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PAUL’S DOCTRINE OF JUSTIFICATION
GALATIANS 3:1-4:31
Having finished his defense of his apostolic ministry, Paul now turns to the defense of his message of salvation by grace through faith and an attack on salvation by works of the law. This defense and attack will continue to the end of chapter 4.
GALATIANS 3:1-5
In this opening paragraph, Paul focuses attention on the main doctrinal issue of this letter: faith or works. Paul does this with a series of five questions.
GALATIANS 3:1-5.
1. O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified? 2. This only do I wish to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3. Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being completed by the flesh? 4. Did you suffer so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain? 5. Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
3:1. “O foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?”
The first question opens with an exclamation of surprise: “O foolish Galatians!” This exclamation focuses on the main emphasis of this section: the foolishness of salvation by works of law and the wisdom of salvation by grace through faith. The Galatians were being foolish for turning to the works of the law and turning from the wisdom of salvation by grace through faith. Paul’s first question raises the problem of why the Galatians had abandoned salvation by grace through faith. Were they bewitched? Had they fallen under a spell of witchcraft? Some occult power has to be operating among them, especially in view of the dramatic presentation of the gospel; before their eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified. What had overcome that powerful presentation of the gospel?
3:2. “This only do I wish to learn from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Paul’s second question raises the main doctrinal issue: faith or works. Did they receive the Spirit by works of the law or by the hearing of faith? The receiving of the Spirit is the most powerful and personal aspect of salvation by Christ. The unspoken answer to this question is that they received the Spirit by the hearing of faith; the works of the law had nothing to do with receiving of the Spirit.
3:3. “Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being completed by the flesh?”
Paul’s third question opens with a preliminary question which again raises the issue of the foolishness of their actions: “Are you so foolish?” The previous question leads logically to the third question. Having begun with the Spirit who was received by the hearing of faith, were they now being completed or perfected by the flesh, by the works of the law? This raises the contrast between the Spirit and the flesh which Paul will develop more completely in chapter 5 ( verse 16 and following). The obvious and unspoken answer to this question is that they are now being completed by the Spirit; the works of the law by the flesh (human effort) cannot not add anything to the perfect work of the Spirit of God. This present tense of their salvation is carried out by the Spirit of God through the hearing of faith.
3:4. “Did you suffer so many things in vain – if indeed it was in vain?”
Paul’s fourth question focuses on another aspect of their salvation: suffering for Christ. By turning to salvation by works of the law, they were treating the sufferings for Christ they had experienced as though they were in vain, empty and of no value. The same advocates of salvation by works of the law were their former persecutors.
3:5. “Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?”
Paul’s fifth question returns to the main doctrinal issue: faith or works. Now Paul emphasizes God’s activity among them. Did God, who lavishes the Spirit on them and works miracles among them, do it by the works of the law or by the hearing of faith? The unspoken answer to this question is the same as before: by the hearing of faith.
GALATIANS 3:6-9
Paul in these verses begins his defense of his message of salvation by grace through faith. He does this by alternating between the defense of salvation by grace through faith and the attack on salvation by works of the law; he deals first with the blessing of faith, then with the curse of the law, then with the promise of the Abrahamic covenant, then the transgressions of the law.
GALATIANS 3:6-9.
6. According as Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,” 7. understand then, that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. 8. And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham: “All nations shall be blessed in you.” 9. So those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.
3:6. “According as Abraham ‘believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness,'”
Paul begins his defense of salvation by grace through faith by appealing to Abraham. By quoting Gen. 15:6, Paul shows that Abraham’s faith in God was reckoned to him as righteousness. This righteousness is not a forensic or legal term, denoting a right standing before the law, but a right personal relationship to God. Paul will later in his letter to the Romans call this right personal relationship to God resulting from faith in the true God the righteousness of faith (Rom. 4:11). Just as trust in a false god is sin so trust in the true God is righteousness. This righteousness is no “legal fiction” because God considers faith in Himself to be a real righteousness; it rightly relates a man to God. The forensic or legal righteousness is a fiction of the law and it is opposed to righteousness as right personal relationship, because this forensic or legal righteousness is an intrusion into Christian theology of the very legalism that Paul was opposing. Treating righteousness as the imputed merits of Christ is to reintroduce salvation by works of the law, even if it is done by another, Jesus Christ. A Vicarious salvation by meritorious works of the law is nowhere taught in the Scriptures and it mixes grace and works which Paul says cannot be done or grace will no longer be grace (Rom. 11:6).
