves with Christ. To be clothed with Christ is to be fully enveloped in, or hidden with, Christ in God (Col. 3:3). Just as he is in us, we are in him (John 14:20). The believer’s union with Christ is not a far-off event, but an accomplished fact. You are already in Christ.

Galatians 3:28

There 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.

(a) Neither Jew nor Greek. The new creation transcends differences in race, gender, and status (Rom. 10:12, Col. 3:11).

As a multiracial and multicultural community knit together by the love of God, the church is the miracle of the new covenant. Unlike the fallen realms of this world, the church welcomes all kinds of people, both good and bad, from every tribe and nation (Acts 10:35, Rom. 10:12, Col. 3:11, Rev. 7:9).

(b) Neither male nor female. Gender discrimination has no place in the new creation. All are equally valued in the family of God. Although men and women are biologically different, they are equal in grace (1 Pet. 3:7). This has enormous implications for our view of women and their role in the church.

Further reading: The Silent Queen: Why the Church Needs Women to Find their Voice

Galatians 3:29

And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.

(a) If you belong to Christ. If you are a believer. Those who have put their faith in Christ, and have received his Spirit as a seal of ownership, belong to Christ (Rom. 8:9, Eph. 1:13–14). “Whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s” (Rom. 14:8).

(b) Abraham’s descendants. Those who belong to Jesus are the true family of Abraham and his spiritual heirs (Gal. 3:7).

(c) Heirs. In Christ, we are heirs of God (Rom. 8:17), heirs of the kingdom (Col. 1:12, Jas. 2:5), heirs of the earth (Matt. 5:5, Rom. 4:13), heirs of salvation (Heb. 1:14), heirs of eternal life (Matt. 19:29, Eph. 1:14, Tit. 3:7), heirs of God’s promises (Heb. 6:12, 17), heirs of blessed and gracious life (Eph. 1:3, 1 Pet. 3:7, 9), and heirs of all things (Heb. 1:2, Rev. 21:7).

See entry for Inheritance.

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Galatians 3