We have seen, in chapters 1 and 2, the care with which God guarded the gospel of His grace so that we should have it in its purity, just as it was communicated to the apostle Paul. Is it not equally impressed on our minds and hearts that we should live in the full light of this Word of God, which has been preserved to us in order that we may share in its benefits as fully as in the days of the apostles?
"O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you, to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified? This only I wish to learn of you, have ye received the Spirit on the principle of works of law, or of the report of faith? Are ye so senseless? Having begun in Spirit, are ye going to be made perfect in flesh? Have ye suffered so many things in vain, if indeed also in vain? He therefore who ministers to you the Spirit, and works miracles among you, is it on the principle of works of law, or of the report of faith? Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness." (verses 1-6, JND).
Well might the apostle write, "O senseless Galatians, who has bewitched you; to whom, as before your very eyes, Jesus Christ has been portrayed, crucified?" Observe, it is not simply that Christ has died, or that He shed His precious blood, but His having been crucified; the reason for this reference to His cross is because it puts shame upon man, shows the impossibility of man's improvement by keeping the law.
They had received the Holy Spirit, the certain mark of a believer; had they received Him through works on the principle of law, or through a report received by faith? Having begun by the power of the Spirit, were they going to be made perfect in flesh? They had suffered persecution on account of the gospel received in its purity, without the admixture of Judaism and the law; was it all in vain? He (it was Paul) who ministered to them the Spirit, and worked miracles among them—was it through works on the principle of law or in connection with a testimony received by faith? These were searching questions, indeed, for them to answer. Not many years before, the Galatians had been idolaters. Was it through hearing of the law, or the grace of God, that the light had penetrated their darkened minds?
"Even as Abraham believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness. Know then that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham's sons; and the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the nations on the principle of faith, announced beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham: In thee all the nations shall be blessed. So that they who are on the principle of faith, are blessed with believing Abraham. For as many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse. For it is written, cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them; but that by law no one is justified with God is evident, because the just shall live on the principle of faith; but the law is not on the principle of faith; but, he that shall have done these things shall live by them. Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is everyone hanged upon a tree) that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." (verses 6-14, JND).
Verse 6 is a reference to Genesis 15:66And he believed in the Lord; and he counted it to him for righteousness. (Genesis 15:6): "And he believed in the Lord, and He counted it to him for righteousness." "Know then," says the apostle, "that they that are on the principle of faith, these are Abraham's sons"; not a question being raised (nor could be) of circumcision, or of keeping the law of Moses. Genesis 12:33And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3) is next drawn upon as the scripture announcing beforehand the glad tidings to Abraham, foreseeing that God would justify the nations on the principle of faith. "So that they who are on the principle of faith are blessed with believing Abraham." So much for the reward of faith apart from works.
Verses 10-12 discuss the hopeless case of those that are on the principle of works. "As many as are on the principle of works of law are under curse." Note that it is not said that as many as have broken some part of the law are under curse, but that all who take their stand on law are; the fact is that all are sinners, all have sinned. The quoted passages in verse 10 from Deuteronomy 27:2626Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen. (Deuteronomy 27:26), and in verse 11, from Habakkuk 2:44Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith. (Habakkuk 2:4), show that the door to justification before God on the ground of law keeping is completely closed.
When then is God's provision for the Jew whose conscience has been reached by the discovery of his apparently hopeless case as a sinner, and under the law's curse? Verses 13-14 very preciously tell it for faith's acceptance: "Christ has redeemed us out of the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, Cursed is every one hanged upon a tree) that the blessing of Abraham might come to the nations in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith."
"Us" in verse 13 refers to the believing Jews; compare Christ's having become a curse by hanging on the cross with 2 Corinthians 5:2121For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him. (2 Corinthians 5:21): "For He hath made Him to be sin for us, He who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." "We" in verse 14 takes in all believers.
The first part of our chapter has been devoted to the contrast of the principles of law and of faith. The law brings a curse upon all that are under it; but God will be a blesser; man's failure cannot keep Him from exercising His sovereign purpose to bless the creatures of His hand, and in perfect grace He does so through faith in the person and work of His Son.
In the section of the chapter which follows, the subject is the relationship between the law, and the promises of God to Abraham.
"Brethren (I speak according to man), even man's confirmed covenant no one sets aside, or adds other dispositions to. But to Abraham were the promises addressed, and to his seed; He does not say, And to seeds, as of many, but as of one, and to thy seed; which is Christ. Now I say this, A covenant confirmed beforehand by God, the law, which took place four hundred and thirty years after, does not annul, so as to make the promise of no effect. For if the inheritance be on the principle of law, it is no longer on the principle of promise; but God gave it in grace to Abraham by promise. Why then the law? It was added for the sake of transgressions, until the seed came to whom the promise was made, ordained through angels in the hand of a mediator. But a mediator is not of one, but God is one" (verses 15-20, JND).
Two passages of Scripture are referred to in verse 16: the promise in Genesis 12:33And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed. (Genesis 12:3), "in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed," and the confirmation in Genesis 22:1818And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice. (Genesis 22:18), "And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed." The first was spoken to Abraham at the beginning; the second was when he had in figure given his son as a sacrifice. The law given at Sinai, four hundred and thirty years after the unconditional promise to Abraham, could not make that promise of no effect.
Why then was the law given? "For the sake of transgressions"; there is a question between God and man, a question of sin and the guilt of man; and it was necessary that it be raised. Righteousness was therefore required, and sin was in consequence made manifest in the form of transgressions of the law; thus the conscience was reached. Man was made to see that he could not stand before God on the ground of his own responsibility.
The law was ordained through angels, in the hand of a mediator (Moses), unlike the promise which was made to Abraham by God in person. The law is a contract between God and the children of Israel, with Moses standing between as the mediator, but while the contract was perfectly sound, it has failed because of man's guilt. God therefore stands alone, and will accomplish the blessing He purposed when He spoke to Abraham in Genesis 12.
"Is then the law against the promises of God? Far be the thought! For if a law had been given able to quicken, then indeed righteousness were on the principle of law; but the Scripture has shut up all things under sin, that the promise, on the principle of faith of Jesus Christ, should be given to those that believe. But before faith came, we were guarded under law, shut up to faith which was about to be revealed. So that the law has been our tutor up to Christ, that we might be justified on the principle of faith.
"But faith having come, we are no longer under a tutor; for ye are all God's sons by faith in Christ Jesus. For ye, as many as have been baptized unto Christ, have put on Christ. There is no Jew or Greek; there is no bondman nor freeman; there is no male and female; for ye are all one in Christ Jesus; but if ye are of Christ then ye are Abraham's seed, heirs according to promise" (verses 21-29, JND).
To verse 25 the subject is Israel. Note the change in verse 26 from "we" to "ye," verse 27. Baptism sets forth in a Christian the confession of the death and resurrection of Christ; I am in a wholly new condition; I belong to Christ, and no more (if I had been a Jew) under the law; now with new feelings I am to do what pleases Him.