3:7. “understand then, that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham.”
Paul now asserts that those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. Paul’s opponents in Galatia were apparently maintaining that those who were circumcised were sons of Abraham. Paul denies this on the basis of the Scriptures, namely Gen. 15:6.
3:8. “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham: ‘All nations shall be blessed in you.'”
Paul goes on to assert, again on the basis of the Scriptures, that is, Gen. 12:3, that the gospel was preached beforehand to Abraham. The Scriptures foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith. So from the very beginning God intended the blessing of Abraham to be for all peoples, and not just for the Jews. Note Paul’s high view of the Scriptures: what the Scripture says is what God says.
3:9. “So those who are of faith are blessed with believing Abraham.”
Paul now shows that the results of this promise of blessing made to Abraham, recorded in Gen. 12:3, was to those who like Abraham have faith.
GALATIANS 3:10-14
Paul now turns to attack salvation by the works of the law. Just as those who are of faith are blessed, so those who are of the works of the law are under the curse of the law. In the following verses Paul will show not only that those who are of the works of the law are under the curse of the law but also how those under the curse of law are delivered from the curse of the law and receive the blessing of God.
GALATIANS 3:10-14.
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 law, to perform them.” 11. Now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident: for, “The righteous by faith shall live.” 12. However, the law is not of faith; on the contrary, “He who does them shall live by them.” 13. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, because it is written: “Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.” 14. in order 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.
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 law, to perform them.'”
Paul now asserts that as many as are of the works of the law are under a curse. He then quotes Deut. 27:26 as the basis for his assertion. Why are those who are of the works of law under a curse? Because the law curses all those who do not do all that is written in the book of the law. The law expects complete obedience; even the smallest infraction must be dealt with; every trespass brings the curse of the law.
3:11. “Now that no one is justified by the law before God is evident: for, ‘The righteous by faith shall live.'”
Paul now asserts that no one is justified by the law before God. Why is this so? Paul says this is clear or evident because the righteous by faith shall live or be justified (saved), quoting Hab. 2:4. It is not because all men cannot keep the law that they are not saved by the law, but it is because the law is not of faith as he says in the next verse. In fact, the Scripture says that man can keep or do the law: Deut. 30:11-14. That he doesn’t and why he doesn’t is another matter. The point is that justification does not come by keeping the law, not because man cannot keep the law. The law has nothing to do with justification because the law has nothing to do with faith, and it is the righteous by faith who are justified or saved. Only those who are of faith are righteous as Abraham was who believed God and whose faith was reckoned as righteousness.
3:12. “However, the law is not of faith; on the contrary, ‘He who does them shall live by them.'”
In this verse, Paul gives the reason that justification is not by the law. The law is not of faith but of doing, as the Scriptures say in Lev. 18:5. The law therefore has nothing to do with justification or salvation.
3:13. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us, because it is written: ‘Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'”
In this verse, Paul will show how those under the curse of law are delivered from the curse of the law and in the next verse how they may receive the blessing of God. What the law could not do, Christ has done. The law brought a curse; Christ redeems from the curse of the law. How? By becoming a curse for our sakes, on our behalf. That is, Christ died for us, to set us free from the bondage of the law; He bought us out of or redeemed us from the slavery to the law. Thus those who were of the works of law and under the curse of the law are delivered from the law and thus from the curse of the law by Christ’s death. Paul does not say that Christ took our curse but that He became a curse to redeem us from the curse of the law. Christ’s death sets us free from the law and its curse.
3:14. “in order 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.”
In this verse, Paul shows the purpose and the results of Christ redeeming us from the curse of law. The purpose was that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles. This is what was promised to Abraham as we saw in verses 8 and 9. The result was that we might receive the promise of Spirit through faith. Paul will discuss this more fully at the beginning of the next chapter.
GALATIANS 3:15-18
Now Paul brings forward a concept that has been in the background of the discussion from verse 6 through 18. It is concept of the covenant. There are two covenants contrasted here: the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants. Paul will contrast them and discuss their functions in the rest of this chapter.
GALATIANS 3:15-18.
15. Brethren, I speak in human terms: no one annuls even a man’s covenant, or adds to it, once it has been ratified. 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. 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. 18. For if the inheritance is out of law, it is no longer out of promise; but God gave it to Abraham through promise.
3:15. “Brethren, I speak in human terms: no one annuls even a man’s covenant, or adds to it, once it has been ratified.”
As Paul begins a new section of his discussion, he again addresses his readers as Christian brethren ( Gal. 1:11; 4:12; 5:13; 6:1). Paul introduces his discussion of the covenant by referring to human covenants. He points out that human covenants are not annulled or added to once they are ratified.
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.”
Now Paul refers to the Abrahamic covenant. That covenant was a covenant of promise; God made promises to Abraham and to his seed. Paul notes, using some rabbinic exegesis, that the word “seed” is singular and not plural, referring to one, that is, Christ. Paul obviously knew the singular can have collective sense and later uses “seed” in a collective sense ( Gal. 3:29). The point that Paul is making is that in Christ the promises made to Abraham were fulfilled.
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.”
In this verse Paul returns to the main point. The Mosaic covenant of law which came four hundred and thirty years later, does not invalidate an earlier covenant ratified by God. That is, the law does not abolish the promise of the earlier covenant. Contrary to dispensationalism, the Abrahamic dispensation did not end with the giving of the law, with the beginning of the dispensation of law. The two covenants, after the covenant of law was made, were concurrent and parallel.
3:18. “For if the inheritance is out of law, it is no longer out of promise; but God gave it to Abraham through promise.”
Paul now introduces another concept which he develop more fully later: inheritance. Here he points out that the inheritance is not from the law. This is the unexpressed conclusion of Paul’s line of reasoning in this verse.
GALATIANS 3:19-22
Having denied that the function of the law was to provide an inheritance, Paul raises the obvious question: why then the law? In these verses Paul answer this question and another question: is the law contrary to the promises of God? Up to this point Paul has said nothing good about law and has given the impression that the law is all wrong. Paul now seeks to correct that impression by pointing out the God given function of the law.
GALATIANS 3:19-22.
19. Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made. 20. Now a mediator is not of one; but God is one. 21. Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? May it not be! For if a law had been given that was able to make alive, then righteousness would really be by the law. 22. But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, to those who believe.
3:19. “Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made.”
Since the blessing of God and inheritance come by the Abrahamic covenant, is there anything left for the covenant of law to provide? This question asks the function of the law. Paul answers that the law was added because of transgressions. Paul will later answer this question more fully in his letter to the Romans: “through the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom. 3:20; 7:7). With the giving of the law sin was completely known. It did not define sin but exposed it. With the giving of the law sin became a transgression of the law, because “where there is no law there is no transgression” (Rom. 4:15b). Before the law was given, sin was in the world, but sin is not imputed (reckoned to one’s account) and thus punished where there is no law (Rom. 5:13). When the law was given, sin becomes a transgression of the known law and one is now held accountable for his transgression. Paul’s answer to this question also points out the duration and origin of the law. The duration of the law was until the seed should come to whom the promise had been made, that is, Jesus Christ (See Gal. 3:16). Thus Paul indicates the temporary character of the law. And as to the origin of law it was ordained or appointed by angels through a mediator, Moses. Thus Paul indicates the inferior nature of the law.
Paul now explains the significance of the mediator. Since a mediator is someone between two different parties, he is not of one; that is, his activity implies more than one. But God is one. The point that Paul is trying to make is the inferior nature of the law.
3:21. “Is the law then contrary to the promises of God? May it not be! For if a law had been given that was able to make alive, then righteousness would really be by the law.”
Paul now raises another question about the law. His polemic above against the law implied that the law and the promise were contrary to each other. That is, they were both trying to perform the same function in different and opposing ways. Paul denies this. The law and the promise have different and complementary functions. First, they have different functions. Since the law cannot make alive, righteousness cannot come from the law. But the promise, that is, the fulfillment of the promise, Jesus Christ, can make alive, therefore righteousness comes by the promise. Righteousness comes from life, just as sin comes from death (Rom. 5:12d). The legalistic misunderstanding of the salvation teaches that life comes from righteousness, just as it teaches that death comes from sin. Righteousness is not the condition for life, just as sin is not the condition for death. The law and the promise have different functions: the law brings death and hence sin and the promise brings life and hence righteousness. They are not contrary to each other.
3:22. “But the Scripture has shut up all men under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.”
Second, the law and the promise have complementary functions. The function of the law is to shut up all men under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. Paul will explain this more fully in the next section.
GALATIANS 3:23-29
In this section, Paul explains more fully the complementary functions of the law and the promise and the fulfillment of the promise in Jesus Christ.
GALATIANS 3:23-29.
23. But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up until faith should be revealed. 24. So the law has became our custodian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith. 25. But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian. 26. For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27. For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28. There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.
3:23. “But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up until faith should be revealed.”
Paul likens the law to a jailer. The jailer has custody of those under the law, keeping them shut up in the jail of the law until faith should be revealed.
3:24. “So the law has became our custodian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.”
In this verse Paul changes his figure of speech and likens the law to a custodian or child-leader, one who take care of those under the law, until Christ comes. The Greek word paidagogos here translated “custodian” means “a child-leader” or “child-attendant.” He was usually a slave in a wealthy Roman and Greek family who was given the supervision of one of children of the family. He had charge of the child from about the age of six until sixteen and was responsible for the behavior of the child and to see that he got to school and back. He did not teach; he was not a tutor. If Paul had meant that he was to teach the child, he would have used the Greek word for teacher, didaskalos. Paul says that we were under the law as a custodian until Christ came. The ultimate purpose of the custodian was that those under the custodian might be justified or saved by faith.
3:25. “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a custodian.”
Paul now declares the important truth that the Galatians needed to know: they are no longer under a custodian, the law, now that faith has come. Paul is not here referring to the historical coming of Christ, which he will do in the next section ( Gal. 4:4), but rather he is referring to the coming of faith to them when the gospel was preached to them. As Paul will say later in his letter to the Romans: “so faith comes from hearing, a hearing through the word of Christ” (Rom. 10:17).
3:26. “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.”
In this and the next two verses Paul explains the meaning of not being under the custodian. First of all they are all sons of God, through faith in Christ Jesus. Paul will explain the meaning of sonship in the next section.
3:27. “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.”
Paul continues his explanation of the meaning of not being under the custodian. Paul refers to baptism and its meaning. He is not here suggesting that baptism replaces circumcision or that they are saved by baptism. Baptism is an outward sign of the inward decision of faith, to trust Christ and accept His death and resurrection as our death and resurrection. It is a public act whereby one declares his identification with Christ. He is telling the world that he is Christ’s and that he intends to follow Him, that he has put on Christ. The Greek word here translated “to put on” means “to assume the role of.” The word is used in the theatre and it refers to putting on the clothes of a character and acting the role of that person. So we who have been baptized into Christ, have “put on Christ” and now acting His role on the stage of the world.
3:28. “There is neither Jew or Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Paul continues his explanation of the meaning of not being under the custodian. They all are one in Christ Jesus. Paul is here probably referring to the body of Christ and that they are all members of that one body (I Cor. 12:12f). This does not mean that they have lost their individual identities and differences. But it does mean that human differences are of secondary importance and that they do not divide and separate us who are in Christ. Paul refers here to three kinds of differences: racial differences, “Jew nor Greek,” economic differences, “slave nor free,” sexual differences, “male or female.”
3:29. “And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, heirs according to promise.”
Paul continues his explanation of the meaning of not being under the custodian. If they are Christ’s, then they are Abraham’s seed and heirs according to promise. Here Paul refers back to the previous discussion of the Abrahamic covenant ( Gal. 3:15-18). He identifies those who are Christ’s with Abraham’s seed, making them the heirs according to the promise made to Abraham. Paul will explain this more fully in the next section ( Gal. 4:7).